Developed by Hunter New England Population Health Good for Kids is an award winning [1,2] multi-setting approach to healthy eating and physical activity for children. The program aims to reduce child overweight and obesity and build evidence for policy and practice [3].
Good for Kids involves the implementation of context- and setting-specific evidence-based capacity building programs or services and supportive organisational policies, systems and procedures. Our multi-setting approach sees us work across the first 2000 days, early childhood services, primary schools, secondary schools and community sport.
Since inception Good for Kids has increased the proportion of NSW schools implementing evidence-based healthy eating and physical activity practices from 32% to 84% [4,5].
In NSW, the Good for Kids model and research findings informed Government’s approach to childhood overweight prevention across the state, the Healthy Children’s Initiative [3].
Internationally it has influenced policies in countries including Australia [6], the UK, Europe and North America as well as the World Health Organisation, United Nations and UNICEF.
Good for Kids Leadership
Professor Luke Wolfenden
Associate Professor Nicole Nathan
Associate Professor Rachel Sutherland
Streams
Lara Went from Yukul Art created this artwork for Good for Kids, Good for Life. The title of this artwork is called 'The heart of a child'.
The heart in the middle represents health, love and support surrounding everyone. Coming from the heart are lines which are positive energy radiating into the children which are the figures around the heart holding hands. The leaves represent physical activity and the fruit represents healthy eating. The circles that almost look like stars represent community groups and people coming together in support, positive guidance, love and good energy.
You will see this artwork featured throughout the Good for Kids, Good for Life communication.
[1] 2022 NSW Health Keeping People Healthy Award. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/innovation/2022awards/Pages/winners.aspx
[2] 2017 NSW Government Premier's Keeping People Health Award
[3] Wiggers J, Wolfenden L, Campbell E, Gillham K, Bell C, Sutherland R, Hardy LL, King L, Grunseit A, Milat AJ, Orr N. 2013. Good for Kids, Good for Life 2006-2010: Evaluation Report. Sydney: NSW Ministry of Health.
[4] Innes-Hughes C, Bravo A, Buffett,K, Henderson L, Lockeridge A, Pimenta, N, Radvan D, Rissel C. 2017. NSW Healthy Children Initiative: The first five years July 2011 – June 2016. NSW Ministry of Health.
[5] Hardy LL, Mihrshahi S, Drayton BA, Bauman, A. NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) 2015: Full Report. 2016 Sydney: NSW Department of Health.
[6] A Bravo, C Innes-Hughes, B J O’Hara, B McGill & C Rissel. Live Life Well @ School: Evidence and Evaluation Summary 2008-2015. North Sydney: NSW Ministry of Health, 2016.