In 2019, Healthy Eating Research (HER) developed recommendations on what children ages 0 to 5 should drink as part of a healthy diet, in partnership with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the American Heart Association. Having one set of uniform recommendations provided by health professionals is a key step towards getting U.S. children on a path to drinking healthier beverages. In addition to the HER consensus beverage recommendations, there are a number of guidelines and recommendations set forth by the Federal government on beverage consumption for young children including the 1) Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) 2020-2025, 2) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and 3) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This brief identifies the areas of misalignment (between the consensus beverage recommendations and DGA, WIC, CACFP) and key opportunities for better alignment in U.S. policy guidance. To improve young children’s beverage consumption habits, guidance at the Federal level needs to be consistent and based on the most recent evidence available. Further, nutrition education efforts also need to be aligned to ensure parents and caregivers don’t receive conflicting information from the various providers who care for their children (pediatricians, pediatrics dentists, child care providers, registered dietitians, etc.).
Published: May 2023
Publisher: Healthy Eating Research
Authors: Kirsten Deuman
Focus Areas: Beverages, Early Childhood, Nutrition Policy & Programs
Keywords: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Sugar-sweetened beverages, Water, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Age Groups: Pregnant women, infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 2), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5)
Resource Type: Research Brief
Related Research
December 2024
Evidence to Support an Additional CACFP Meal Reimbursement for Family Childcare Home Providers
This policy brief provides evidence supporting the need for an increase in the number of reimbursable meals and snacks under the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, also known as CACFP, from three to four per child daily. CACFP provides nutritious meals to nearly 625,000 children attending family childcare homes nationwide, primarily from lower-income MoreNovember 2024
Experiences with COVID-19 economic relief measures among low-wage worker families: a qualitative study
This study aimed to understand experiences with COVID-19 economic relief measures among low-wage worker households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews from low-wage workers in households with children in two U.S. cities in 2022 (n = 40). The sample was recruited from a larger study which included survey measures MoreSeptember 2024