Research increasingly focuses on the factors linked to poor health outcomes and unhealthy lifestyle choices in socioeconomically deprived communities. This study aimed to explore participants’ Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) behaviours, alongside their attitudes, perceptions, and lived experiences, and to examine how these relate to the Social Ecological Model (SEM) as a framework influencing health-related behaviours. Data were collected in Barnsley, an area characterised by substantial deprivation and marked health inequalities. A total of 97 participants contributed through focus groups and individual interviews. Questions were developed using HEAL and SEM frameworks and explored the development and persistence of modifiable behaviours influencing physical activity, dietary habits, and long-term lifestyle patterns. Data were analysed using Deductive Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke in Qual Res Sport Exercise Health 11(4), 589–597, 2019).Three overarching themes emerged: dietary practices and access to unhealthy food options, mental health, and perceptions of government-led interventions. The SEM was applied to assess the impact of community-level strategies while also accounting for individual responsibility in relation to HEAL behaviours. Within the study setting, participants’ attitudes toward HEAL were found to have a strong influence on behaviour, with many attitudes traced back to childhood and passed down from parents. This intergenerational transmission may help explain why many deprived communities across England experience poorer health outcomes, as inherited beliefs contribute to negative HEAL behaviours that develop into long-term health issues. Although national initiatives were viewed as informative, their effectiveness was limited by insufficient reach and communication to the wider population. In contrast, locally delivered interventions were often more successful in engaging residents; however, participants frequently noted that these initiatives were discontinued due to funding constraints.
