Health guidelines
Your guide to healthier and happier kids.
As kids grow and develop, their health needs change.
Creating healthy and happy kids is a result of different decisions being made every day on food and drink choices, physical activity, quantity of screen time, and quantity and quality of sleep – with an early bedtime (at around 7-7.30pm for kids under 8 years) linked to healthy weights in later years according to recently released UQ research.
Fruits and veggies, energetic play, less sedentary behaviour, and consistent bedtimes are all key to boosting their:
- Academic achievement and cognition
- Mental health
- Emotional regulation
- Heart health
- Metabolism
- Social skills or interactions
- Healthy bones and muscles
- Overall wellbeing
Check out the below age-specific guidelines* for recommendations on physical activity, screen time, sleep, fluid, and nutrition, so you can create happy, healthy kids. Just click their age to get started.
It is recommended that parents consult with a GP, Paediatrician, Accredited Practising Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist or other healthcare expert for further advice and support.* These guidelines do not apply if your child has medical conditions requiring specialised dietary, physical activity, sleep or lifestyle advice.
Resources
- Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (Birth to 5 years)
- Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People (5-17 years)
- Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Adults (18-64 years)
- Choose Health: Be Active – A physical activity guide for older Australians
- Make Your Move – Sit Less – Be active for life! – A resource for families
- Australian Dietary Guidelines
Guidelines for
Physical activity
30 minutes of tummy time and crawling in a 24-hour period
Physical activity particularly through supervised interactive floor-based play in safe environments should be encouraged from birth. For infants who are not yet mobile, 30 minutes of tummy time including reaching and grasping, pushing and pulling, and crawling spread throughout the day during awake periods is encouraged.
Infants should not be restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g. in a stroller, car seat or high chair).
Screen time
Infants should not spend any time watching television or other electronic media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games) and instead, when sedentary, the caregiver is encouraged to engage with them through activities such as reading, singing, puzzles and storytelling.
Sleep
Infants aged 0-3 months are recommended to have 14 to 17 hours (including naps) of good quality sleep in a 24-hour period.
Infants aged 4-11 months should have 12 to 16 hours (including naps) of good quality sleep in a 24-hour period.
Fluid
Exclusive breast feeding to around 6 months, or commercial infant formula. Any breastfeeding at all is beneficial.
No additional fluids are required by exclusively breastfed infants up to 6 months of age. For formula fed infants, cooled boiled tap water may be used if additional fluids are needed.
From 6 months of age, breastfeeding or use of infant formula should continue. Cooled boiled water can supplement breastmilk or infant formula, if needed.
Other drinks are not recommended.
Additional information
From around 6 months of age, first foods can be introduced, starting with iron rich foods and/or fortified infant cereal, followed by other foods from the Five Food Groups. Try to choose fruit and veggies of different colours, textures and tastes, both fresh and cooked.
Here is a sample daily food pattern for 7 to 12 months:
Food (daily serves) for 7 months - 1 year old
|
Boys | Girls | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Vegetables and legumes/beans Boys 1½ – 2 serves Girls 1½ – 2 serves |
1½ – 2 serves |
1½ – 2 serves |
|
|
Fruit Boys ½ serve Girls ½ serve |
½ serve |
½ serve |
|
|
Grain (cereal) foods Boys 1½ serves Girls 1½ serves |
1½ serves |
1½ serves |
|
|
Infant cereal (dried) Boys 1 serve Girls 1 serve |
1 serve |
1 serve |
|
|
Lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu, eggs Boys 1 serve Girls 1 serve |
1 serve |
1 serve |
|
|
Breast milk or infant formula Boys 1 serve Girls 1 serve |
1 serve |
1 serve |
|
|
Yoghurt/cheese or alternatives Boys ½ serve Girls ½ serve |
½ serve |
½ serve |
|
|
Food (weekly serves) for Birth – 1 year old
|
Boys | Girls | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables and legumes/beans Serve size = 20g Boys 10 – 14 serves Girls 10 – 14 serves |
10 – 14 serves | 10 – 14 serves | |
| Fruit Serve size = 20g Boys 3 – 4 serves Girls 3 – 4 serves |
3 – 4 serves | 3 – 4 serves | |
| Grain (cereal) foods Serve size = 40g bread equivalent Boys 10 serves Girls 10 serves |
10 serves | 10 serves | |
| Infant cereal (dried) Serve size = 20g Boys 7 serves Girls 7 serves |
7 serves | 7 serves | |
| Lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu, eggs Serve size = 30g Boys 7 serves Girls 7 serves |
7 serves | 7 serves | |
| Breast milk or formula Serve size = 600mL Boys 7 serves Girls 7 serves |
7 serves | 7 serves | |
| Yoghurt/cheese or alternatives Serve size = 20mL yoghurt or 10g cheese Boys 3 – 4 serves Girls 3 – 4 serves |
3 – 4 serves | 3 – 4 serves | |
An allowance for unsaturated spreads or oils or nut/seed paste of ½ serve (4–15g) per day is included, however whole nuts and seeds are not recommended at this age because they may cause choking.