Leiden University signs health and wellbeing agreement for city of Leiden

Researchers and students from Leiden have carried out varies studies in the past few years through the Learning with the City (in Dutch) partnership, into loneliness in the elderly, for example, and how Leideners have been faring during the coronavirus pandemic. Over the next few years, the university and the LUMC will be providing more of their health and lifestyle expertise. There are plans with various partners for lifestyle programmes in different Leiden districts: for example, an annual ‘inspiration market’ and a residents council. The partners want to engage key community figures, from sports clubs and mosques for example, who have a finger on the pulse of their neighbourhood.

The Leiden prevention agreement sets out four ambitions:

• Work together as partners and engage the community
• Help the people of Leiden achieve a healthy weight
• Ensure young people in Leiden grow up smoke free
• Promote mental health in the population of Leiden

President of the Executive Board Annetje Ottow, who signed the agreement on behalf of the university, is enthusiastic about the plans: ‘Our university has a lot of expertise in the area of health, lifestyle and wellbeing. We want to share this with the city, working together with the residents as much as possible. And they in turn will help researchers gain valuable insights.’ Health psychologist Andrea Evers is one of the researchers who signed the agreement.