Obesity in Primary Schools

Childhood obesity is a significant health issue in Australia, with children at primary school age (5-11 years) experiencing a growing prevalence of this issue. Childhood obesity, defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat that negatively impacts a child’s physical and mental health conditions, is quantified as Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles. A child is viewed to be obese when their BMI is greater than the 95th percentile for their age, sex and height. Over the past few decades, rates of overweight and obesity among Australian children have increased, and this rise has been attributed to several factors, including children’s higher involvement in sedentary, screen-based activities and their exposure to busy family schedules.

Obesity presents a range of signs and symptoms that can significantly hinder a child’s health and quality of life. Common indicators include excessive weight gain relative to height, visible fat accumulation, shortness of breath during minor physical activity, fatigue, joint pain, and sleep disturbances such as sleep apnoea. In the long term, obese children are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, poor self-esteem, and social isolation. More concerningly, obesity in childhood is a strong predictor of obesity in adulthood, further increasing the burden on Australia’s healthcare system.

Why is this a concern? And who is affected?

A key driver of childhood obesity in Australia is the global surge in electronic device use. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW, 2022), 67% of children aged 5–12 exceed the recommended screen time limit of two hours per day. Screen time has not only become a primary source of entertainment but is now often used by busy parents as a method of distraction or supervision. With many households having both parents in full-time employment or managing shift work, there is often limited time available for physical supervision, preparing healthy meals, or encouraging active play. As a result, children are frequently left unsupervised with access to televisions, tablets, gaming consoles, and smartphones—contributing to prolonged sedentary behaviour.

Another risk factor compounding the issue is poor dietary habits, which often go hand-in-hand with screen time. The National Health Survey (2017–18) reported that 94% of children aged 5–14 do not meet the recommended daily intake of vegetables, often replacing nutrient-rich meals with ultra-processed, calorie-dense convenience foods. Busy schedules and time pressures often lead parents to rely on quick meal options, takeaway foods, or packaged snacks, which are typically high in sugar, fat, and salt. Furthermore, the marketing of such products through digital media platforms specifically targets children during screen time, normalising unhealthy food choices.

Physical inactivity also contributes significantly to rising obesity rates among young Australians. According to AIHW (2023), only 26% of children aged 5–14 met the recommended physical activity guidelines in the past year. As screen-based leisure activities replace outdoor play, many children fail to reach even 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. The convenience of indoor entertainment, limited access to green space, and safety concerns further reduce opportunities for movement—particularly in families where parents are unavailable to supervise after-school activities.

Certain population groups are particularly vulnerable to childhood obesity. Children from low socioeconomic backgrounds face greater risk due to limited access to fresh produce, reduced participation in organised sport, and the affordability of processed foods. These families may also lack access to health education and may live in neighbourhoods without safe outdoor environments. Additionally, Indigenous Australian children experience disproportionately higher rates of obesity, exacerbated by intergenerational health inequalities, financial hardship, and cultural barriers to accessing healthcare and nutritional guidance. The “Closing the Gap” report (2023) highlights that Indigenous children are more likely to experience food insecurity and reduced physical activity options compared to non-Indigenous peers.

Data around Childhood Obesity

Epidemiological data underscores the severity of this issue. As of 2022, one in four (25%) Australian children aged 5–11 were classified as overweight or obese (AIHW, 2023), with obesity rates higher among boys (28%) than girls (22%). This represents a threefold increase since 1985 and closely mirrors the rise in household screen-based technology and dual-income families. The economic burden of obesity in Australia is estimated at $11.8 billion annually, due to the costs of chronic disease treatment, productivity loss, and early mortality (Obesity Evidence Hub, 2022). Furthermore, studies show that children who exceed two hours of screen time daily are 1.6 times more likely to be overweight than those who remain within the recommended limits (Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2021).

Preventative Strategies

To address this complex issue, a health education–based preventive strategy offers a promising solution. By embedding obesity prevention into the primary school curriculum, students can learn about healthy eating, the importance of physical activity, and the dangers of excessive screen time from a young age. Programs such as “Crunch & Sip” (which promotes daily fruit and vegetable intake during class time) and “Ride2School” (which encourages active transport) are practical examples of how education can foster behavioural change. When paired with parent-targeted communication strategies, such as newsletters, SMS reminders, and digital tip sheets, health education can extend into the home environment, even for time-poor families.

Health education is effective because it tackles both knowledge gaps and habitual behaviour. It enables children to make informed choices and motivates them to become agents of change in their own households. Furthermore, parental involvement—such as attending school workshops or receiving take-home resources—has been shown to enhance program success. A review by Deakin University (2022) found that school-based programs with parent involvement led to a 5–10% reduction in childhood obesity rates.

In conclusion, childhood obesity in Australian primary schools is a critical public health issue, largely influenced by increased screen time and limited parental availability due to work commitments. These factors contribute to poor dietary choices, reduced physical activity, and ultimately, the alarming rise in obesity among children. Through the implementation of targeted health education strategies that engage both schools

4 P’s of Social Marketing

1. Product

This refers to the desired behaviour change or benefit you are promoting. My product is to encourage children to choose vegetables over junk food as part of the “product” of better long-term health by providing them with a packed lunch box plan filled with good food that is accessible and posed convenience rather than a bag of chips, that lacks nutrients and vitamins required for the child to grow up to become a healthy adult.

2. Price

This is the cost or barrier the target audience must overcome to adopt the behaviour. So in this case, A busy parent might view cooking healthy meals as “too much effort”, my website designed social marketing campaign provides fast, easy recipes to lower that "price." That parents have to “pay” to keep their child fit and healthy.

3. Place

This is where and how the target audience accesses the product or receives support for the behaviour. I will be delivering healthy lunchbox ideas to parents via school newsletters or social media posts, advertising in parent hotspots and in varying socioeconomic areas to enable a wide range of parents to use of my lunchbox plans, encouraging more and more parents to get their kid to start their healthy lifestyle journey.

4. Promotion

This refers to the communication strategy used to raise awareness, change attitudes, and encourage behaviour change. My use of catchy slogans like “Less Screens, More Greens” to encourage parents to limit their children’s screentime and increase their consumption of plant-based foods, “Fast Fixes for Full Calendars” and “Busy Lives, Healthy Kids – It’s possible” Targets parents with full schedules and a packed work-life balance and guides them to the understanding that there are alternate ways of parenting their children and that two minute noodles and a bag of chips is not good food just due to convenience, and encouraging them to purchase my product of pre-packed lunch boxes for their child, so that he consumption of good nutrients, becomes a repetitive habit, rather than a casualty.