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.
Start Date: November 2009
ID #: 66957
Principal Investigator: Marlene Schwartz, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator: Kathryn Henderson, PhD
Organization: Yale University
Funding Round: Round 4
Age Groups: Adults and Families, Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5)
Keywords: Body mass index (BMI), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Child Care/Preschool, Food insecurity, Food service, Fruits and vegetables, Head Start, Snacks
State: Connecticut
Focus Areas: Early Childhood, Nutrition Policy & Programs, Pricing & Economics
Resource Type: Grant Summary
Race/Ethnicity: Latino(a) or Hispanic, Multi-racial/ethnic
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. MoreJuly 2024
Shared Perceptions on Upstream Factors that Influence Water and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Hispanic Families in the Greater Washington, DC, Metro Area: Qualitative Results From Focus Group Discussions
The study aimed to describe how Hispanic parents currently living in the greater Washington, DC, metro area and born outside of the United States, perceived upstream factors that influenced their current beverage choice. Six qualitative focus groups were conducted in Spanish in 2021. The five key findings were: Growing up (in their countries of origin MoreJune 2024