Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment
Published on: December 29, 2014
Opening up Australian preschoolers' lunchboxes
Bridget Kelly1, Louise L Hardy, Sarah Howlett
1Physical Activity Nutrition and Obesity Research Group, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales. bridgetk@health.usyd.edu.au
Insights
Preschool lunchboxes often contain more than one serving of energy-dense
Area of Science:
- Public Health Nutrition
- Childhood Obesity Prevention
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Early childhood services are critical settings for promoting healthy eating and preventing obesity.
- Limited understanding exists regarding children's obesity-related behaviors and food policies in preschools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the contents of preschoolers' lunchboxes.
- To provide data for developing effective obesity prevention interventions in early childhood settings.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey involving 259 preschool children in New South Wales.
- Lunchbox contents were audited using a purpose-designed tool.
- Foods and beverages were categorized into fruit, vegetables, dairy, grains, 'extra' foods, 'extra' drinks, and water.
Main Results:
- Sandwiches and home-cooked meals were present in 92% of lunchboxes, followed by fresh fruit.
- A significant finding was that 60% of lunchboxes included more than one serving of 'extra' (energy-dense) foods or drinks.
- This suggests a high intake of discretionary foods during the preschool day.
Conclusions:
- The majority of preschool children exceed recommended daily limits for 'extra' foods during school hours.
- This overconsumption may contribute to excess kilojoule intake and childhood obesity.
- Enhanced preschool food policies, communication, enforcement, and public policy changes are needed.
Objective:
Early childhood services have been identified as key settings for promoting healthy eating and obesity prevention. However, little is known about the obesity-related behaviours of preschool-aged children or food-related policies in these settings. The purpose of this study was to describe the contents of preschoolers' lunchboxes to inform future interventions.
Methods:
Cross-sectional survey of 259 children attending preschools in the Sydney West and Sydney South West regions of New South Wales in 2008. Lunchbox data were collected using a purpose-designed audit tool. Food and beverages were classified as fruit, vegetables, dairy, breads and cereals, 'extra' (energy-dense) foods, 'extra' drinks or water.
Results:
Sandwiches and home-cooked meals were the most frequently identified food item, found in 92% of children's lunchboxes, followed by fresh fruit. However, 60% of lunchboxes contained more than one serve of extra food or drink.
Conclusion:
While nutrition guidelines allow one to two serves of extra foods per day for preschool-aged children, the majority of children appear to consume most of this allocation during their school day, potentially contributing to over-consumption of extra foods and excess kilojoule intake.
Implications:
Preschool food policies may help to guide the content of children's lunchboxes, however this study emphasises the need for better communication and enforcement of these policies, as well as broader public policy changes.
