Start Date: November 2009

ID #: 66957

Principal Investigator: Marlene Schwartz, PhD

Co-Principal Investigator: Kathryn Henderson, PhD

Organization: Yale University

Funding Round: Round 4

See more related research

Share


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 be evaluated among preschoolers in CACFP participating centers, including: (a) serving vegetables/fruits to children before the rest of the meal, (b) keeping low-energy dense foods on the table during the meal so children can serve themselves, while high-energy dense foods remain nearby but not visible, and (c) simultaneously applying strategies (a) and (b). This work also seeks to develop and disseminate a conceptual paper examining feeding strategies from both childhood obesity and food insecurity perspectives to facilitate communication and understanding between stakeholder groups; assess caregiver concerns about eating to further effective communication with caregivers; analyze the costs of three tested intervention strategies compared to traditional family style service; and host a Webinar and conduct stakeholder interviews with food security advocates and child care experts.

Related Research

October 2015

Testing Variations on Family-Style Feeding To Increase Whole Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Preschoolers in Child Care

National data show that preschool-age children in the U.S. do not eat the recommended amount of whole fruit and vegetables (FV). Child-care settings are an important place to influence children’s diets, since over 80 percent of preschool-age children receive care outside the home, and many children eat most of their meals while in child care. More

September 2025

Food Insecurity-Related Stigma Among Adults in the United States: A Scoping Review

This review aimed to characterize individual- and structural-level stigma associated with government (ie, SNAP, WIC) and emergency food program (ie, food banks, pantries, cupboards, soup kitchens) utilization in the US. 5 databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts) were searched in June 2024. The review included peer-reviewed articles (January 2004 – June 2024), More

August 2025

Lived Experiences of Families Navigating Safety Net Expansions and Retractions During the Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

This study aimed to understand the experiences of families with low income in California with pandemic safety net support expansions and retractions, including barriers to program access. Using open-ended questions, we explored the self-reported experiences of pandemic-era safety net expansions and expirations between January and June 2023 among a group of caregivers of young children More