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Early childhood education and health working in partnership: the critical role early childhood educators can play in childhood obesity prevention
Skouteris, Helen Edwards, Susan Morris, Heather Cox, Rachael Baur, Louise Wolfenden, Luke Huang, Terry T.K.
Skouteris, Helen
Edwards, Susan
Morris, Heather
Cox, Rachael
Baur, Louise
Wolfenden, Luke
Huang, Terry T.K.
Abstract
Preschool children’s interest in popular culture is linked to many determinants of obesity development including branded energy-dense foods and sedentary play using digital technologies. In addition, highly packaged foods and throwaway toys reinforce unsustainable environmental habits encouraged by immersive marketing systems. Interrupting the effects of these systems demands multiple and diverse solutions. Our solution engages early childhood educators in obesity prevention by doing what they do best – pedagogy, curricula and care. Assisting young children to interact with their interests and developing habits like Healthy eating, Active play and environmentally Sustainable practices (HAS) is unique methodology. We believe that building the capacity of educators to co-create HAS curricula using children’s interests has the potential to develop life-long well-being and sustainability habits. HAS curricula aid in young children’s development of agentic decision-making abilities through the transformation of everyday concepts into higher-order mature concepts.
Keywords
Date
2017
Type
Journal article
Journal
Early Child Development and Care
Book
Volume
187
Issue
8
Page Range
1239-1243
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTE)
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled