Last updated: 30 Oct 2007

Why is learning and teaching about healthy lifestyles important?

A healthy lifestyle encompasses physical, nutritional and emotional health. Good health is important for effective learning, and learning about healthy lifestyles helps give pupils the confidence and support to make informed choices about their present and future health.

Schools should look for opportunities to promote and improve health in every area of school life, for example organising physical activities, cooking and growing fruit and vegetables, assessing pupils' eating and exercise habits and offering access to health support services.

The National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) enables schools to develop a whole-school approach to promoting pupils' health and wellbeing. More information about the NHSP is available on the Wired for health website.

The DfES publication Healthy living blueprint for schools (reference number DfES/0781/2004, available from the Teachernet website) outlines the government's commitments to and objectives for supporting schools in creating a healthy environment.

This page provides access to many websites useful for healthy lifestyles education. From this page you can also download these healthy lifestyles units:

• Unit 2 Keeping the body healthy

• Unit 3 Making choices for a healthy life

• Unit 6 Eating healthily, being active