Research Group Healthy Lifestyle
Getting enough exercise and eating a healthy diet are both equally important for good health. This is common knowledge. Yet many children and young people in the Netherlands still lead an unhealthy lifestyle. This has consequences, both personal and social. So how do you prevent this? Or, more precisely, how can you teach children to start moving more - and keep moving? And how can you encourage young people to make healthier food choices?
Mission
The research group focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle among young people (ages 4-24 years) in the Haaglanden region by working together with current and future professionals and the target group to develop, evaluate and implement innovative products and programmes and services that promote physical activity and healthy food choices.
Vision
The research groups aims to work to promote a healthy lifestyle among young people ages 4 to 24 years through sustainable behaviour change. This behaviour change is achieved by converting knowledge about movement, diet, behaviour change, technology, interaction design and pedagogy into innovative products and programmes and services that consciously and/or subconsciously inspire children and young people to lead a health lifestyle. These efforts are based on a belief in the power of seduction and implicit learning, alongside persuasion and explicit learning. The innovations are integrally based on the desires, needs and perceptions of the target group and stakeholders. We work in a demand-driven and practice-oriented manner. That is why the research group works together closely with professionals in the field and the degree programmes and answers research questions originating directly from the professional field.
Team
Maria Arias
Joris Hoeboer
Gitte Kloek
Pim Koolwijk
Jonas Leenhouts
Machteld van Lieshout
Danica Mast
Sylvia Schipper
Annemarie de Witte
Maria Arias
I am Maria. My background is in Industrial design and Design for interaction. As a professional designer, I focus on developing products and services with a positive behavioral impact on society. This focus led me to propose a method for developing design solutions with a behavioral goal, which I applied in several companies like Heineken, Eneco, the ocean cleanup, and others
I work one day in the Healthy Lifestyle in a Supportive Environment lectorate, and 4 days as a lecturer of User Experience Design. As a lecturer, I teach topics related to research for design, design thinking, creativity, design for emotion, and psychology in design, among other topics.
As a researcher, my main contributions revolve around habit formation, Design thinking research processes, and Research Through Design. I am currently involved in projects such as Multiball wall and Springvloer.
Joris Hoeboer
Contact:
j.j.a.a.hoeboer@hhs.nlGitte Kloek
Contact:
Pim Koolwijk
Contact:
p.koolwijk@hhs.nlJonas Leenhouts
Contact:
J.J.Leenhouts@hhs.nlMachteld van Lieshout
Contact:
Danica Mast
Contact:
d.mast@hhs.nlSylvia Schipper
Contact:
s.j.schipper@hhs.nlAnnemarie de Witte
Contact:
a.m.h.dewitte@hhs.nlAbout the professor
dr. Sanne de Vries
Sanne graduated with a degree in Human Movement Sciences and Epidemiology from the VU University Amsterdam. From 2000 to 2013, she worked as a researcher and project leader at TNO. Sanne earned her PhD from the VU University Amsterdam in 2009 in Social Medicine with a thesis entitled 'Activity-friendly neighbourhoods for children'. Sanne has been involved in more than 75 research projects involving young people, movement and health and has published more than 200 scientific reports. Her primary focus is on the role of the physical environment in movement behaviour, physical education and ‘nudging’, as well as the assessment of physical activity in young people.
06 - 46 87 68 52s.i.devries@hhs.nl
Research lines
A lifetime of good health and vitality starts with a fit foundation. A Healthy School helps make that happen. Healthy Schools feature a structural and coherent approach in which the primary focus lies on the health of students and staff members. In this respect, it is important that Healthy School activities are structurally deployed and shaped on the basis of the following four pillars: 1) identification and referral, 2) health education, 3) environment and 4) policy and regulations. This integral approach increases the effectiveness, resulting in healthier young people and employees who also feel good about themselves mentally. This research group conducts research into various aspects of the Healthy School of the Future. Stimulating physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviour and stimulating healthy food choices are the key issues here.
Within this line of research, among other things, these projects are being worked on:
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‘Healthy by Design’, in which, under the leadership of the research group, an environmental intervention for and by senior secondary vocational education and training students is developed, implemented and evaluated together with partners from education (ROC Mondriaan – Regional Training Centre), research (TU Delft – University of Technology) and practice (Design Office Frens Pries, Haaglanden Municipal Health Service, Sportief Advies).
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‘Healthy@School’, which focuses on promoting the vitality of students and staff members of The Hague University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with research groups, degree programmes, services, lecturers and students. In 2017 there will be a survey of the sports needs of students from THUAS.
In this line of research, knowledge is gained aimed at promoting ‘physical literacy’ among 4–18 year olds. Together with professionals, future professionals and children various products and programmes related to movement education are developed, evaluated and implemented aimed at: gaining knowledge of the value of movement, developing physical skills (including motor skills), enjoying movement, improving intrinsic motivation as well as self-confidence in connection with exercise and self-management skills.
Within this line of research, among other things, these projects are being worked on:
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A movement skills track as a practical motor skills test (in collaboration with VU Amsterdam, ASM BV, HSV Foundation and Haaglanden Municipal Health Service);
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Team agreements to promote the practice and experience of play during play education;
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Multifunctional sports equipment;
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A new method for the shuttle run test, which incorporates gaming principles;
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Video projection use in the gym.
Sanne de Vries’s additional positions
- Member of the Interventions Recognition Committee, sub-committee 5, Sports Management
- Chair of the SIA Platform of Lecturers; Sports Management
- Member of the Youth Health Care Directive on Posture and Exercise
- Guest Editor
Blog
Blogs of a researcher: reading, reading and more reading
In my first blog I described how I am researching the problem of the neighbourhood sports coach. I wanted to know more about the evaluation and accountability of the social impact of interventions. I worked on this in recent weeks ...
Read moreBlogs of a researcher
Conducting the research. Most students find it ‘boring. And difficult’. In this monthly blog I will share with you my experiences as a researcher. What challenges I encounter and how I resolve these issues. I will show you that res...
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