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Kickstart your health and fitness with OpenLearn

Many of us are keen to improve our health and fitness but sometimes we need a bit of help and inspiration. It's easy to put off making changes in lifestyle when you don't know how to take those important first steps to a better diet and exercise. So we've compiled some free courses and articles to inform and motivate you. 

Find out about The Open University's Health and Wellbeing courses.



Ready to get started? Dip into our FREE resources

  • Physical activity: a family affair

    Physical activity: a family affair

    This free course, Physical activity: a family affair, aims to explore the effects that the family has on the amount and nature of physical activity a child participates in. The beliefs and behaviours of the family environment are the key psycho-social factors we investigate here.

    Learn more to access more details of Physical activity: a family affair
  • Exploring family health

    Exploring family health

    How can families support healthy living and cope with illness? This free course, Exploring family health, will provide an understanding of what is meant by socialisation. You will recognise how a family can learn and support good and poor health behaviours alongside government interventions, such as the 5 A DAY strategy. Identification of people...

    Learn more to access more details of Exploring family health
  • Motivation and factors affecting motivation

    Motivation and factors affecting motivation

    This free course explores the term 'motivation' and factors affecting motivation. This includes looking at the most influential theories of motivation that contribute to understanding the causes of motivation. The motivation of sports people and people working in sport and fitness environments are used to help understand the theories presented.

    Learn more to access more details of Motivation and factors affecting motivation
  • Exercise and mental health

    Exercise and mental health

    Each year thousands of pounds are spent on medications to treat conditions such as anxiety and depression. These medications often have negative side effects. Exercise is an alternative treatment that is low cost and has few side effects. In this free course, Exercise and mental health, we will look at the links between exercise and improved ...

    Learn more to access more details of Exercise and mental health
  • Exercising at 50

    Exercising at 50

    Are you close to your 50th birthday? Simon Penn explores the benefits of exercise on health, energy levels, mood and overall quality of life. 

    Read now to access more details of Exercising at 50
  • The science of nutrition and healthy eating

    The science of nutrition and healthy eating

    This free course, The science of nutrition and healthy eating, looks at the science behind nutrition, covering aspects of biology, chemistry and physics as well as giving some insight into healthier eating. Reading food labels, choosing healthier foods, hydrating appropriately and understanding how we taste food will allow you to be more ...

    Learn more to access more details of The science of nutrition and healthy eating
  • Children and young people: food and food marketing

    Children and young people: food and food marketing

    The following video explores the concepts covered in this course.

    Learn more to access more details of Children and young people: food and food marketing
  • Why do we keep running?

    Why do we keep running?

    Although 'exercise' is treated as a punchline, we continue to get out and pound the streets. What is it that drives our commitment to keeping fit?

    Read now to access more details of Why do we keep running?
  • Issues in women's health in relation to sport and fitness

    Issues in women's health in relation to sport and fitness

    Explore some themes in women's sport in the following animations.

    Read now to access more details of Issues in women's health in relation to sport and fitness
  • How Healthy Are You?

    How Healthy Are You?

    How healthy are you? Have a go at this interactive quiz on diet, physical activity and lifestyle choices and see if you need to make some personal changes. 

    Take part now to access more details of How Healthy Are You?
  • Mycoprotein - could this meat alternative be a food for the future?

    Mycoprotein - could this meat alternative be a food for the future?

    How do we feed a growing global population? James McCarron compares the production of mycoprotein to meat. With significantly less impact on the environment than meat, does mycoprotein deserve more recognition?

    Read now to access more details of Mycoprotein - could this meat alternative be a food for the future?
  • Exploring health: is your lifestyle really to blame?

    Exploring health: is your lifestyle really to blame?

    This free course, Exploring health: is your lifestyle really to blame?, explores the extent to which a person's 'lifestyle' impacts on their health and wellbeing. It also examines how non-lifestyle related factors – in particular social, economic, cultural and political dimensions – influence a person's health.

    Learn more to access more details of Exploring health: is your lifestyle really to blame?
  • Depression, mood and exercise

    Depression, mood and exercise

    Looking for a few tips on increasing your mood? Dr Jitka Vseteckova explores the relationship between depression and exercise. 

    Read now to access more details of Depression, mood and exercise
  • The benefits of outdoor green and blue spaces

    The benefits of outdoor green and blue spaces

    The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased focus on the value of participating in nature. This article explores how outdoor spaces can improve our mental health.

    Read now to access more details of The benefits of outdoor green and blue spaces
  • How to make the most out of our visit to the Great Outdoors: walking with The Parks Trust and staying mindful

    How to make the most out of our visit to the Great Outdoors: walking with The Parks Trust and staying mindful

    A new resource aimed to help people with dementia engage with their surroundings has been developed by The Parks Trust in Partnership with The Open University. This article explains more...

    Read now to access more details of How to make the most out of our visit to the Great Outdoors: walking with The Parks Trust and staying mindful
  • 5 benefits of going sober this October

    5 benefits of going sober this October

    An annual event by Macmillan Cancer support, Go Sober challenges fundraisers to refrain from consuming alcohol for the whole of October. If you're thinking of joining this worthy cause, then here are 5 great benefits to keep you on track.

    Read now to access more details of 5 benefits of going sober this October
  • The science of sleep

    The science of sleep

    Mike Leahy and Peter Naish, after experiementing with not sleeping for 72 hours, discuss why we need sleep and what happens if we are deprived...

    Read now to access more details of The science of sleep
  • Veganism interactive

    Veganism interactive

    Veganism has been big news in recent years, and that trend looks set to continue. Explore the rise of veganism in this interactive, you will learn about how veganism relates to speciesism, the historical background to the vegan movement, and more.

    Take part now to access more details of Veganism interactive
  • Can yoga help us achieve sustainable development goals?

    Can yoga help us achieve sustainable development goals?

    Shonil Bhagwat explains the yogic way of understanding how individual actions relate to global challenges.

    Read now to access more details of Can yoga help us achieve sustainable development goals?
  • Obesity: balanced diets and treatment

    Obesity: balanced diets and treatment

    The incidence of obesity is on the increase in affluent societies, and the phenomenon commands increasing attention from health professionals, legislators and the media. This free course, Obesity: balanced diets and treatment, looks at the science behind obesity, examining the dietary, physiological and genetic aspects of the topic.

    Learn more to access more details of Obesity: balanced diets and treatment
 

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