Reviewing Current State Child Care Regulations Related to Healthy Eating and Developing Model Healthy Eating Regulations

Start Date: September 2008

ID #: 65067

Principal Investigator: Jonathan Finkelstein, MD, MPH

Co-Principal Investigator: Sara Benjamin Neelon, PhD, MPH, RD

Organization: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

Funding Round: Round 3

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The overall goal of this project is to develop relevant, evidence-based resources to guide the creation or revision of state-level child care regulations aimed at promoting healthy eating. Investigators will systematically review and categorize data on state regulations for child-care centers and family child-care homes, and states will receive a ‘report card’ outlining their grade within the following categories: nutrients, overweight prevention, healthy eating environment, and adult role modeling. A model framework for state nutrition regulations will be developed and reviewed based on feedback from three expert panels. Investigators will examine the prevalence of healthy eating regulations for child-care centers and family child-care homes across states, in addition to examining patterns in state regulations by U.S. census track regions and date of most recent update.

Keywords: Child Care/Preschool, Home, Nutrition standards, Physical activity

Focus Area: Early Childhood

Resource Type: Grant Summary

State: National

Age Group: Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5)

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