In 2024 Capers Leadership Team reflected on its policies around food and mealtimes to ensure they aligned with our philosophy on health and wellbeing. While looking into sports sponsorship we had discovered significant information about childhood obesity.

“In 2022–23, more than one quarter (26.4%) of children aged 2 to 17 years were living with overweight or obesity – 18.3% with overweight and 8.1% with obesity.

Behaviours influencing the likelihood of this imbalance included:

increased consumption of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, insufficient physical activity, increased sedentary activity, increased time spent in front of screens and insufficient sleep.

Children with obesity have a higher risk of experiencing breathing difficulties, bone fractures, hypertension, insulin resistance and early markers of cardiovascular disease (WHO 2018). Children with overweight and obesity are also more likely to become obese adults, and to develop chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease at younger ages. Childhood obesity is also associated with an increased incidence of diabetes, coronary heart disease and some cancers in adulthood.

Australian research also suggests that overweight and obesity in childhood is associated with depression, poorer health-related quality of life, and low self-esteem (Sanders et al. 2015). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Australia’s Children Overweight and Obesity Feb 2022

Looking into the Causes of Obesity

Further research into the causes of obesity gave us opportunities to reflect on our response and take strong policy and pedagogical direction.

Physical Activity

Participating in physical activity and limiting sedentary behaviour is central to a child’s health, development and psychosocial wellbeing. Regular activity supports brain development, bone strength, muscle control, balance and coordination, and helps to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Being active can positively affect sleep patterns, mental health, concentration, self-esteem and confidence (DoH 2009, 2017a).

The Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines

For children aged 2–4 who are not in school, the guidelines recommend:

At least 180 minutes a day of physical activity, including energetic play and no more than 60 minutes a day engaged in screen-based activity.

In 2024 only 50% of children in Queensland were meeting the activity guideline, and they were more likely to be boys than girls. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Australia’s Children Physical Activity Feb 2022 and Queensland Government Physical Activity Report 2024

Nutrition

Australia has national guidelines that aim to support optimal nutrition and health for all Australians including fruit intake, vegetable intake and sweetened drinks intake. The NHMRC 2013 ADG recommend a minimum number of serves of fruit and vegetables each day for children…to ensure good nutrition to support growth and development.

In 2022, only six in ten (63.9%) met the fruit recommendation, a decrease from 73.0% in 2017–18. One in twenty (4.6%) met the vegetable recommendation, a decrease from 6.3% in 2017–18. Only 4.3% met both fruit and vegetable recommendations, a decrease from 6.0% in 2017–18.

More than 1 in 5 (22%) children aged 2–4 consumed sugar sweetened drinks at least once a week, and around 3.3% consumed diet drinks at least once a week (ABS 2019a).

How much sugar should children be consuming?

The WHO recommends adults and children reduce their consumption of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake and reducing intake to less than 5% of total energy intake would provide additional health benefits (WHO 2015). Five per cent of a child’s total energy intake translates to 2–6 teaspoons of free sugars a day, depending on the age and energy requirements of the child. Consumption of both sugar-sweetened and diet drinks increases the risk of dental decay (NHMRC 2013). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Australia’s Children Breastfeeding and Nutrition Feb 2022 and ABS Dietary Behaviour Dec 2023.

Based on the evidence collected Capers Early Learning committed to:

Making menus across services sugar free

Increasing Physical activity, particularly outdoors through

Beach and Bush Kindy

Positive role modeling through Sports Sponsorship

2.1.3 Healthy lifestyle Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child.