SINGAPORE – Grow Well SG, a national health promotion strategy, helps families to build healthy habits in children for long-term health benefits. It emphasises early intervention in four key areas.
1. Eat Well
What’s happening: Nearly 44 per cent of five-year-old children in the Gusto (The Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes) cohort study were found in 2022 to have unhealthy eating habits. They consumed more fries, processed meat, biscuits and ice cream – items with high contents of saturated fat and refined carbohydrates – than children who ate healthily.
Why it matters: Shaping the food preferences of children now will help them maintain healthy diets as they grow older. Poor nutrition can lead to health issues, such as raised blood glucose and diabetes later on in life, for instance.
Goal: Keep eating fruit and vegetables every day, and don’t forget to drink plain water.
2. Sleep Well
What’s happening: About 65 per cent of school-age children in Singapore do not meet the recommended nine to 11 hours of sleep on school days, according to a 2022 report.
Why it matters: Insufficient sleep in school-age children has been associated with poorer academic performance, sleepiness during the day, depressive symptoms and poor social competence, the study said. The risk of mental health conditions, childhood obesity and related chronic health conditions goes up if poor sleeping habits persist into adulthood.
Goal: Sleep at least nine hours nightly.
3. Learn Well
What’s happening: Most children do not meet recommended screen time guidelines – only 41 per of eight-year-old children meet the recommendation of less than two hours of recreational screen time a day.
Why it matters: Inappropriate and excessive screen use displaces other activities, such as sleep, physical activity, interactions with friends and family, and is associated with increased obesity and poorer mental health and well-being.
Goal: Limit recreational screen use to less than two hours a day, if you are 7-12 years old.
4. Exercise Well
What’s happening: Only 52 per cent of eight-year-old children were involved in organised sports activity during the week. Since 2013, the proportion of school-going children under 18 who are overweight has risen from 11 per cent to 13 per cent.
Why it matters: Insufficient physical activity can lead to children becoming overweight or obese, and other health issues.
Goal: Be active and exercise for at least an hour every day.
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