Physical Resilience: Nutrition and Mental Health
This lesson explores the growing evidence base for the link between what we eat and our mental health. Students learn about the gut-brain axis, the role of different food groups, and the barriers that prevent young people from eating well. Using Harry Kane as a relatable case study, they examine how nutrition choices directly impact physical and mental performance, then create a collaborative Mental Strength Nutrition Charter.
Learning Outcomes
Outcome 1:
Understand the link between nutrition and mental health
Outcome 2:
Consider barriers that can get in the way of maintaining healthy nutrition
Outcome 3:
Identify key facts and myths for a mentally healthy diet
What's included
A quick look at the classroom-ready resources that come with this lesson.
Contributing Experts
People who helped produce this lesson.
Anant Jani
Anant is a Senior Researcher at the Universities of Oxford and Heidelberg, specialising in the optimization of global healthcare systems through value-based resource utilisation and social determinants of health. He brings extensive international experience advising health systems across Europe and the Middle East, bridging the gap between high-level policy and population health. Anant holds a PhD in Immunology from Yale University, underpinning his systemic expertise with a rigorous foundation in biological science.
Lucy Bailey
Lucy Bailey is Founder of Bounce Forward and Healthy Minds for Parents. With two decades of experience in mental resilience and emotional wellbeing, and training 1000s of teachers, parents and other adults around children and young people. Lucy is proud of her early career in youth work and children services. Lucy had a poor experience of school and that has driven her passion to influence UK policy to form a positive system of change with psychological fitness at the core. Lucy has directed national research projects (including the Healthy Minds five year study), is certified by University of Pennsylvania, has an MSc in Practice Based Research, a BSc in Social Policy and Criminology, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education. Her published book Raise Resilience: Teach your teenager well has led to the creation of the Psychological Fitness Nana bridging old school wisdom with modern psychology for parents of the 21st century.
About the Organisation
Bounce Forward is a registered charity on a mission to transform how we think about mental health, shifting the narrative from deficit and crisis to strength, prevention, and psychological fitness. They create evidence-based programmes, curricula, and training that give young people, school staff, and the adults around children the knowledge, language, and daily habits to build genuine mental resilience. From whole-staff training to five-year school curricula, everything they do is practical, grounded in science, and designed to make a lasting difference not just in the moment, but across a lifetime.