Promoting healthy weight in the preschool years: a portfolio and planning guide to address barriers in primary care

Abstract

The rapidly rising incidence of overweight and obesity in Australia, particularly among young children has led to an urgent need for effective prevention. Recent figures indicate that 15% of preschool children in Australia are overweight, and a further 6% are obese1,2, with rates rising steadily especially among children from lower socioeconomic groups. Family, childcare, primary health care, early childhood education and the community are influential environments for young children3-7 with the potential to engage in an integrated approach to promote healthy weight and development of healthy eating and active lifestyle habits during the pre-school years5,8,9. In 2006, the Child Health Promotion Research Centre (CHPRC) team conducted a major systematic review on the prevention of overweight and obesity among children aged 2-6 years, on behalf of the Australian Primary Health Care Institute (APHCRI), with funding from the Australian Department of Health and Ageing (DOHA)10