How can parents better take care of their child in terms of what eating habits they should have, how much sleep they should be getting, or the amount of exercise they need each day? These are among the parenting concerns addressed in the new Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood.
On 21 January 2022, Singapore’s first set of activity guidelines for early childhood was launched by Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Manpower. It was developed by the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH)-led Integrated Platform for Research in Advancing Metabolic Health Outcomes of Women and Children (IPRAMHO).
How Parents Can Take Care of the Health and Wellbeing of Their Child Early On
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This set of integrated activity guidelines for early childhood aims to set a strong foundation for healthy lifestyle behaviours in young kids aged under seven years old. It also homes to improve national health in general.
The new Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood focuses on four main areas which are the following:
- Physical activity
- Sedentary behaviour
- Sleep
- Diet and eating habits
Professor Tan Kok Hian—Head and Senior Consultant, Perinatal Audit and Epidemiology Unit, KKH, and Lead Principal Investigator of IPRAMHO—also stated, “Over the past five years, there has been emerging evidence that shows that physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for young children are closely related. Linked to this are eating behaviours and calorie intake. Together, these have a significant impact on a child’s health outcome.”
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Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood
| Age | New guidelines |
| Infants (under one year) |
|
| Toddlers (1 to under 3 years old) |
|
| Preschoolers (3 to under 7 years old) |
|
You can also view the full guidelines here.
Source: KKH website
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