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Nurturing children's development through healthy eating and active living: Time for policies to support effective interventions in the context of responsive emotional support and early learning
journal contribution
posted on 2023-02-20, 05:19 authored by H Skouteris, R Green, A Chung, Heidi BergmeierHeidi Bergmeier, LH Amir, SK Baidwan, A Chater, C Chamberlain, R Emond, K Gibbons, M Gooey, K Hatzikiriakidis, E Haycraft, AP Hills, DJ Higgins, O Hooper, SA Hunter, P Kappelides, S Kleve, J Krakouer, JC Lumeng, Y Manios, A Mansoor, M Marmot, LC Mâsse, K Matvienko-Sikar, ZJR Mchiza, C Meyer, G Moschonis, ER Munro, TM O'Connor, Adrienne O'NeilAdrienne O'Neil, T Quarmby, R Sandford, JU Schneiderman, S Sherriff, D Simkiss, Alison SpenceAlison Spence, E Sturgiss, D Vicary, R Wickes, L Wolfenden, M Story, MM BlackFostering the growth, development, health, and wellbeing of children is a global priority. The early childhood period presents a critical window to influence lifelong trajectories, however urgent multisectoral action is needed to ensure that families are adequately supported to nurture their children's growth and development. With a shared vision to give every child the best start in life, thus helping them reach their full developmental potential, we have formed the International Healthy Eating Active Living Matters (HEALing Matters) Alliance. Together, we form a global network of academics and practitioners working across child health and development, and who are dedicated to improving health equity for children and their families. Our goal is to ensure that all families are free from structural inequality and oppression and are empowered to nurture their children's growth and development through healthy eating and physical activity within the context of responsive emotional support, safety and security, and opportunities for early learning. To date, there have been disparate approaches to promoting these objectives across the health, community service, and education sectors. The crucial importance of our collective work is to bring these priorities for early childhood together through multisectoral interventions, and in so doing tackle head on siloed approaches. In this Policy paper, we draw upon extensive research and call for collective action to promote equity and foster positive developmental trajectories for all children. We call for the delivery of evidence-based programs, policies, and services that are co-designed to meet the needs of all children and families and address structural and systemic inequalities. Moving beyond the “what” is needed to foster the best start to life for all children, we provide recommendations of “how” we can do this. Such collective impact will facilitate intergenerational progression that builds human capital in future generations.
History
Journal
Health and Social Care in the CommunityVolume
30Pagination
e6719-e6729Location
EnglandPublisher DOI
ISSN
0966-0410eISSN
1365-2524Language
EnglishPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalIssue
6Publisher
WILEY-HINDAWIUsage metrics
Keywords
Science & TechnologySocial SciencesLife Sciences & BiomedicinePublic, Environmental & Occupational HealthSocial Workchild developmentnurturing carehealthy livinghealth equityEARLY-CHILDHOODPHYSICAL-ACTIVITYOBESITYOVERWEIGHTChildChild, PreschoolHumansDiet, HealthyLearningChild HealthChild DevelopmentPolicyPediatricNutritionBehavioral and Social ScienceBasic Behavioral and Social ScienceMental Health3 Prevention of disease and conditions, and promotion of well-being3.1 Primary prevention interventions to modify behaviours or promote wellbeingGeneric health relevance4 Quality Education10 Reduced InequalitiesPublic Health and Health Services not elsewhere classifiedSocial Work not elsewhere classified
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