Health in Schools Must be a Priority

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, has joined with leaders of key organisations in health and youth issues, to write to State and Federal Education Ministers to include health and physical education as priority areas in Australia's K-10 national curriculum. The National Curriculum is being discussed at the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) meeting on Thursday, April 15.

Nearly a quarter of our children are overweight or obese, and because of this, the life expectancy for Australia children alive today will fall two years by the time they are 20 years old. The school curriculum provides a unique opportunity to get our children off to the right start with healthy attitudes and behaviours.