Queensland Health Information Circular 58

l Growth is the most important determinant of health status of a child and is an indirect reflection of the well being of the entire community. l In Australia and in Queensland obesity is increasing among children as well as adults, and is directly linked to several major national and State health priority areas-cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and certain cancers. l 19% to 24% of school age children in Australia are overweight or obese * and these rates are among the highest in the world. l Overweight and obesity are also occurring among Indigenous children, particularly in urban centres but in rural communities as well. l Poor intrauterine growth coupled with suboptimal childhood growth patterns may be predictive of chronic diseases in adulthood-coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and even renal disease. l Under-nutrition, as expressed by low weight for age, low height for age or low weight for height has been reported in several Indigenous communities in Queensland, and is directly related to increased rates of hospitalisation for infectious diseases in early life and chronic diseases in adult life. l Child Growth Assessment and Action programs in the Northern Territory have reported significant decreases in the numbers of undernourished Indigenous children since the programs were established. l Childhood overweight and obesity and under-nutrition are crises facing Australian and Queensland children today. Action must be taken now to prevent and manage both overweight and poor growth among the children of the State and the country. l The cost savings of instituting growth assessment and action programs in Queensland are potentially enormous-in the short term in reducing hospitalisation of undernourished References 11 Monitoring early childhood growth and development should be the 'gold standard' for measuring the success of human development efforts. 1) 2 Information circular 58 Indigenous children, and in the long term in reducing the burden of disease among children who will become obese adults. l There is a critical need for a regular systematic program to assess growth among children in Queensland. The above issues cannot be addressed until we establish routine growth statistics and provide action programs aimed at prevention and management of abnormal growth patterns. l Efforts to both prevent and manage over-and under-nutrition must involve appropriate and culturally sensitive intervention programs, education and research.