Youth-led Participatory Action to Improve Social and Physical Environments for Healthier Lifestyles in Vulnerable Urban Areas of Africa and Europe

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how to improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years living in vulnerable urban environments across Denmark, the Netherlands, Nigeria, and South Africa. This study focuses on addressing unhealthy lifestyles related to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep, which pose risks for developing chronic diseases. It uses a youth-centered participatory action approach to develop and implement environmental interventions that promote healthier behaviors. The study involves adolescents and local stakeholders working together in co-creation groups to tailor social and physical environmental interventions specific to their communities. These interventions will be designed, implemented, and evaluated over three years in the four diverse urban settings. The interventions aim to structurally improve lifestyles by addressing local needs and opportunities identified by the participating youth. Participants will engage in participatory meetings and activities to map local systems and implement interventions. Researchers will assess movement behaviors such as physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep before, immediately after, and 3 to 6 months following intervention implementation. They will also evaluate physical activity in outdoor spaces, agency, wellbeing, and peer relationships over these timepoints. The study promotes ongoing involvement and long-term monitoring of outcomes related to adolescent health and urban environments.

YoPA - A Youth-centred Participatory Action