Ahti works with GGD Amsterdam, VU University and other partners on projects that help young people make healthier choices. An example is de Gezonde Coach (the Healthy Coach) in local supermarkets where high school students often go to, to grab lunch or snacks. We trained their staff, who are of a similar age, to help the students make better choices for lunch. According to sales data from the supermarkets involved, the students gradually adopted healthier food habits. This is just one of the many examples on how to combine real world data with behavioral change.

The health situation

Significantly more Amsterdam youth between 2 and 18 years of age are overweight than their national peers (respectively 18,5% vs. 12% in 2015). Moreover, the highest percentage of overweight and obese children are found in high school. To improve this situation, the City of Amsterdam has launched the Amsterdam Healthy Weight Program.

The current project

Ahti has participated in several municipality projects for this age group to create a healthier food environment that stimulates healthy behavior. Currently, ahti designs the Amsterdam Food Pressure Map that provides a detailed overview of the food outlets and their health level throughout the city. This gives the City of Amsterdam valuable actionable insights and tools to adjust their urban planning and health policy to influence healthier food choices by youth.

Status

Started in 2018, ongoing