Why Food?

Enhancing Children’s Health:  Why Food  is Essential

Food is unique because it nurtures us physically and emotionally and enables children to grow and learn. It also expresses culture and identity and can be foundational to forming social bonds essential for creating harmony, inclusion and a sense of belonging. The Centre for Childhood Nutrition Research focuses on the role of food across all domains of children’s physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing. The figure below illustrates the centrality of food in the context of children’s health using the ARACY “Nest” Framework (aracy.org.au) as a guide.

Diagram illustrating why food is essential to children's health

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can learn more about our research and how it relates to each domain of children’s health and wellbeing via the link below.