A majority of American children participate in non-parental child-care arrangements in child-care centers and homes. The child-care setting can play a major role in shaping children’s dietary intake, physical activity, and energy balance. In this article, the authors discuss trends in child-care use, child-care food and physical activity policies and environments, and obesity prevention interventions in preschool settings. The authors also discuss their original research which examined state child-care licensing regulations related to food, physical activity, and media use in home- and center-based child-care settings. Recommendations for strengthening regulations and strategies for achieving more healthful food and physical activity environments are also discussed.
Age Groups: Adults and Families, Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Race/Ethnicity: African American or Black, Latino(a) or Hispanic, Multi-racial/ethnic, White
Keywords: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Child Care/Preschool, Food service, Fruits and vegetables, Head Start, Home, Media, Nutrition standards, Physical activity, Snacks, Sugar-sweetened beverages
Focus Areas: Early Childhood, Nutrition Policy & Programs
Resource Type: Journal Article
State: National
Related Research
November 2025
Informing equitable implementation of SNAP food restriction waivers
SNAP is the largest federally funded nutrition assistance program in the U.S., providing support to more than 40 million Americans. This study aims to provide tangible information, insights, and resources grounded in SNAP participants’ preferences and feedback to support the implementation and communication of SNAP Food Restriction waivers, minimizing barriers to SNAP participation and benefit MoreNovember 2025
Forecasting WIC funding needs: Supporting families, strengthening access
WIC serves more than 50% of all infants born in the U.S. The goal of this study is to build a forecasting model to estimate national WIC funding needs under various policy and economic conditions through fiscal year 2027. The model will also be designed to allow for updates to forecast funding needs for future MoreSeptember 2025