Healthy kids start at home

Scott Duncan says primary kids are 'more willing to take on new behaviours than they will ever be'. Photo / Supplied

The leader of a $1.2m university study hopes to make Kiwi parents more healthy by giving their kids "healthy homework".

Twenty primary schools in Auckland and Otago are to participate in the Healthy Homework research study run by Dr Scott Duncan, associate director of Auckland University of Technology's centre for physical activity and nutrition.

Duncan says physical activity and nutrition are usually addressed at school, but evidence suggests children are less active and have greater access to unhealthy food at home.

His study kicks off in term three and will set compulsory homework for increasing physical activity and healthy eating.

Over eight weeks, homework will include topics on nutrition like reading food labels, fun games, food shopping, fitness and cooking healthy meals.

The kids will be set tasks like walking to and from school, limiting television time, coaching parents in a particular sport, testing the fitness of the family and swimming at the local pool. They will also talk about why these topics are important.

Other tasks include preparing and eating a healthy breakfast and using a water bottle through the day to reduce unhealthy food intake.

Duncan says primary kids are at an age where "they are more willing to take on new behaviours than they will ever be". He believes if he can inspire kids to be healthier, they will, in turn, inspire their parents to follow suit.

A successful pilot study in two Kiwi schools increased physical activity by more than 25 per cent each day in girls and boys and showed "promising" improvements in eating. The pilot study will be published in a health journal shortly.

New Windsor School principal Louis Guy says 40 kids from his decile 5 Auckland school will take part in the study but he intends to get about 120 kids to join in unofficially.

He says parents will get feedback on their kids' mobility levels and it could be valuable information for households. Children, aged 7 to 11, from all socio-economic groups will take part as Duncan believes unhealthy eating and a lack of exercise equally affect the wealthy and the poor.

"A lot of kids are sitting down and playing PlayStation when they get home," he says.

Duncan says inactivity and poor food choices are serious health risk factors.