It’s not too late for nutrition education

Thinking all the way back to primary school, even high school, I personally can’t think of a single instance where nutrition or healthy eating was spoken about. Possibly on the odd occasion by my friends, but certainly not by my teachers. Even in the subject of health and physical education, aka HPE, subject topics revolved solely around reproductive health and a whole range of sports. There’s no denying that these topics are of extreme importance and hold great value within every school curriculum. Yet, I can’t help but think about how beneficial the inclusion of accurate nutrition information and concepts around healthy eating would have been, to both myself and my peers. Instead, I had to wait until university to study my nutrition science degree to receive any kind or form of nutritional education.

Thankfully, times have somewhat changed since I left primary school way back in 2007 and high school in 2012. From a quick Google search, you can see that an array of nutrition education resources are available in every state across Australia, primarily through the non-government, non-profit, community-based organisation Nutrition Australia. From the Australian Capital Territory offering Food&ME teacher resources, to Queensland offering a Food Smart Schools program, it is clear that nutrition education resources are available for use. The real question is whether or not these resources are making their way into each and every Australian school?

Despite the ease of access to such resources, a number of statistics indicate the unfortunate reality surrounding the health of Australian children. Results from the 2014–2015 National Health Survey highlight that Australian children are not meeting nutritional recommendations, which are outlined below and based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines. With only one in twenty Australian children meeting daily recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake, it is clear just how much work still needs to be done in order for children to meet all of their dietary requirements, and, as a result, receive optimal nutrition.

Just as concerning as the fact that only 5% of Australian children are meeting their fruit and vegetable intake, approximately one in four Australian children are either overweight or obese. That’s 25% of Aussie kids. Unfortunately, children that are overweight or obese are also more likely to experience obesity during adulthood, and as a result, are at a much higher risk of developing related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease — ultimately increasing the burden of disease.

As a global ambassador for ending childhood obesity, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has also commented on Australia’s worrying case of childhood obesity, urging the Australian government to take action. He has also frequently pushed for Australia to follow the path of the UK and countries like Mexico, and to introduce a sugar tax to hopefully reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages — a major contributor to the current obesity crisis. For a more detailed view on the sugar tax discussion, check out my previous article.

Despite research indicating that school-based nutrition education has the ability to effectively reduce rates of overweight and obesity, recent Australian statistics say otherwise. As a means to meet children’s nutritional recommendations and consequently combat the current childhood obesity epidemic, there are a number of evidence based approaches believed to generate a positive change in dietary behaviour.

The use of incentive or prize based activities, for example, are advocated as being extremely successful, due to their competitive nature. Children respond well to such activities, as these kind of approaches can be completed in a fun and engaging manner. A recent incentive based intervention carried out in England found that “incentives increased the choice and consumption of fruit and vegetables, particularly among the group who were previously identified as not regularly eating fruit and vegetables”. Also, a 2014 study found that the implementation of a gamification intervention within a school based setting had the ability to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. This particular approach focuses on nutrition education through gamification, or in other words a game based intervention, where game design elements are translated into non-gaming contexts. Gamification interventions are such a great way to interact with children in an exciting yet educational format. I mean, come on, who wouldn’t want to play games at school?

The involvement of children in food harvesting and preparation processes is also considered as a beneficial contributor to healthy eating. This particular approach is seen to be effective when implementing a kitchen garden within a primary school setting, as children are able to learn about and contribute to the growth, harvest and cooking of fresh produce, particularly fruits and vegetables. Referred to as pleasurable food education (which I totally wish I had at school), this approach places a great emphasis on the origins of whole, healthy foods, rather than packaged, unhealthy alternatives.

Research also suggests that community oriented interventions may in fact provide a long-term reduction in childhood obesity. With a 2011 Australian study “building the capacity of families, schools and communities to promote healthy eating and physical activity”, there is strong evidence to support how an all-inclusive settings approach to such lifestyle factors can ultimately lead to obesity prevention. Making an impact far beyond the classroom, just imagine the positive effects that this kind of intervention could have!

It’s important to acknowledge that there is no one-size-fits-all or blanket approach to eliminating childhood obesity — the possible approaches are endless. Undoubtedly, more needs to be done to learn from the mistakes of current and past generations, and to support the next, upcoming generation. In order to do so, I feel as though nutrition education should be made compulsory within each and every school, and at every age. No matter the format, the creation and adoption of healthy habits throughout childhood not only sets up a solid foundation later in life, but also for future generations to come. Here’s hoping the children of today are exposed to such practices and can overcome the current childhood obesity crisis, particularly here at home in Australia.

Originally published at The Isthmus.