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Early Childhood Council: Preschools don't want to be the 'food police'

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Tue, 18 Apr 2017, 9:54AM
(Stock Xchng).

Early Childhood Council: Preschools don't want to be the 'food police'

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Tue, 18 Apr 2017, 9:54AM

Preschools say they're doing their best to promote healthy eating, without becoming the "food police".

An Education Review Office report has found early childhood centres are leading way in promoting good health, with 87 percent doing a good job.

By contrast, only 62-percent of high schools are adequately countering the junk food and soft drink advertising.

One Australian kindy was criticised last year for sending a note home to a parent who put a cake in their child's lunchbox.

Early Childhood Council chief executive Peter Reynolds told Nadine Higgins most centres try to raise the issue in more subtle ways.

"Some services go to the extent of hosting little get-togethers with the hospital nutritionist to talk about healthy eating and how that can impact on the whole family."

Lack of exercise and bad eating habits children pick up before they start school, can stay with them for the rest of their lives, Mr Reynolds said.

He told Nadine Higgins it's particularly important for young children to get used to healthy food.

"We can see problems where food of little nutritious value, for whatever reason, is the primary source of nutrition for the child."

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