Health and Wellbeing in Childhood

Since the end of the twentieth century, children have been faced with a rapidly changing world that is having a significant influence on their health and wellbeing, including alterations to our food supply, marketing and other lifestyle factors that influence children’s food consumption. The early years are a pivotal period for the establishment of food and nutrition literacy – that is, dietary education, behaviours and preferences – when children are forming their tastes and food preferences, and are most receptive to health messages. Schools and caregivers are ideally placed to assist early years learners to develop positive attitudes towards, and knowledge of, healthy food. This is also of relevance to schools because healthy children are better learners, and evidence suggests that a holistic approach to education that includes health and nutrition has wide-reaching benefits for children and staff.