First 1000 days are critical in tackling childhood obesity

A Senate Inquiry report into childhood obesity has highlighted the importance of the first thousand days of a child’s life, noting a recent study which found that infants experiencing rapid weight gain between birth and two years of age had nearly four times greater odds of being overweight or obese later in life.
The Inquiry Report made many recommendations to address the growing concerns about the rate of childhood obesity in Australia, and comes as many in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector call on Federal Education Minister, Dan Tehan, to take greater responsibility for including education on health and nutrition in early childhood, working with children, families, and cooks to address the issue of childhood obesity in Australia.
Some recommendations in the Senate Inquiry report relevant to those in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector include:
- Establishing a National Obesity Taskforce, with a sub-committee directly responsible for the development and management of a National Childhood Obesity Strategy – similar to the strategy in place in the United Kingdom.
- Australian Dietary Guidelines should be updated every five years
- The introduction of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, with the objectives of reducing consumption, improving public health and accelerating the reformulation of products.
- A range of national education campaigns with different sectors of the Australian community.
Inquiry participants identified that many factors influence whether children will become overweight or obese in their early years, pointing to the need to develop and implement a range of strategies to prevent and treat childhood obesity. Education and socioeconomic factors were identified as key components of the prevalence of childhood obesity.
The report can be read in full here
Popular

Economics
Policy
Provider
LDC attendance touched a new record in Q4 2024 but growth rates remain concerningly subdued
2025-04-01 17:44:49
by Jason Roberts

Provider
Practice
Economics
MindChamps to add 60 new centres to Victorian ECEC landscape over the next 6 years
2025-04-01 08:00:21
by Freya Lucas

Workforce
Provider
Quality
Policy
Government joins forces with philanthropic partners to raise $100m to expand ECEC in areas of need
2025-03-31 03:42:31
by Jason Roberts