There is increasing scientific evidence that eating unhealthily and exercising too little at an early age can affect young people’s 

health into adulthood and the health of their children in the future.

The EACH-B programme is designed to explore these health behaviours with young people and develop ways of supporting them eat better and move more, with the aim of reducing their life long risk of non-infectious diseases, including heart, lung and liver disease, as well as communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, to raise young people’s awareness and interest in the science underpinning health issues.

This LifeLab course is delivered as part of the EACH-B intervention and incorporates science education and behaviour change research in order to support young people  to:

• develop their reasoning and decision-making skills.
• make positive changes to adolescent health-related attitudes.
• break cycles of unhealthy behaviour.

This is delivered through a series of four lessons that culminate in a day of hands-on practical activities where students have the opportunity to explore their own health. In subsequent lessons, students are then challenged to use enquiry-based learning to conduct their own health investigation using research methods, with the students presenting their findings and outcomes in poster format to their peers and teachers.

Engaging Adolescents in Changing their Behaviour (EACH-B) is a research study assessing the impact on young people’s diets and physical activity levels of combining completion of the LifeLab module, training their teachers in Healthy Conversation Skills and giving them access to a gamified smartphone application that supports better eating and exercising more.  This combination of interventions with young people is being tested in  a randomised control trial that will involve 50 schools across Hampshire and surrounding areas which is funded by the National Institute for Health Research.

Who is it for?

All local authority or academy secondary schools in Hampshire and surrounding areas are eligible to take part in the EACH-B Research Trial. We are recruiting Year 8 students (aged 12–13 years) from 50 secondary schools/academies to take part. All schools will receive up to £1000 as a thank you for taking part and to help with their costs, and all control schools will have full access to the LifeLab module and activity day once their involvement in the trial has ended.

How do I take part?

For further information about the trial, including details of how to register your school to take part, please email lifelab@soton.ac.uk.

EACH-B is funded by the National Institute for Health Research, and has full ethical approval from the University of Southampton’s Faculty of Medicine Ethics board: Ethics number 49226