Testing Modifications in Child-Care Settings to Promote Nutritional Quality in the Context of Food Insecurity

The combination of obesity amidst food insecurity presents unique challenges to improving nutrition and feeding policies in institutions serving children. The aim of this study is to evaluate child care nutrition and feeding policies designed to decrease excess caloric consumption in the context of food insecurity and obesity. In this project, three intervention strategies will More

Assessing Recommendations From a Study on Improving Nutrition in Licensed Child-Care Centers in California

Approximately 50% of preschool-aged children in California are enrolled in licensed child-care settings, primarily in day care centers. These children consume a significant portion of their daily nutrition in child-care centers. Previous research has indicated that centers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) served healthier foods than those not participating in More

Local School Wellness Policies: How Are Schools Implementing the Congressional Mandate? A Research Brief

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 mandated that school districts participating in any federally reimbursed school meal programs develop a local school wellness policy by the beginning of the 2006-07 school year. This brief, published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, summarizes key results from early research on the implementation of these More

Schools and Obesity Prevention: Creating School Environments and Policies to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Schools have an unparalleled opportunity to promote children’s health by creating an environment in which children eat healthy foods, engage in regular physical activity, and learn life-long skills for healthy eating and active living. In this article, authors discuss the role of schools in obesity prevention efforts, current issues in schools’ food and physical activity More

Nutrition and Physical Activity Environments in Licensed Child Care: A Statewide Assessment of California

This report summarizes the results of a survey assessing the nutrition and physical activity environments for 2- to 5-year old children in licensed child-care facilities in California, including child-care centers and homes, and state preschool and Head Start program sites. Researchers found that child-care sites that participated in the Child and Adult Care Food Program More

Determining the Efficacy and Effectiveness of a State-Sponsored Intervention Promoting Physical Activity and Nutrition in the Early Child Care Setting

This project seeks to determine the extent to which a successful state-sponsored program to improve the activity and nutrition environments of schools can be adapted successfully for child care centers. Investigators will evaluate the state-sponsored policy intervention that will begin in Montgomery County (Ohio) child care centers in April 2009. This natural experiment is timed More

School Food Environments and Practices Affect Dietary Behaviors of U.S. Public School Children

Using data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, this study estimates the effects of school food environments on children’s consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, low-nutrient energy-dense foods and fruits and vegetables in school. The national study involved more than 2,300 children in 287 schools. Results demonstrated that sugar-sweetened beverages consumed at school contributed an More

Association Between School Food Environment and Practices and Body Mass Index of U.S. Public School Children

Using data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, this study estimates the association between school food environments and practices and children’s likelihood for obesity. (Obesity was defined as having a body mass index greater than the 95th percentile for their age.) The national study involved more than 2,200 children in 287 schools. The More