'It is the very early stages of life that dietary habits are ingrained, which gives us a window of time when something can be done to improve nutrition. It is imperative that we deploy early intervention strategies to ensure the prevention of obesity.'
Professor Christine Pascal - Centre for Research in Early Childhood
Childhood obesity
Early years is an important time to develop regular physical activity patterns when children are young and provides immediate and long-term benefits for both physical and psychological well-being.
Childhood obesity is regarded as one of the most serious global public health challenges for the 21st century (World Health Organisation) so it needs to be a focus for parents and families as well as childcare providers.
One in 5 children are already overweight or obese by the time they start school and only 1 in 10 children aged 2 to 4 years meets the UK chief medical officer's physical activity guidelines for this age group. (Early years high impact area 4: Supporting healthy weight and nutrition - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Just like adults, children become overweight when they consume more calories than they use. A nutritious, balanced diet needs to be combined with sufficient physical activity in order for children to have a healthy start in life. Physical activity in the early years should always be fun. Parents and carers should try to be role models for active lifestyles and engage with young children in active play whenever possible. When families are active together, they get to spend more time together and build stronger emotional bonds as well as experiencing health benefits.
- Childhood Obesity - A plan for Action - Jan 2017
- NCMP Annual Report - 2020-2021
- National Child Measurement Programme 2022: information for schools
is a free 8-week email programme which aims to encourage families to eat better and move more, with budget conscious, easy and practical ideas. This is an email programme for families to sign up for recipe cards, newsletter and other resources based on a short quiz that families can take to access the right 8-week email journey for them.
Eating Well - for the Early Years
Eating well is essential for children in their early years. Children from 1-4 years old need to eat well to establish good eating patterns, ensure they grow and develop appropriately, to protect their teeth and to ensure they arrive in school at a healthy body weight, able to enjoy a variety of minimally processed foods.
Browse the tabs below for some ideas that could help engage with good eating habits and pick up some fun recipe ideas too!