BIO-STREAMS is committed to supporting a healthier lifestyle, especially among children, by creating a multi-pillar framework complete with an EU biobank, mobile recommendation system and micro-moments for spreading knowledge and awareness. As the consortium continues their work on this ambitious goal, co-creation sessions with stakeholders  school pilots are being regularly conducted to ensure BIO-STREAMS is aligned with real-world learning environments and use-cases. 

BIO-STREAMS School Pilot Sessions

BIO-STREAMS will be piloted in schools across five European countries –Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Slovenia– engaging a total of 2,000 pupils. 

By involving multiple schools and a diverse group of students, the school pilots aim to gather valuable data and insights that will help improve the functionality and impact of the BIO-STREAMS project. The data collected from these pilots is crucial in identifying the strengths and areas for improvement within the project, ensuring it meets the needs of children and educational professionals.

“The primary goal of the school pilot sessions is to conduct family-centric workshops on a variety of health topics,” says Lars Münter, BIO-STREAMS consortium member and Executive Horizon Advisor for the International Projects Unit at the Danish Committee for Health Education. “These workshops will be crafted to raise awareness about healthy eating and physical activity among students and their families. By focusing on these essential health issues, BIO-STREAMS hopes to foster a community-wide dialogue about healthy lifestyles, local determinants, and encourage proactive health management”

BIO-STREAMS workshop in Ljubljana

In April, BIO-STREAMS consortium members joined the European School Heads Association (ESHA) and school heads from across the globe in Ljubljana, Slovenia to participate in the first workshop in a series of collaborative events in our living labs approach to find tools and solutions to tackle childhood obesity.

“The workshop in Ljubljana gave us the opportunity to discuss directly with schools to discover how students learn, and how we can provide the best educational tools,” says Amela Bander, BIO-STREAMS consortium member and Project Manager at the International Projects Unit Danish Committee for Health Education.

Effective communication with schools, teachers, and students about the BIO-STREAMS project is vital for several reasons:

  1. Educational Value: Teachers can incorporate the knowledge and inspiration gained from BIO-STREAMS workshops into their existing health curriculums, enriching the educational experience for their students.
  2. Health Awareness: Students and their families will gain access to valuable tools and knowledge that can help them pursue healthier lifestyles. The information provided through the workshops can have a lasting impact on their health and well-being.
  3. Community Engagement: By involving schools and families, BIO-STREAMS promotes a community-centric approach to health education. This collaborative effort can lead to a more supportive and health-conscious community.
  4. Feedback and Improvement: Engaging directly with the participants allows BIO-STREAMS to receive real-time feedback, which is essential for refining the app and making necessary adjustments to better serve its users.

The Path Forward: Prevention and Personalized Interventions

Given the complex origins of obesity, which extend beyond a mixture of diet and physical activity, and the evolving ecosystem, it is essential to enhance insight and intervention capacity, particularly for the underage population. Prevention is key, especially in age groups under 18, where the potential for long-term change is higher, leading to improved outcomes throughout adulthood and reducing the healthcare burden.

The BIO-STREAMS school pilots, which will be conducted in the school year 2025-26, will represent a significant step in the development and implementation of an innovative health education tool. In the meantime, conducting these co-creation sessions across Europe and involving a large number of students, BIO-STREAMS aims to create a comprehensive and effective app that can enhance health awareness and encourage healthier lifestyles. Effective communication with schools and families is a cornerstone of this initiative, ensuring that the benefits of BIO-STREAMS are maximised for all participants. Addressing the obesity epidemic through improved data usage, personalised interventions, and stronger community ties is crucial for achieving long-term health outcomes and reducing the societal burden of obesity.