Oral Presentation Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society Annual Scientific Conference 2026

Children’s and young people’s drawings from a Healthy Lifestyle Check (143866)

Stephanie Smith 1 2 3 , Stevie Raymond 2 , Chelsea Sharp 2 , Stephen Paull 1 2 3 , Katie Iwanowski 1 2 3 , Yvonne Anderson 1 2 3
  1. Curtin Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
  2. Child and Adolescent Community Health, Child and Adolescent Health Service, Perth, WA, Australia
  3. The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia

Background

Children’s and young people’s artwork offers an underutilised way of understanding their experiences of healthcare.1 This study was conducted within the Healthy Lifestyle Program for children and young people above a healthy weight and their families in Boorloo/Perth, Western Australia.2 During the child's/young person’s Healthy Lifestyle Check, they were invited to draw what being healthy meant to them, or another topic of their choice. This study explored children's and young people’s drawings.

Methods

Participation in the artwork activity varied across timepoints; some completed drawings at baseline, others at follow-up, and some at both timepoints. All available consented drawings were included in the analysis. Some drawings included text from the children/young people. Drawings and text were analysed using qualitative content analysis.3

Findings

Across drawings, health was represented as multi-dimensional, categorised by physical activity, food, family relationships, and everyday environments. Many images emphasised movement (e.g., sport, play) and depicted outdoor spaces, suggesting that health is situated within their daily lives rather than as an isolated clinical concept. However, not all drawings were explicitly health-related, with some reflecting personal interests, imaginative content, highlighting the child-led nature of the activity.

Conclusion

Children’s and young people’s drawings generated during the Healthy Lifestyle Check offers a child- young person-centred lens for understanding how health and wellbeing are experienced and expressed. Variation in participation across timepoints reflects the flexible, voluntary nature of the activity. Incorporating creative methods enriches the understanding of children’s and young people’s perspectives and supports more inclusive approaches to health programs and research.

  1. Bryan G, Bluebond-Langner M, Kelly D, Kumpunen S, Oulton K, Gibson F. Studying Children’s Experiences in Interactions With Clinicians: Identifying Methods Fit for Purpose. Qualitative Health Research. 2019;29(3):393-403. doi:10.1177/1049732318801358
  2. Smith S, Paull S, Iwanowski KM, et al. Acceptability, feasibility, and program outcomes of an equity-focused, adapted community-based healthy lifestyle program for children, young people, and their families in Perth, Western Australia: an implementation hybrid research protocol. Study Protocol. Frontiers in Health Services. 2025;5:1604809. doi:10.3389/frhs.2025.1604809
  3. Hsieh H-F, Shannon SE. Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis. Qualitative Health Research. 2005/11/01 2005;15(9):1277-1288. doi:10.1177/1049732305276687