HCA Talks Health
Lifestyle Medicine in Schools: A New Approach to Children's Health
Dan Newman on Transforming Student Wellbeing
Published: 21st March 2025
Why are more children than ever struggling with anxiety, ADHD, and poor health, and what can schools do about it? In this episode of HCA Talks Health, we speak with Dan Newman, who is on a mission to make health a priority in education.
Dan shares how he’s integrating Lifestyle Medicine and health coaching into school communities to improve attendance, wellbeing, and academic engagement. He reveals the environmental factors affecting children’s physical and mental health, from ultra-processed diets to reduced movement and family stress, and how his holistic approach is changing outcomes for students, staff, and parents.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
The six pillars of lifestyle medicine and how they fit into school life
How modern environments affect children’s health and behaviour
Why staff wellbeing is key to student success
Strategies to engage parents in creating healthier home environments
How Health Coaches can work within schools to drive cultural change
Timestamps:
0:00 - Welcome & introduction to Dan Newman and his focus on school communities
2:00 - Changes in student fitness, coordination, and resilience
3:00 - Rising anxiety, depression, and behavioural issues
6:30 - The role of environment in children’s health challenges
7:00 - Metabolic health, diet, and brain function in young people
10:00 - Parent-child attachment and coping mechanisms
12:00 - The impact of constant distraction on emotional regulation
13:00 - Results from schools using this approach (attendance & wellbeing)
14:00 - Why staff wellbeing must come first
16:00 - Engaging parents in health education
18:00 - Launching a PSHE curriculum based on lifestyle medicine
20:00 - Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine in schools
22:00 - Behaviour change through awareness and experimentation
26:00 - Empowering students to take control of their health
30:00 - Creating a culture shift within school communities
32:00 - How health coaching fits into education
35:00 - Training Health Coaches and teachers to work in schools
36:00 - Models for health coaching in education settings
38:00 - How to approach schools with health coaching services
39:00 - The long-term value of lifestyle medicine in schools
40:00 - Dan’s personal morning routine and active lifestyle
42:00 - Inspiring others through role modelling
44:00 - Final message for Health Coaches
Dan Newman – Founder & CEO of Lifestyle First
A former PE teacher with over 20 years in education, Dan Newman is now the founder and CEO of Lifestyle First, an organisation dedicated to making health central to school communities.
He leads the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM) Schools Special Interest Group and writes accredited courses for both the BSLM and the UK and International Health Coaching Association (UKIHCA), including a course training Health Coaches to work in educational settings.
Dan spent five years studying lifestyle medicine, holistic therapies, and health coaching. A triathlete who cycles to the schools he works in, he's someone who truly walks the talk, and is passionate about empowering young people to take control of their health.
Dan shares “We need to help our young people get this kind of foundational information and build this awareness so that they can have a great chance of thriving.”
To learn more about Dan’s organisation focused on making health a priority across school communities, as well as the Lifestyle Medicine PSHE Curriculum, visit ww.lifestylefirst.org. Dan leads the Schools Special Interest Group for the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM). To learn more about BSLM, visit www.bslm.org.uk.
You Might Also Like:
If you’re a parent wanting to raise healthy eaters, explore the episode with Dr Colette Reynolds on Tackling Fussy Eating. To dive deeper into the topic of Lifestyle Medicine, join Dr Sunil Kumar as he talks about Lifestyle Medicine & Prehabilitation Before Surgery.
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