New resources released to give kids a head start on health

Following his B4 School Check with Public Health Nurse, Debbie Trenberth (left), Maverick Rawson (right) is all set to start school with his new 5210 bag. Photo / Supplied

Tamariki across the Bay of Plenty are being given a head start on healthy habits thanks to a brand new range of health resources given at their routine B4 School Check.

The Bay of Plenty DHB and Toi Te Ora Public Health have developed a range of resources called "5210", which feature local scenes and local people teamed up with some simple messages to help make the healthy choice the easy choice.

The resources being distributed at the B4 School Check, general practices, early childhood centres, and dental clinics around the Bay.

Public Health Nurse, Debbie Trenberth, has been handing out the resources as part of the B4 School Check and says they help to generate healthy conversations with whānau and drive home the simple 5210 message.

"We have some great new resources that can be easily understood to help kids and their families remember to go 5210 everyday. These include the 5210 book bags and stickers.

"The resources remind families that we need to eat five vegetables and fruit a day, cut down kids screen time to less than two hours, be active for an hour or more each day, and have zero sugary drinks but drink water or milk instead," Trenberth said.

Following his B4 School Check with Public Health Nurse, Debbie Trenberth (left), Maverick Rawson (right) is all set to start school with his new 5210 bag. Photo / Supplied

Dr Alison James, a Tauranga GP, was part of the team that helped develop the resources.

"The resources can be used by anyone in the community, so that families and whānau see these messages and are encouraged to live them wherever they go." She adds, "If kids can live 5210 every day, then they are learning healthy habits which will help prevent chronic illnesses, like diabetes, when they are adults."

Health practitioners can also access specific resources to support conversations with whānau about their child's food, sleep, and activity, as well as to help families set goals towards creating healthy life-long habits.