Healthy living in Southern NSW

Fussy eating can be challenging. When children refuse to try new foods or eat what has been served, it's part of their development and growing independence. Try these ideas to help your child develop healthy eating behaviours.

Have set mealtime routines

• Establish set times for meals and snacks. This can prepare your child for lunch and recess times at school.
• Remove distractions from the table such as toys, books and screens (television, tablets, phones).
• Eat as a family and keep mealtimes relaxed and calm.
• Provide small portions and allow your child to have more if they wish.

Encourage your child’s interest in new foods

• Avoid labelling your child as fussy or picky.
• Encourage your child to look, touch and smell new foods.
• Make meals and snacks interesting by including different colours, shapes and textures.
• Invite your child to plant, water and harvest produce from the garden.
• Involve your child in meal planning, food shopping, preparation and cooking. Allow them to choose some foods such as a new fruit or vegetable or suitable meal for dinner.

Role model, be positive and don’t give up!

• Eat and enjoy a variety of healthy foods yourself.
• Tastes change over time – be patient and offer new foods regularly.
• Praise your child when they have touched, smelt or tasted a new food.
• Resist promising rewards for eating, such as dessert. Link food to a positive benefit such as energy for playing, protein for growing muscles, calcium for strong teeth and bones.

Further information

For general information on fussy eating, contact our Population Health team. 

To connect with a health professional at one of our local Community Health services contact Community Health Central Intake service. They can help you find the best care to meet your needs.

A healthy lunchbox provides a valuable contribution towards a child’s nutritional requirements for a day.

Promoting healthier lunchboxes can encourage parents and children to make healthier choices about their diet and encourage a whole-school approach to healthy eating.

Free programs and resources can help you and your school to promote healthier food and drink choices in lunchboxes.

• Crunch&Sip® is program that sets classroom breaks for students to eat fruit (or salad and vegetables) and drink water. The idea is to help kids re-fuel.
• Vegetable Week features ‘The Big Vegie Crunch,’ a fun, free, school-based event for NSW primary schools, and supported by NSW Health to increase children’s knowledge, exposure and positive attitudes towards vegetables.
• Fruit & Veg Month is a free health promotion program held in September for NSW primary schools that puts a positive focus on fruit and vegetables.

Further information

For more resources and information visit Healthy Living Active Living

Find quick and easy recipes from the core food groups for recess and lunch and put together a healthy and balanced lunchbox.

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support you to make healthy lunchboxes at your school. 

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs. 

All NSW public schools are required to follow the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy (the Strategy) and non-government schools are strongly encouraged to participate.

The Food and Drink Criteria is the foundation for the Strategy and provides an outline for a healthy school canteen. We can help your school meet the benchmark.

Our Health Promotion Officers can help you and your school:

• understand what the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy means for your school
• prepare an action plan for transitioning to the strategy
• connect with training opportunities for canteen managers, school staff and the parents and citizens
• prepare an application for the NSW School Canteen Menu Check Service
• promote your canteen’s achievements.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support you to make healthy lunchboxes at your school. 

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

KidsGrow KidsCook is a free program that provides everything you need to start cooking and gardening classes in your primary school. The program provides a practical toolkit to help schools get kids enjoying a kitchen garden.

Kitchen gardens provide opportunities to grow and produce healthy food and connect students with healthy food and lifestyles. 

The hand-on gardening and cooking projects are directly linked to the school curriculum and expose students to a range of thinking skills and learning styles.

KidsGrow KidsCook will:

• teach about food, where it's from and how to prepare it
• get kids eating more fruit and vegetables
• meet the NSW curriculum learning outcomes
• help you save money by teaching you how to grow your own food
• help you take nutrition education seriously
• create interactive, fun lessons with pre-prepared lesson plans.

Resources to support your school's kitchen garden

• Kitchen Gardens: provides teachers and schools advice, learning resources and provides information on how the kitchen garden can support multiple curriculum areas.
• Sustainable Schools NSW provides free teaching and learning resources about the environment and sustainability. Join the Sustainable Schools Network to connect, share and learn with other teachers and schools.
• Eden Public School's case study, ‘A Chicken Coop for Tarerergudje’ describes how the school created and implemented a Project-Based Learning (PBL) project using STEM teaching to include an outdoor learning area to enhance student wellbeing.

Further information

For more resources go to the Healthy Kids Association website.

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support your school's kitchen garden.

The Munch & Move® program is a NSW Health initiative that supports the healthy developments of children from birth to 5 years. The program offers training and resources to educators working in NSW early childhood education and care services.

Take a look at how local early childhood education and care services are implementing the program in our Little Book of Big Munch & Move® Ideas (PDF, 4.1MB).

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Video transcript

Celebrating 10 years of Munch & Move – Braidwood Preschool

[Music]

[Emma Wooley speaks]

Today we're celebrating 10 years of New South Wales Health Munch and Move here at Braidwood Preschool.

[Kathy Toirkens speaks]

Braidwood Preschool's proud to have participated in the Munch and Move program.

Most of our educators have been through the training program which is fantastic.

We have implemented the key messages through activities with the children and with parents.

Healthy vegetables from our vegetable garden, lots of games and songs and we're very happy to be able to implement those things with our children.

[Music]

Ready to get started?

NSW early childhood education and care service can access the Munch & Move® self-paced online training at any time. Students working towards their Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) qualifications can also participate in this training.

Contact the Munch & Move® program in Southern NSW LHD for local support.

You can also join our Munch & Move® mailing list to receive program information, tips and ideas to support your service.

Southern NSW has a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, as the region covers an area from the warm, mild and temperate coast to the cool sub- alpine regions.

Seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables are good for you, taste great and are often cheaper too. 

Why is it important to eat food that’s in season?

Seasonality of food refers to the times of year when the harvest or the flavour of a given type food is at its peak. 

• Peak harvest time usually means the flavour of fruits and vegetables is at its best. This is also the time when the item is the cheapest and the freshest in the market.
• Seasonal vegetables are fresher, tastier and more nutritious than food consumed out of season. The best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly from a local grower shortly after harvest. 
• Purchasing locally grown foods helps support local farms and maintains farmland and open space in your community.

Further information

Download the What’s in Season in Southern NSW? poster (PDF,1.46MB). 

For further advice on seasonal growing go to the Kitchen Gardens website. 

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support your school canteen to provide seasonal food, or for resources to support your school’s kitchen garden.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

No matter what their level of ability, being physically active is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Remember, doing any physical activity is better than doing none.

Daily unrestricted active play is important and can help young children to:

• build social and emotional bonds
• learn about how their bodies work
• develop their senses, good strength, balance, and posture.

Physically active play helps young children to:

• maintain a healthy body weight
• develop strong bones and essential movement skills.

Find ways to add physical activity and limit sedentary behaviour in your own day and be a good role model for your children. All forms of play are important; but active play is the most appropriate form of physical activity.

Young children can actively play by doing:

• everyday tasks: climbing steps, helping tidy up, gardening, or unpacking the shopping.
• unstructured activity: lying and rolling on the floor, dancing to music, chasing, or climbing.
• structured activity: games like incy-wincy spider, kicking a ball, hide-and-seek, or games played in pre-school. 
• active travel: walking, pedalling, or using a scooter to get from place to place. 

What about screens?

TVs, smart devices, DVDs and computer games may be popular with children, but usually involve sitting for long periods of time.

Regardless of how active your children may be at other times; it is still important to limit screen time.

Active travel is good for health, as is a way of being active in your normal daily routine. You can help your school community include walking, cycling and scootering into their day, and prepare students for a lifetime of casual physical activity.

Benefits of active travel

Children's health benefits greatly when they actively travel to local places they regularly go to. 

While living in a rural area can present challenges in active travel to school, schools can equip students with the skills they need to become active travellers later in life.

The benefits include:

• positive self-esteem
• learning safe mobility
• improved concentration
• increased independence
• increased physical activity.

Resources to promote active travel at your school

1. Healthy Kids: support your school to encourage children’s active travel, including parent surveys, facilities reviews, and action plan templates on their website.
2. National Ride2School Day: is held every year in Term 1, this day is an opportunity for students, parents and teachers to try riding, walking, skating or scooting to school as well as celebrating the regular walkers and riders.
3. National Walk Safely to School Day: is held every year during Term 2, this day is when all primary school children are encouraged to walk and commute safely to school.
4. Safety Town: is an interactive road safety education program based on Transport for NSW’s main road safety messages for school students in Stage 3. Safety Town is available to all NSW primary school teachers and students and families.
5. Road Safety Education officers: in the Department of Education, the Catholic Schools NSW and Association of Independent Schools NSW provide schools with road safety educational resources and professional development.
6. Your council’s Road Safety Officer can help you create a safe environment for walking and cycling to school by:
   • promoting driver compliance with 40km/h school zones and when passing a school bus
   • supporting local enforcement of school zones
   • working with parents and school communities to promote safer parking around schools.

Further information

Go to the NSW Health website for more active travel resources.

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support active travel at your school.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) are the foundational base upon which all other sports and movement skills are built. Examples of FMS include running, jumping, catching and overhand throwing.

Children who lack FMS ability are less likely to gain skills in complex and sports-specific movement in their growing years. This can be a barrier to the pursuit and enjoyment of physical activity or sports among youths and adults.

How to improve FMS at your school

1. Fundamental Movement Skills Planning Guide: outlines when each FMS should be introduced, consolidated and mastered for students.
2. Free online training: the NSW Department of Education offers free online training for schools on FMS. Go to the MyPL website and search for 'Live Life Well @ School' or email LLWS@det.nsw.edu.au
3. Fundamental Movement Skills in Action: supports K-6 teachers with easy-to-print resources to teach the 12 fundamental movement skills.
4. Independent schools can access support from a team of consultants at the Association of Independent Schools of NSW.
5. NSW Department of Education’s Physical Literacy Continuum K-10: supports quality teaching, learning, assessment and reporting practices in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE). 
6. NSW Department of Education's Physical Literacy Continuum glossary: helps schools to establish a consistent physical literacy language.
7. NSW School Sports Unit: provides a range of online, face-to-face and school-based workshops to support teaching of FMS.  
8. Kindergarten to Year 6 PDHPE sample units and assessments support delivery and assessment of physical education as part of PDHPE.
9. The NSW PDHPE Curriculum Pinterest boards: puts together relevant resources to support various aspects of physical education.
10. The Playing For Life: are resources containing a variety of games (including activity cards) designed to develop the skills across a range of physical activities.

The Get Healthy in Pregnancy program is a free and confidential information and/or telephone coaching service for pregnant women in NSW aged 16 years and over. 

The program offers regular contact, advice and coaching and complements your existing pre-natal care and understands the individual and changing needs of pregnant women. 

What’s included in the program?

• Help to overcome any problem areas, motivation and support to set your own healthy lifestyle goals. 
• Your own personal university qualified health coach throughout your pregnancy and in the early post-natal months.
• 10 confidential coaching calls over 6 months - at a time and day that suits you. 
• Information and a journal to help you track your goal and progress.
• Option to re-enrol for coaching or get 6 months of SMS based coaching for FREE.

Ready to get started?

Starting your Get Healthy journey is easy. Fill out our simple online form or call 1300 806 258.

You can also ask your midwife, GP, or obstetrician for a referral to the Get Healthy Service at your next appointment.

You can help your school’s Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association raise money for your school while promoting health and wellbeing.

Healthy fundraising can return a good profit and many organisations have had great success. Here are some healthy fundraising ideas:

• Multicultural food day: Encourage community participation by asking each family to donate a recipe traditional to their culture. The canteen can then serve these dishes to the students for lunch for a donation.
• Apple slinky machines: apple slinky machines peel, core and slice apples in one step into a long slinky. They make eating apples fun. Schools can sell slinky machines to parents as a fundraiser, making $10 on each machine sold.
• Healthy snacks day: set up a fruit stall to support an existing event and try selling fruit skewers, fruit smoothies, or frozen 100% fruit juice icy poles.
• Healthy cookbooks: ask teachers, parents and students to submit their favourite healthy recipes with a photo of the dish. Combine these recipes and photos to create a school cookbook and take orders to have it published.
• Discos: use the local school hall or council hall to have a Friday night disco, with a small entry fee to raise money for the school. Ask a local DJ to volunteer in exchange for free advertising in the school newsletter. You could also sell healthy treats on the evening to raise some extra cash.
• Walk-a-thon or fun run: it costs very little to set-up, you could charge a participation fee or asking the participants to raise sponsorship money from friends and family. Invite family members, staff and the local community to participate.

We can help your school's parents and citizens to:

• promote your school's healthy achievements
• understand their obligations under the Department of Education’s Nutrition in Schools Policy
• implement the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy
• plan healthy fundraisers to support your school’s health and wellbeing program.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support your school's parents and citizens.

Dental health resources for pre-schools and schools

The NSW Oral Health Promotion Network has developed resources specifically for the early childhood sector. The resources can be downloaded from the NSW Health website or order free hard copies of posters and brochures for your service.

Here are some helpful resources:

• Little Smiles is a dental health resource package that aims to reduce tooth decay in children aged 0-5 years. 
• Health Smart Deadly Art Project at the Greater Southern Area Health Service utilised visual art to develop Aboriginal culturally appropriate education resources to promote dental health. Download posters from the NSW Health website. 
• Protecting Tiny Teeth is a digital resource for parents and carers to learn about the prevention of tooth decay in babies, toddlers and infants. Early childhood educators can request a free DVD copy.
• “The Healthy Tribe – I can help my body stay well” storybook educates children in primary school about their dental and general health. Told through the stories of the Biripi and Worimi people, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people can learn the knowledge of improving health in a culturally appropriate way. Download the book or order free copies for your school.

Further information

Visit the NSW Health website for more dental health resources.

Contact our Population Health team to discuss how we can support your service.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

Supported playgroups can provide engaging, educational and fun healthy eating and active play activities at the group session.

They also encourage carers/families to practice healthy eating and active play at home. Playgroup facilitators can access free resources to help their families to eat healthy food and participate in active play.

What is a supported playgroup?

Supported Playgroups provide a structured and positive learning environment for parents and children (aged 0-5 years) who would not normally access a playgroup.

Supported playgroups help increase skills and confidence and to develop valuable social and family support networks. These groups usually meet once a week for 2 hours and are facilitated by a trained early childhood worker.

The Supported Playgroup Coordinator may also assist parents by providing parenting information and referrals to other health and community services.

Resources for supported playgroups

Healthy Kids hosts guidelines, information and fun activities for parents/carers and playgroups who want to support children to eat healthy food and participate in active play. 

The resources are also suitable for other groups where parents/carers and young children attend together.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team for help in supporting families to eat healthy food and participate in active play with a playgroup. 

Our Population Health team supports Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) services (also known as OOSH or OOSCA services) to promote healthy eating and physical activity to children and their families.

Our health promotion officers can help you and your service:

• provide information to families
• prepare a healthy and nutritious menu
• implement healthy eating and active play policies
• plan active play experiences that get children moving.

OSHC resources:

• Eat Smart Play Smart Manual: supports OSHC directors and educators to promote healthy eating and physical activity, as part of developing a curriculum that enhances children’s learning and development.
• Eat Smart Play Smart has recently been revised by the Heart Foundation NSW Division, NSW Office of Preventive Health and Network of Community Activities to reflect the current Australian Dietary Guidelines, the Australian Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children and the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.

Further information

Go to the NSW Health website for more OOSH resources and guidelines.

Contact our Population Health team to discuss how we can support your service.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

The StEPS program is a scientifically based, free vision screening program for 4-year-old children in NSW. 

Southern NSW Local Health District (LHD) provides free vision screening to all 4-year-old children prior to school entry. The aim is to identify childhood vision problems early so that treatment outcomes can be maximised.

Screening takes place across Southern NSW LHD through preschools, long day care services, and selected Community Health Centres. Download our StEPS Consent and Report Form (PDF, 325KB). 

Contact our StEPS Coordinator for booking enquiries SNSWLHD-StEPS@health.nsw.gov.au

Get Healthy Service

The Get Healthy Service® helps people over the age of 16 years living in NSW to have better health and wellbeing. It's completely free and tailored to each person's needs. 

In addition to its Standard Coaching program, the program offers a range of complementing programs. All programs are confidential and provide regular contact, advice and coaching.

Learn more about the programs offered below. 

Aboriginal program

The Get Healthy Service - Aboriginal program provides culturally appropriate and customised coaching, support and motivation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to achieve a healthier and more physically active lifestyle.

Your health coach could help you to:

• eat healthily
• reduce alcohol 
• become more active
• achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• gain or maintain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy.

What’s included in the program?

• Help to overcome any problem areas.
• Your own personal health coach and Aboriginal Liaison Officer.
• Motivation and support to set your own healthy lifestyle goals.
• Up to 13 confidential coaching calls over 6 months - all at a time and day that suits you.
• Information and a journal containing information specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This will help you track your goals and actions.
• Option to re-enrol for coaching or get 6 months of free SMS based coaching.

Alcohol Reduction Program

The Get Healthy Service - Alcohol Reduction Program has been developed for anyone aged 18 years and over, who want to reduce their alcohol consumption to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and achieve a healthier lifestyle.  

A personal university qualified health coach will assess your risk of drinking and provide you with the support and motivation you need to help you reach your alcohol reduction goal.

Our coaches use the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), an internationally validated screening tool to screen for alcohol risk.

If you are pregnant, the program can support you to stop drinking in pregnancy. 

Your health coach could help you to:

• eat healthily
• reduce alcohol 
• become more active
• achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• gain or maintain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy.

What’s included in the program?

• motivation and support to set your own healthy lifestyle goals
• information and a journal to help you track your goals and actions
• your own personal health coach and help to overcome any problem areas
• 10 confidential coaching calls over 6 months - at a time and day that suits you
• option to re-enrol for coaching or get 6 months of SMS based coaching for FREE.

Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Program

The Get Healthy Service - Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Program is specifically designed for people at risk of type 2 diabetes. Anyone aged 40 years or older can sign up for this program. 

You will get your own personal university qualified health coach who will assess your risk of type 2 diabetes by asking a few short questions, and based on your responses you will either be enrolled in the Prevent Type 2 Diabetes program or the Standard Coaching program. 

Not sure if you are at risk? Find out your type 2 diabetes risk score.

If you already have type 2 diabetes, you will be enrolled in the Standard Coaching program.

Your health coach could help you to:

• eat healthily
• reduce alcohol 
• become more active
• achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• gain or maintain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy.

What’s included in the program?

• Your own personal health coach and help to overcome any problem areas.
• 13 confidential coaching calls over 6 months - at a time and day that suits you.
• Motivation and support to set your own healthy lifestyle goals.
• Information and a journal to help you track your goal and actions.
• Option to re-enrol for coaching or get 6 months of SMS based coaching for FREE.

Get started

Starting your Get Healthy journey is easy. Fill out our simple online form or call 1300 806 258.

You can also ask your GP or allied health professional for a referral to the Get Healthy Service at your next appointment.

The NSW Aboriginal Knockout Health Challenge is a free community led healthy lifestyle and weight loss program for Aboriginal adults aged 16 years or older residing in NSW.

The program aims to improve nutrition, increase physical activity and reduce overweight and obesity and link participants into local programs and services to improve health and wellbeing.

The program runs two 10-week challenges in a year and enables communities to make local decisions about the physical and nutrition activities that work best for them, and to make and lead a healthier lifestyle.

For more information, email the team at MOH-Knockout@health.nsw.gov.au or go to the NSW Knockout Health Challenge website. 

You can also follow the NSW Aboriginal Knockout Health Challenge on Facebook.

Tobacco smoking is the greatest single cause of premature death and is a leading preventable cause of morbidity (illness and/or disease) in NSW. 

We can help you to quit smoking. Ask at your appointment or contact the NSW Quitline for support.

Services that can support you to quit smoking and/or tobacco use, include:

NSW Quitline

The NSW Quitline is a confidential telephone information and advice service. 

Professional telephone advisors support you with encouragement and resources to help smokers to quit. The advisors are friendly, helpful, non-judgemental and are able help smokes at any stage in the quitting process. 

Advisors also support and advise families, friends and/or carers of smokers, and health professionals, and includes the best evidence for quitting smoking.

Learn more about NSW Quitline or call 13 7848 (13 QUIT) to speak to a Quitline counsellor. You can also leave a message and request for a call back. 

iCanQuit

iCanQuit provides you with information and tools to help you give quitting a proper go. The interactive website allows you to share your story about your previous, current or planned attempts to quit. 

It also supports you with helpful tips on how to quit, a goal tracker and savings calculator so you can track your progress. 

Support for patients: managing nicotine dependence in hospital

All buildings and grounds in the Southern NSW Local Health District are smoke free and follow the NSW Health Smoke-free Care Policy.

This means:

• smokers who are patients and/or visitors cannot smoke in any of our hospitals and health services while on the premises
• all smokers can access assistance while in hospital to manage any cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• any smokers admitted to one of our hospitals will be asked about their smoking (how many and how often) to assess their level of nicotine dependence. If clinically appropriate, free nicotine replacement therapy will be offered (NRT) while in hospital to manage any cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• we have staff who specialise in providing support to quit smoking and can provide advice on managing your nicotine dependence and how to attempt quitting.

Further information

For more information or support to quit smoking, email our Health Promotion team at SNSWLHD-HealthPromotion@health.nsw.gov.au or contact NSW Quitline.  

Breastfeeding is free, timesaving and has many health benefits for you as well as protecting your baby against infections and other illnesses.

Breast milk is easy to digest and is a complete meal for your baby, as it contains all the necessary nutrients to help your baby grow. 

It is recommended that you exclusively breastfeed your baby with no other milks, food or drinks until about 6 months.

At about 6 months you can begin to offer solid foods while continuing to breastfeed until 12 months or longer. Breastfeeding can continue to provide health benefits in your baby’s second year of life and beyond. The longer you breastfeed the greater the benefit.

Breastfed babies have less risk of developing:

• asthma
• diabetes
• allergies
• diarrhoea
• some childhood cancers
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• ear and respiratory tract infections (the common cold).

Breastfeeding helps reduce a woman's risk of:

• osteoporosis
• ovarian cancer
• pre-menopausal breast cancer.

Local breastfeeding support services

Further information

Refer to NSW Health's breastfeeding your baby booklet (PDF, 1.8MB)

For more common challenges or for specific advice, please contact our Community Health Central Intake Services by emailing SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au or call 1800 999 880.

Go4Fun is a free 10-week healthy lifestyle program for children aged 7 - 13 years with the goal to support them to become fitter, healthier, more confident and happier.

Go4Fun program details

• 10-week face-to-face program run by qualified health professionals.
• 2 hours long sessions, held after school - running parallel with school terms.
• weekly games and activities - practical demonstrations, games, and tips about healthy foods, label reading, and portion size.
• fun, interactive discissions to teach easy and effective ways to improve children's nutrition, physical activity and self-esteem.

Can't attend the program in-person?

Go4Fun also offers the same program online and specifically designed for families who are unable to attend the in-person version of the program. 

Further information:

Learn more about Go4Fun or register for the in-person or flexible online program.  

Contact the Go4Fun team at 1800 780 900 or by email to SNSWLHD-HealthPromotion@health.nsw.gov.au from Monday to Friday, between 9am - 5pm. 

Children and teenagers are healthiest if they stay within a certain weight range as they grow. This is called a healthy weight for their age.

At Southern NSW Local Health District, we measure height and weight in all children as part of a child’s health assessment. 

Your nurse or doctor will help you measure your child’s height and weight when you attend for an appointment with our services.

Healthy weight calculator for children and teenagers

You can find out if a child or teenager is a healthy weight for their age using the Children's Weight Status Calculator*. 

This calculator can be used for children and teenagers from 2 years through to 18 years of age.

_{^{*This calculator provides a general guide to healthy weight and is not intended to be a substitute for advice from a health professional.}}

How to help your child maintain a healthy weight

There are 8 simple ways for your family to lead a healthy lifestyle and get back on track. If you follow these simple steps, you will help your child be healthy!

1. Know your portion/serve size.
2. Start each day with a healthy breakfast.
3. Be active for at least 1 hour a day, every day.
4. Choose healthier snacks and fewer treat foods.
5. Drink water instead of soft drink, juice or cordial.
6. Eat at least 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit every day. For 2 to 3-year-olds, eat 2 1/2 serves of vegetables and 1 serve of fruit).
7. Limit screen time - no more than 1 hour a day for 2 to 5-year-olds, and up to 2 hours a day for children 6 years and older.
8. Get enough sleep - 10 to 12 hours a night for under 12 years, and 8 to 10 hours a night for children aged 12 years and over.

For further information

Contact our Population Health team for general information on your child’s healthy weight. 

For specific child health advice, please contact out Community Health Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 or SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au

Here are our tips to help keep your child's teeth healthy at home.

Bottles and dummies

Breast milk is best for your baby. If your child is not breastfeeding:

• only put breast milk, formula or water in your baby’s bottle.
• always hold your baby when feeding and remove the bottle when your baby has had enough to drink.
• avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle, this can cause tooth decay.
• avoid putting honey, glycerine, condensed milk or other sticky sweet foods or liquids on your baby’s dummy, this can cause tooth decay.
• try to introduce a practice cup from 6 months of age. At around 12 months of age replace bottles with cups. Most children can learn to use a cup with practice.

Teething

• If your child is uncomfortable when teething, offer a teething ring or cold wash cloth.
• If there are other symptoms, consult a doctor or a child and family health nurse.

Food and drink

• Offer healthy food for meals and snacks from around 6 months of age.
• Leave baby foods unsweetened.
• Tap water (boiled then cooled until 12 months of age) is the best drink in-between meals and at bedtime.
• Keep treats, sweet snacks, and sweet fizzy drinks for special occasions only.

Toothbrushing tips

• Keep your own teeth and gums clean and healthy. Germs from your mouth can pass over to your baby’s mouth on dummies, bottles and spoons.
• As soon as your child’s first teeth appear, clean them using a child sized soft toothbrush, but without toothpaste.
• From 18 months of age clean your child’s teeth twice a day with a small pea-sized amount of low fluoride toothpaste. Use a child sized soft toothbrush; children should spit out, not swallow, and not rinse.
• Toothpaste may be introduced earlier, based on the advice of either a health professional with training in oral health or an oral health professional.
• An adult should apply toothpaste for children under 6 years of age and store toothpaste out of the reach of children.
• From around 3 years of age children can do some of the tooth-brushing themselves, but they still need an adult’s help to brush their teeth until they are around 7 to 8 years of age.
• Watch for early signs of tooth decay – white or brown spots that don’t brush off. Seek professional advice as soon as possible.
• By their first birthday, make sure your child has an oral health risk assessment conducted by a health professional with training in dental health or a dental health professional.

Further information

Contact the Community Health Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 or SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au

Starting school is an important time for children and families. It begins when children and families start to prepare the year before, and continues as children experience their first days, weeks and months of school.

Before school health assessment

Before your child starts school, it is recommended that you take them to your local child and family health nurse or doctor for a health check.

This health assessment may include:

• a hearing check
• an assessment of oral health
• a physical (height and weight) check
• a check of your child’s immunisation status
• questions about your child’s development and emotional wellbeing
• a vision test - Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening (StEPS)

An Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register is required for school enrolment.

Talk to your nurse, doctor and/or teacher about any health, development, behavioural or family issues which may affect your child’s ability to learn at school.

Before school starts...

• give your child lots of love and support. Be excited and enthusiastic about starting school.
• take your child to kindergarten or pre-school orientation day/s.
• explain the basic school rules, such as putting up your hand, asking before going to the toilet, listening quietly when necessary, and doing what the teacher asks.
• try on the uniform and shoes before the first day, just to make sure everything fits.
• visit the school when other children are there so your child can get used to the noise of the playground and the size of the ‘big’ students. Show your child where the toilets are, take them around so they are familiar with the grounds.
• show your child where the after-school care facilities are, if needed.
• plan some lunch box ideas that your child will enjoy and help them to practice opening their lunch box.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team for general information on your child’s healthy weight.

For specific child health advice, please contact the Community Health Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 or SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au

Active and Healthy is an online resource that provides helpful information and tools to help you increase your physical activity.

The website can help you find an exercise program in your local area and stay active and healthy at home.  

All older adults living in NSW can access free phone and online-based health coaching through the Get Healthy Service (GHS).

The service supports you to:

• get active
• eat healthily
• reduce alcohol
• reach and stay at a healthy weight
• stay active during and after cancer treatment
• make lifestyle choices and reach your health goals. 

For more information or to register for the program go to the GHS website or call 1300 806 258.