2 minute read
Learning to be healthy
AN APPLIED HOMEWORK programme that encourages children to be active and eat well at home has been piloted by AUT University as a new approach to addressing the increase in serious yet avoidable health disorders such as obesity and type II diabetes.
The programme, called Healthy Homework, was shown to boost Kiwi children’s activity levels by up to 30 per cent and increase fruit and vegetable consumption by 23 per cent during its preliminary study.
Dr Scott Duncan, associate director of AUT’s Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, says that physical activity and good nutrition in children are key priorities for New Zealand’s health and education sectors.
“While most health promotion interventions in young people focus on the school setting, evidence suggests that children are less active and have greater access to energydense foods outside of school.
“Healthy Homework is a novel initiative that teaches children the benefits of being active and eating well as a family,” he says.
The preliminary study found that children’s activity increased by 18 per cent during the week and 30 per cent over the weekend. Their junk food consumption also reduced by 22 per cent, with the total number of unhealthy beverages, such as soft drinks, decreasing by 20 per cent.
“These are very promising results,” says Dr Duncan. “The findings from the pilot study will help us to develop Healthy Homework into a comprehensive programme that can be offered to other primary schools around New Zealand.”
Funded by a Health Research Council Feasibility Grant, Healthy Homework takes the form of a six-week homework module accompanied by in-class teaching resources.
Each week the children must complete at least one of three physical activity options and one of three nutritional options from their homework booklets.
Emphasis is placed on ‘doing’ by combining education elements with practical tasks such as active games, simple exercises, and healthy cooking.
As with conventional homework, students are required to complete the allocated tasks and report back to their teacher. Coloured wristbands are provided as incentives to those who complete their tasks each week and a final wrap-up session, where children get to talk about their favourite aspects of the Healthy Homework programme, brings the course to a close. Focus group findings showed that children noted a greater comprehension about what they were eating and were more aware of active opportunities, with teachers sharing that children wanted to continue the activities following the completion of the programme.
A total of 180 children, aged 9-11 years from Mangere Central School (South Auckland) and Browns Bay School (located on Auckland’s North Shore) participated in the pilot.
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