Assessing Nutrition and Physical Activity Practices and Policies of Child-Care Centers in States with the Highest Obesity Rates
This study will evaluate nutrition and physical activity practices and policies of licensed child-care centers that enroll 3- to 5-year-old children in the three Southern states with the highest childhood obesity rates—Mississippi, Georgia, and Kentucky—and assess differences in practices and policies by geographic region (e.g., rural/urban), center characteristics (e.g., Child and Adult Care Food Program/non-Child More
Expert and Stakeholder Consensus on Priorities for Obesity Prevention Research in Early Care and Education Settings
Early care and education (ECE) programs are important settings for obesity prevention, but limited research provides insufficient evidence upon which to base policy decisions, practice guidelines, or mobilized efforts to improve healthy eating and physical activity in these settings. In September 2011, a multidisciplinary group of experts met to identify and prioritize research directions for More
From Policy to Practice: Implementation of Water Policies in Child Care Centers in Connecticut
This paper examined the availability and accessibility of water in child-care centers and evaluated whether the centers were in compliance with current federal, state, and accreditation rules regarding water availability and promotion. Researchers found that while water was available in most classrooms (84%), it was only accessible by an adult in over half of those More
Obesity and Food Insecurity at the Same Table: How Head Start Programs Respond
This paper describes the results of the first national study to describe Head Start program practices in three areas: assessing body mass index (BMI), addressing food insecurity, and determining children’s portion sizes. Researchers found that nearly all programs (99.5%) reported obtaining height and weight data, but not all calculated BMI or discussed height and weight More
Participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program is Associated with More Nutritious Foods and Beverages in Child Care
This article discusses the results of a study that compared foods and beverages served to 2- to 5-year-olds by type of child-care site and participation in the federally-funded Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Results from a statewide survey of California child-care providers suggest that CACFP child-care sites in general, and Head Start centers More
Providing Water With Meals is Not a Concern for Young Children: Summary of the Literature & Best Practice Recommendations
Promoting water intake has been proposed in order to displace the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, and new federal and California laws now require water availability in child-care settings. However, some child-care staff have voiced concerns that if young children are provided water with meals, they will fill up on the water and not consume enough More
Results from an Experimental Trial at a Head Start Center to Evaluate Two Meal Service Approaches to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake of Preschool Aged Children
This study evaluated the effects of two meal service strategies on intake of fruits and vegetables of preschool children: 1) serving fruits and vegetables in advance of other menu items as part of traditional family style meal service; and 2) serving meals portioned and plated by providers. Researchers found that fruit consumption and intake of More
Government and School Progress to Promote a Healthful Diet to American Children and Adolescents: A Comprehensive Review of the Available Evidence
In a 2005 report, “Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?”, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) expert committee concluded that prevailing food and beverage marketing practices did not support a healthful diet and provided recommendations for diverse stakeholders to promote a healthful diet to children and adolescents. This paper reviews the available evidence More
Improving Nutrition in Home Child Care: Are Food Costs a Barrier?
Improving the nutritional quality of foods served in child care may come at a higher cost according to a study of foods served in child-care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Researchers found that higher daily food expenditures were associated with higher total food energy and higher nutritional quality of More