What If We Taught Kids About Health and Wellness Every Day?

Alright, picture this. You’re back in school — the small backpack, pencil case, and that panic of forgetting your homework. You’ve got maths, English, science… and then you head into your daily health class. This isn't PE, this is an actual, structured health class.

This class doesn’t just tell you “exercise is good” and “don’t eat too much.” It’s like a science class, but for your body. You learn about calories, what happens if you eat too little or too much, avoidable health problems, why exercise genuinely changes your mood, how your body burns fat, and why choosing a positive habit over a destructive one could change the course of your entire life.

This class would be every day, like English and maths. Imagine the impact that could have on an entire generation.

The Missing Piece in Schools

I’ve thought about this a lot. I see what happens when people grow up without understanding their own bodies. When they become an adult, they have no clue why they can’t lose weight, why they feel tired all the time, and why they can’t seem to stay motivated to exercise.

But what if we started early? What if, from the age of 5, children started to learn about the body that they are going to live in for the rest of their lives? By the time they hit 16, they wouldn’t just know a mathematical calculation that they will probably never use — they’d know how to design an exercise plan, balance their energy intake, and recognise changes with their own mental health.

What Would This Class Look Like?

This is an example of what I'm talking about. Maybe for those in year 7 and above.

Monday

You walk in and today’s lesson is about calories. Not in a “calories are bad” kind of way, but in a “this is how your body fuels itself” way. You learn that calories are simply units of energy, and that different foods have different calories. Maybe they do a fun experiment like burning a peanut to measure its energy.

Tuesday

Today’s topic is exercise. Here’s what exercise actually does to your brain.” They talk about endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine — and why a run can sometimes feel like a magic pill for a bad mood.

Wednesday

Mental Health Day. They talk about how small habits, like journaling, walking outside, or simply breathing deeply, can make you feel better. They break down stress, anxiety, and how to combat those feelings with simple tools, rather than just hoping they go away.

Thursday

Nutrition. They talk about food, but without the shame. Kids learn the difference between processed and whole foods, why protein is important, how sugar affects energy, and how to make better choices without falling into diet culture traps. Imagine how that knowledge could protect them later in life.

Friday

Today is about lifestyle choices. Sleep, hydration, alcohol, vaping, relationships, and boundaries. Basically everything that actually affects your health but no one ever warns you about. This is the day where they learn that sleeping 5 hours a night is slowly wrecking your health.

And then they do it again next week. Different lessons, deeper understanding, practical applications. Every. Single. Day.

The Ripple Effect Would Be Insane

I honestly think the impact of this would be revolutionary.

• Children leaving school understanding a little more about how their bodies work.

  
  

• Teenagers actually knowing how to fuel their bodies and not falling into a bad diet culture.

  
  

• Younger adults having the tools to combat stress, poor mental health, and bad habits.

  
  

• People in their 20s not having to Google “how to lose weight fast” because they already know.

And most importantly — less strain on the NHS, fewer mental health cases, fewer obesity-related illnesses, fewer people stuck in the endless cycle of “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” All because they would already know how to deal with these problems or know where to go if they need assistance.

The Is Always a Pushback...

Now, I know that people would fight against this by saying “But what if it gives kids eating disorders?” or “Isn’t this just forcing them to exercise?”.

This class is about health. Teaching kids how their bodies and minds work, without shame, without bias. They’d learn about food without labelling it as good or bad. They’d understand exercise as a tool for mental and physical health, not punishment. They’d learn self-care in practical, actionable ways.

And honestly? I think it would save lives.

This is one you might like - Preventing Childhood Obesity as Parents

The Numbers Would Shift Dramatically

If you added a daily health class to UK schools, obesity rates would drop, mental health outcomes would improve, and people would hit adulthood with knowledge instead of confusion.

You’d still have the odd teenager living off energy drinks and crisps, but they’d know what they were doing. Maybe we’d even raise a generation of people who see exercise and good nutrition not as punishment, but as basic self-respect.

The fact that we still teach kids how to calculate the circumference of a circle but not how their own bodies work is ridiculous. We’re sending them out into the world with no knowledge for health, and then acting surprised when they struggle with avoidable health issues.

We could fix these problems. Easily. One hour a day, every school, from reception to year 11. Teach them about their bodies. Teach them about their minds. Give them the tools they’ll actually use for the rest of their lives.

I think this is just common sense, and is long overdue. What do you think?

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