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ACHPER congratulates the Preventative Health Taskforce on its comprehensive report and will be urging all federal, state and territory governments to take up the recommendations regarding the role of the school.

Key action areas have been identified

Key action area 1: Drive environmental changes throughout the community that increase levels of physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour 95

Key action area 2: Drive change within the food supply to increase the availability and demand for healthier food products, and decrease the availability and demand for unhealthy food products 103

Key action area 3: Embed physical activity and healthy eating in everyday life 111

Key action area 4: Encourage people to improve their levels of physical activity and healthy eating through comprehensive and effective social marketing 119

Key action area 5: Reduce exposure of children and others to marketing, advertising, promotion and sponsorship of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods and beverages 121

Key action area 6: Strengthen, skill and support primary healthcare and public health workforce to support people in making healthy choices 126

Key action area 7: Address maternal and child health, enhancing early life and growth patterns 127

Key action area 8: Support low-income communities to improve their levels of physical activity and healthy eating 129

Key action area 9: Reduce obesity prevalence and burden among Indigenous Australians 132

The Obesity Chapter makes considerable reference to the role of the school on page 111

The Taskforce recognises that schools are able to influence the nutrition and physical activity environment, and to educate children, families and the broader community about healthy lifestyles.

The Taskforce also recognises that significant work has already been undertaken at the state and territory level to improve nutrition
and physical activity in schools, particularly in relation to healthy school canteens.

TheTaskforce believes that there are significant opportunities to build on this action and develop policies and programs that support children and their families to adopt healthier lifestyles.

The Taskforce proposes that schools should maintain a priority focus on health, nutrition and physical activity in the curriculum
and believes that the provision of mandated opportunities for all children to undertake appropriate levels of physical activity as part of their education is a fundamental strategy in addressing rising obesity levels in children.

The Taskforce recommends that the existing policy requirement of at least two hours of physical activity per week for all K–10 students should be maintained in the state and territory government education/curriculum policy requirements of all schools, regardless of the system or sector. Further, the Taskforce recommends that the two hours of physical activity should form part of the quality assurance and reporting framework for all schools.

Other key approaches will include:

• Building on partnerships with the education sector to promote physical activity and healthy eating in schools
• Ensuring a curriculum entitlement to Health and Physical Education (HPE) for all Australian children by incorporating HPE into the second stage of National Curriculum development
• Australian and state governments to establish a national program to support implementation of the new curriculum,
  including teacher curriculum guidance and professional development opportunities
• Education sector to encourage all schools to develop, implement and evaluate health, nutrition and physical activity policies
• Ensuring implementation of the policy requirement of at least two hours of physical activity per week for all students K–10
• Expanding coverage of out of school care health programs such as Active After School, and Eat Smart, Play Smart
• Education sector to examine how to build the capacity of schools and teachers to promote health and resilience more effectively

Development of comprehensive health policies in schools including:

• Implementation of policies relating to building layout and recreational spaces
• Strengthened school nutrition policies (for example, provide a healthy breakfast program for disadvantaged children; modify school canteen service; increase healthy options; provide healthy eating education; increase the availability, appeal and encouragement of fruit and vegetables at school; and increase the availability of healthy food options in all school environments: canteens, vending machines, fundraising, classroom rewards, excursions, and the food and drink children bring into school) and use of alternatives to foods in fundraising and other programs
• Introduction of school travel plans and support for active transport options to and from school, including cycling and walking
• Improved access to schoolbased recreational facilities by the community, especially after hours and in neighbourhoods that lack park and recreational facilities
• Promotion and support through state and territory governments for the National Healthy School Canteens Project, ensuring a nationally consistent approach to making healthy food available in school canteens, and the provision of foods and beverages in line with Australian dietary guidelines
• A comprehensive national approach to phasing out soft drinks in school canteens and vending machines

There is also a need to ensure key policy elements are appropriately reflected within the National Prevention Agreements.

Click here for the full report