Delivering subject content through nine life themes
A new report produced by child health experts from across the UK has highlighted wide-ranging evidence of declining health among children under five in the UK. Issues such as the Covid pandemic and the increased cost of living have exacerbated inequality, it says, and are likely to make early-years health even worse. The report’s authors call on policymakers to take “urgent action”, arguing that effective early-years interventions to improve child health and wellbeing are cost-effective because they deliver lifelong benefits. Only last week we highlighted new research that talked of “soaring” child obesity and the potential costs of inaction. We must support people to eat and live healthily and we must also think long term. The Life-Based Learning view is that schools have a key role to play by developing healthy habits and a healthy mindset in children and young people that they will carry with them into adult life.
The report – Prioritising early childhood to promote the nation’s health, wellbeing and prosperity – was produced by the Academy of Medical Sciences. Arguing that progress on child health in the UK has stalled in recent years, the report’s authors say that major health issues like infant mortality, obesity and tooth decay are damaging the nation’s children and their future life chances. There is also an impact on economic prosperity, they say, with the cost of inaction estimated to be at least £16 billion a year.
Some of the shocking evidence about failing child health in the UK that the report cites is that:
The report says that the first five years of life are crucial for laying the foundations for lifelong mental and physical health because healthy children are more likely to grow into healthy, productive adults. However, those early years are often overlooked by researchers, policymakers and the health service.
There are huge challenges for the NHS today driven by the growing pressures on health and social care from an ageing population. Even more disconcerting is the evidence cited in our Academy of Medical Sciences report of an appalling decline in the health of our children, which makes for an even more bleak outlook for their future. There is clear evidence in the report that tackling childhood health conditions, addressing inequalities and providing early-years social support can change the future of health and prosperity. It is time for big thinking and clear strategy by government to protect the health and life chances of our children today and transform the future of our nation.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, co-author of the report
There is a glimmer of hope despite all these grim warnings and projections about the future health of the population. It can be summed up in one word: education. We need to shift to a more prevention-first approach, helping people to live healthier lifestyles before their health declines. Education has a massive role to play in achieving that goal because we need to be thinking both short term and long term.
As we argue in blogs such as A prevention-first approach to health and Healthy habits for life, we need to prioritise children’s physical health to help tackle obesity and improve wellbeing more generally. It means teaching children healthy habits for life.
Life-Based Learning is predicated on the idea that we cannot simply carry on as we are. Unless we do more to ensure that individuals – including children and young people – adopt healthy lifestyle choices, we will continue to sleepwalk towards disaster.
Image at the head of this article by Bob Dmyt from Pixabay.
