Experts Want To Cut Summer School Holidays To Combat Child Obesity

As school children look forward to their six-week summer school holidays, experts believe that the holidays are to be blamed for the child obesity epidemic and suggest summer holidays to be shortened.

Research shows that when children are on holidays they sleep 40 minutes longer and spend an hour more in from on screens, eat more junk food and spend less time doing physical activity, according to University of South Australia Professor Tim Olds.

As a result of school holiday habits, children tend to gain weight over the holidays and when going back to school they don't lose the full weight they gained.

Policy Coalition spokeswoman Jane Martine doesn't agree that the summer holidays should be shortened but understands research explains the importance of the school environment in combating obesity.

One in four Australian children is overweight or obese which may cause them a lifetime of health problems, while research suggests most of the extra weight is stacked on during school holidays.

Reference:
Dunlevy, Sue "School holidays blamed for Australia’s child obesity epidemic", The West, 28 September 2018