Cancer Council Western Australia is encouraging parents to make a healthy start to the 2009 school year.

“We understand ‘back to school’ is a frantic time for parents with so many things to organise so we have come up with a list of quick and simple tips to help ensure children put their healthiest step forward this year,” said Jenny Atkins, Manager, Nutrition & Physical Activity at the Cancer Council.

“The start of a new school year is a great time to start afresh with healthy resolutions,” said Ms Atkins.

In the past decade the number of overweight children has doubled and the rate of obesity in children has trebled which has the potential to create major health problems for this generation when they reach adulthood, including increased risk of cancer and chronic illness.

“It is vital that we improve the eating and physical activity habits of kids to ensure their future well-being,” said Ms Atkins.

“Providing a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is one of the most important ways parents can help ensure their children remain healthy,” said Ms Atkins, “so fruit, vegetables and water should be ‘must haves’ for lunchboxes.

Being SunSmart is another important aspect of being healthy, particularly because children play outdoors at school during peak UV times in the middle of the day.

“We also know that sun exposure during childhood is strongly linked to the risk of skin cancer later in life,” said Kerry O’Hare, Cancer Council SunSmart Manager.

Other tips for a healthy back to school include:

• Aim to walk or ride with your children as much as possible to school.
• Apply a 30+ broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen in the morning.
• Ensure your child has a SunSmart hat that protects their face, head, neck and ears from the sun.
• Carrot and/or celery sticks, snow peas, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cheese cubes, frozen yoghurts and hard boiled eggs make good healthy snacks.
• Cutting up fruit and veg into unusual shapes is one way to entice fussy eaters,
• Homemade, reduced-fat, fruit filled pikelets, muffins, biscuits and cakes are a healthier alternative to high sugar snacks such as muesli bars, fruit leathers and confectionery.
• Limit use of spreads such as chocolate spreads, jam and honey.
• Avoid packaged snacks high in fat and salt such crisps and baked crackers.

For more healthy food ideas www.gofor2and5.com.au.