The overarching goal of this project is to conduct a mixed-methods formative evaluation to explore food insecurity in low-income center-based ECE settings at both the macro-and micro-levels in order to accomplish the following objectives: 1) Determine the relevance of food insecurity as a priority area within the context of ECE settings and among ECE professionals (i.e., national stakeholders, owners, directors, teachers) and the current policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) practices (if any) that are being recommended and utilized to address food insecurity among low-income families and children; 2) Extrapolate experiences of ECE providers (e.g., directors, teachers) serving children and families experiencing food insecurity/hunger and the perceived effects of food insecurity on promoting nutrition/feeding policies and practices in the ECE setting; and 3) Identify potential new PSE practices that can be utilized in ECE centers across the US to address food insecurity and support children and families that are experiencing food insecurity.
Start Date: November 2019
ID #: CAS056
Organization: Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition
Project Lead: Amy Yaroch, PhD
Keywords: Child Care/Preschool, Food insecurity
Resource Type: Commissioned Research Project Summary
Focus Area: Early Childhood
Age Groups: Pregnant women, infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 2), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5)
Related Research
January 2023
Policy, system, and environmental interventions addressing obesity and diet-related outcomes in early childhood education settings: A systematic review
Early childhood education (ECE) settings play an important role in child dietary intake and excess weight gain. Policy, systems, and environment (PSE) approaches have potential to reduce disparities in children at higher risk for obesity. The purpose of this review was to (1) characterize the inclusion of populations at higher risk for obesity in ECE MoreDecember 2022
Water is K’é: A Community-Based Intervention to Increase Healthy Beverage Consumption by Navajo Preschool Children
This research brief gives an overview of the Water is K’é intervention, conducted among Navajo Nation families. The intervention was delivered by early care and education teachers to households with children ages 2-5, and covered the cultural importance of water, health benefits of water, and alternatives to sugary drinks. At baseline, more than 70% of children already MoreDecember 2022