Dads from the Hunter Valley are needed for health promotion program

NSW’s University of Newcastle is calling for 150 fathers with children aged three to five to take part in a healthy lifestyle program, which is being offered in the Hunter Valley region.

 

A successful pilot of the Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads (HYHD) program ran last year, involving 25 participants, with the program supporting various health initiatives running in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in NSW centres, such as Munch and Move.

 

Led by Professor Phil Morgan from the University of Newcastle and the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), HYHD teaches fathers evidence-based parenting strategies to improve family eating and physical activity behaviours in order to optimise their child’s physical and mental development.

 

“Preliminary data from the pilot program showed promising results, indicating that both youngsters and dads significantly improved their physical activity and overall diet quality. Notably, the youngsters also improved their emotional wellbeing, while the dads enhanced their parenting practices,” Professor Morgan said.

 

Professor Morgan signalled for the need for ECEC services to promote this opportunity with families, saying “We really encourage families to get involved because the early childhood stage of life is a critical period when many behaviours are established and the impact of evidence-based parenting can benefit children not only physically, but also in social-emotional domains.”

 

Over an eight-week period beginning in January, fathers and their children will take part in educational and practical sessions on a Saturday morning that focus on nutrition and rough and tumble play, fundamental movement skills and fun fitness challenges.

 

Pilot participant and father, Nathan Vincent, said he joined the program to spend more time with his daughter and be a good role model to provide her with the foundations to live a healthy life.

 

“I’d strongly encourage other families to take part in the program. Charlotte looked forward to it every week and we learnt a lot. She developed excellent sports skills, learnt how to make healthy eating fun and now she eats yellow capsicum! Most importantly, we had a lot of fun,” Mr Vincent said.

 

Families can register their interest for the 2019 program by visiting www.healthyyoungsters.com.