Published: October 2015

ID #: 69296

Journal: Child Obes

Authors: Schwartz MB, Henderson KE, Grode G et al.

See more related research

Share


The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) supports food service in child-care centers that serve lower-income families and regulated the quality and quantity of food served in participating centers. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional quality of lunches served in 38 CACFP-participating preschools in Connecticut and examine how current practices compare to the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) recommendations to improve CACFP and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2015 proposed rule. Researchers assessed preschoolers’ food intake through visual estimates of amount of food served and amount left after the meal, and nutrition of meals through visits with food preparation staff and analysis of serving sizes. Results indicate that centers generally comply with CACFP regulations, but do not meet the standards proposed by the IOM for produce consumption, saturated fat, protein, fiber, and sodium. The investigators found that compared with CACFP-recommended portion sizes, servings of meat and grain were high while milk was low. Compared with IOM recommendations, saturated fat, protein, and sodium intake were high and dietary fiber was low. While all centers offered all required lunch components, not every component was always served to each child.

Related Research

September 2011

Informing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forthcoming Regulations on Dietary Guidelines for Preschoolers

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in the process of writing new regulations for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in response to the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Regulations are expected to draw heavily upon recommendations made in the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2010 report on More

April 2024

Height and Weight Measurement and Communication With Families in Head Start: Developing a Toolkit and Establishing Best Practices

Head start (HS) programs are required to collect children’s height and weight data. Programs also communicate these results to families. However, no standardized protocol exists to guide measurements or communicate results. The purpose of this article was to describe the development of a measurement toolkit and best practices for communication. HS programs contributed to the More

March 2024

Associations of Increased WIC Benefits for Fruits and Vegetables With Food Security and Satisfaction by Race and Ethnicity

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides nutrition support for racially and ethnically diverse populations. In 2021, the monthly cash value benefit (CVB) for the purchase of fruits and vegetables increased from $9 to $35 and was later adjusted to $24. This study investigated, by racial and ethnic groups, whether More