TCHR3001_Early Childhood Matters Task
Children’s Obesity and Health
1500 words Assessment 2
Unit Learning
Outcomes
This assessment task maps to the following ULOs:
• ULO1: Identify a range of issues important to early childhood
education and care.
• ULO2: Analyse a range of positions highlighted in authoritative
literature on contemporary issues related to early childhood
education and care.
• ULO3: Critically reflect on their personal approach/philosophy of
learning, development and teaching within early childhood
education and care in relation to contemporary issues.
• ULO4: Argue a position on current issues in early childhood
education and care, in relation to the literature
Rationale
As an early childhood teacher your beliefs form the basis of your early childhood philosophy. How
you implement this philosophy within your teaching practice will be influenced by a range of issues
within your local and broader community.
TCHR3001_Early Childhood Matters Task
Children’s Obesity and Health
Analysis and Evaluation of Children’s Obesity and Health
Overweight and obesity in young children is one of the critical issues discussed in module 4. It is a serious health problem that affects at least a quarter of Australian children and adolescents (Yang et al., 2019). What makes this issue more critical is that this is something that affects not just the children but the entire Australian population. Obesity affects the health of these children and it can cause them to develop various chronic conditions at a young age, thereby adding to the Australian public health burden. Now only that, but obesity can make it difficult for these children to perform well in school or even be fully involved in both academic and extracurricular activities that are meant to ensure that the children become well-rounded successful members of society.
Obesity in children and adolescents is caused by various factors, the main ones being: rapid gain weight as infants, poor eating and sleeping habits, and a family history of obesity. Research by Boyd (2015) shows that the rate of children with obesity has been increasing over the years, thanks mainly to the sedentary lives and consumption of highly over-processed foods. Technological advancements have changed the world in various ways. People are walking less and less since society (especially urban areas) have become car-centric. The rise of smartphones, computers, and social media has increased the time children spend on their screens. Instead of using their free time, hanging outdoors, and playing, children are now spending more time either on social media, playing video games, or streaming (Yang et al., 2019). These sedentary entertainment activities have made it extremely difficult for these children (and their families) to get the physical exercise that their bodies need for proper function.
When a sedentary lifestyle is combined with poor eating habits, the risk of becoming overweight and obese becomes that much more imminent (Boyd, 2015). Over-processed foods have become the go-to for most people thanks to their convenience, economic factors, and tempting marketing of these foods. More people are choosing to eat these meals since they require less preparation time. For instance, it is so easy to order a pizza than spend at least an hour or more in the kitchen. This is especially so for parents who have to work, take care of children, and still have some time for other responsibilities. These over-processed foods are also cheaper, something that can make most people go for them, instead of spending a lot of money on whole foods (Daniel, 2020). The advertising and marketing campaigns done by these food companies also present the over-processed foods as the perfect food choice. There is a lot that needs to be done to support the healthy development of children. Munch & Move is a critical health initiative that can help children and even train educators on how to deal with the obesity issue (NSW Health, 2017). However, more effective health initiatives are needed to ensure that children carry out more physical activities, reduce their screen time, and that they are eating healthy if the obesity rates are to be reduced in Australian children.
Reflection
Childhood obesity is a sensitive issue that I am personally heavily invested in. My nephew developed hypertension several years ago and one of the main risk factors was obesity. I watched him struggle with things he had no business struggling with as a child, and this made me want to help the children under my care to lead healthy lives so that they do not go through the same thing. It is disturbing to see so many children struggling with conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and other respiratory problems (Marcus et al., 2022). It is even more disheartening to see them having psychological problems such as depression, poor body image, and even eating disorders because of something that can be rectified. As an educator working with children, I am committed to promoting healthy lifestyles that will help the children under my care not only get good grades but also ensure that they are emotionally, physically, and socially successful.
Early childhood is a critical period since this is the time that a foundation is laid. This means that the habits and behaviors that children develop at this period can shape their entire lives. This means that becoming obese as a child can hugely affect someone not just as a child but even long after they have grown up (Marcus et al., 2022). As an educator, it is my responsibility to ensure that children under my care get all the help they need to lay a better foundation regarding their health. By creating an environment where children get involved in active physical activity, I can help them embrace the power and benefits of physical activity, thereby reducing their screen time and other sedentary activities (Taghizadeh et al., 2023). By providing these children with nutritious meals, I can help ensure that when the children are in school, they get to eat healthy meals instead of over-processed foods. However, this in itself is not enough.
As an educator, I have to educate children and their families on the importance of healthy eating and physical activity. Children need to know why physical activity is good for them, not just forced into it. When they understand this, they are more likely to exercise (even as they get older) even when they don’t feel like it, because they know it is crucial for their wellbeing (Taghizadeh et al., 2023). Children are also likely to embrace healthy eating if they know why it is good for them. For instance, instance fruit and yogurt parfait might feel like a punishment when children know that they could have eaten some delicious fast foods. However, educating them on why this is good for their health can help ensure that they cooperate and continue to make better eating choices even when they grow up. I also have to educate the families on the importance of healthy eating and physical activities since educators cannot win this war on their own without the help of families (Australian Government Department of Education (AGDE), 2022). Parents need to understand that their eating and physical activity choices also affect their children as this can help them make better choices and inspire the children to do the same.
Justification
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS) are some of the platforms that show the importance of healthy lifestyles for the well-being of children and everyone around them. These two frameworks have shaped my belief that dealing with this problem is crucial and it is something that requires all hands on deck. One of the ELYF principles is partnership with families and communities to promote children’s well-being (Australian Government Department of Education (AGDE), 2022). Obesity in children can only be dealt with if educators partner with families and various communities to promote nutrition and better healthy choices. Children who come from families with obesity problems are more likely to be obese themselves. This means that if this issue is to be dealt with, changes must start at home. As an educator, I can partner with families by engaging them in discussions regarding healthy lifestyle choices while still educating them on why this is crucial. NQS quality area 2 focuses on the health and safety of children (“National quality standard,” 2023). As an educator, I am bound by duty to promote children’s health by integrating evidence-based strategies into my teaching practices, while still advocating for my institution and all other education institutions to do the same.
Research shows that children spend more time at school, either in class or taking part in extracurricular activities than they do at home (Taghizadeh et al., 2023). This means that as an educator, I am in a better position to shape children’s dietary and physical activity habits. I cannot sit and watch as more and more children under my care become obese. Instead, I can create health promotion interventions, teaching the children to be responsible for their eating and physical activity habits. Educating children on obesity and the need to make better lifestyle choices can help them not only cultivate such habits, but it can also help reduce the stigma surrounding the whole obesity issue. This stigma can affect children already struggling with obesity not just now but even for the rest of their lives (Haqq et al., 2021). Removing this stigma can help the already obese children to manage their weight without being shamed into it.
As an educator, focusing solely on individual behavior change may not bring the rate of children with obesity down. Miller et al. (2020) show that children from families with low socioeconomic status are more likely to become obese, and so are children living in neighborhoods with low socioeconomic status. This means that there is a need to collaborate with families and communities to come up with interventions that can help improve an entire family or community. One’s environment plays a crucial role in one’s behavior, something that makes these interventions much more crucial (Miller et al., 2020). For instance, as an educator, I can help families and even communities to identify low-cost whole foods. Good nutrition education programs can help these families and communities by providing them with new reference points when it comes to healthy foods. There are so many affordable wholesome foods that people from the above communities may not know, just because food marketing strategies have kept this information out of each. (Daniel, 2020). By coming up with better healthy interventions, I can help ensure that children under my care lead healthy lives and that these interventions are embraced nationwide.
References
Australian Government Department of Education (AGDE). (2022). Belonging, Being, and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (v2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
Boyd, W. (2015). The tensions between food choices and sustainable practices in early childhood centres. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40(4), 58-65. https://doi.org/10.1177/183693911504000408
Daniel, C. (2020). Is healthy eating too expensive?: How low-income parents evaluate the cost of food. Social Science & Medicine, 248, 112823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112823
Haqq, A. M., Kebbe, M., Tan, Q., Manco, M., & Salas, X. R. (2021). Complexity and stigma of pediatric obesity. Childhood Obesity, 17(4), 229-240. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2021.0003
Marcus, C., Danielsson, P., & Hagman, E. (2022). Pediatric obesity—long‐term consequences and effect of weight loss. Journal of Internal Medicine, 292(6), 870-891. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.13547
Miller, M., Saldarriaga, E. M., & Jones-Smith, J. C. (2020). Household socioeconomic status modifies the association between neighborhood SES and obesity in a nationally representative sample of first grade children in the United States. Preventive Medicine Reports, 20, 101207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101207
National quality standard. (2023, June 6). ACECQA. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard
NSW Health. (2017, June 14). Munch & Move Promo – Munch & Move [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOPr47Ls_lQ
Taghizadeh, S., Hashemi, M. G., Zarnag, R. K., Fayyazishishavan, E., Gholami, M., Farhangi, M. A., & Gojani, L. J. (2023). Barriers and facilitators of childhood obesity prevention policies: A systematic review and meta-synthesis. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.1054133
Yang, Z., Phung, H., Hughes, A., Sherwood, S., Harper, E., & Kelly, P. (2019). Trends in overweight and obesity by socioeconomic status in year 6 school children, Australian Capital Territory, 2006–2018. BMC Public Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7645-9
