Australian school curriculum guidelines have been updated, and any activities involving calorie counting, body mass index (BMI), body measurements, and food intake recording will be taken out. Teachers have also been asked not to use the word ‘diet’.  Instead, there will be a strong focus on good eating habits and body movement across Australian schools.

Jane Rowan from Eating Disorders Families Australia says that “numbers around food and bodies can be triggering for young people who are vulnerable to eating disorders and that anything involving numbers and bodies is considered potentially harmful.”

Recognising the potential harm from an excessive focus on numbers and measurements, such as BMIs, is essential. This can lead to the promotion of unhealthy attitudes towards food, exercise, and body image. When children are taught that their value is determined by a number on a scale or a chart, it can lead to distorted views of themselves and others. This is precisely why the updated guidelines are so necessary.

South Australian mother Samara Rankine has similar thoughts.

“For kids, I think it’s probably more important to talk about good eating habits and how to keep your body moving rather than their weight”.

While each school is encouraged to implement these new guidelines, the individual school must decide whether to do so.

Tobias O’Connor from the Primary Principles Association thinks it is imperative that Australian school children are aware of healthy living.

“We’ve got to make sure that kids are well informed about how to look after themselves and that they have that understanding about what is healthy and what isn’t”, he says.