05 July 2008

Preschoolers munch and move their way to a healthier start in life

By the time they reach kindergarten, one in five NSW children is overweight or obese.

NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher said these alarming figures mean many children are already on the path to unhealthy lives which put them at risk of illness and chronic disease.

“All of the research tells us that unhealthy lifestyle habits formed at a young age can carry through into adulthood, setting people up a lifetime of chronic disease and poor health,” Ms Meagher said.

“But it is never too early to adopt a healthy lifestyle.”

Ms Meagher said the rollout of the Munch and Move program to more than 800 preschools across NSW would provide parents and early childhood professionals with the tools they need to start children off on a healthier lifestyle.

Targeting 3- to 5-year-olds, Munch and Move aims to educate early childhood professionals, children, parents and families about appropriate physical activity and foods at a crucial time in a child’s development.

The program is a joint initiative of the NSW Department of Health, the NSW Department of Community Services and The University of Sydney’s Prevention Research Centres.

Ms Meagher said Munch and Move is designed to turn around the findings of research which shows:

• One in five Australian preschoolers are overweight or obese (15.2 per cent overweight and 5.5 per cent obese)
• By the time NSW children reach kindergarten nearly 18 per cent are overweight or obese
• Less than 50 per cent of NSW children aged 2 to 4 years eat at least two serves of vegetables each day
• 37 per cent of NSW children aged 2 to 4 years drink one or more cups of soft drink a week, with over 22 per cent drinking six or more cups a week
• Nearly 40 per cent of NSW children aged 2 to 4 years eat potato chips and salty snacks once or more a week
• 89 per cent of Australian children aged 4 to 5 spend more than two hours watching television, videos or DVDs in a 24-hour period.

“Young children are consuming excessive amounts of food and drinks, which are high in fat and added sugar, and they’re spending increasing amounts of time in small screen recreation such as watching television and using computers,” Ms Meagher said.

“Early childhood services, such as preschools and long day care centres, offer a promising environment for instilling healthy habits in children from an early age – habits that can stay with them for life.”

Munch and Move offers face-to-face training for preschool teachers and provides information resources to promote healthy eating and physical activity. The program is supported at the local level by health professionals across the state.

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au