Healthy Lunchboxes to Tackle Obesity

The Herald Sun, 19 May 2009

The Herald Sun has reported that as part of the Australian Government’s $4.5 million funding to tackle obesity, early childhood staff will be able to examine the content of students’ lunchboxes.

The Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood, which was prepared by the Royal Children’s Hospital, suggests that teachers ‘work with parents and families to support and encourage healthy eating for children’, and that teachers and students should discuss the ‘contents of lunchboxes during mealtimes’.

The guidelines also propose that birthday cakes be replaced with ‘healthy treats’, and that early childhood and kindergarten teachers should ‘educate’ parents about limiting ‘unhealthy sometimes foods’ in children’s eating habits.

Kids Free 2B Kids Director, Ms Julie Gale, believes that the ‘more educated we are, the better choices we will make for our kids. As a parent, I think it’s great to help everyone be on the same healthy page’.

However, Ms Sophie Mirabella, the Opposition spokesperson on early childhood development said that parents had the right to decide how to raise their children. ‘We should target kids at risk rather than everyone,’ Ms Mirabella said. ‘Let’s assume that the vast majority of parents can do their job’.

Focus groups on the draft guidelines have been finalised and it is expected that revised guidelines will be introduced in July 2009.

 

 

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