Many studies have shown that eating habits are established early in the life cycle and tend to carry through to adulthood. As a result, the food that children eat now will undoubtedly influence their state of health in later life. Making informed food choices is an integral part of a child’s normal growth and development. Many studies have shown that healthy eating habits developed early in life will encourage healthy eating as an adult.

The link between diet and chronic disease has long been recognised and, as a result, nutrition education has become a necessary and important part of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education.

Although most Australian children have access to an adequate food supply there are concerns about the balance and adequacy of their overall food intake (this may be applied to issues of both over and under nutrition). In addition, the huge range of foods that we have available here in Australia makes it very difficult for people to make informed food choices. Diseases related to inactivity and over consumption of food are estimated to cost the health care system approximately $830 million a year. They include some Cancers, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus. In addition to these, obesity has reached epidemic proportions throughout the western world. In Australian adults, the prevalence of obesity and overweight is rapidly increasing. It has been estimated that 20% - 25% of Australian children are either overweight or obese and that between 1985 and 1997, the number of school children