Childcare as a protective factor for childhood obesity

Abstract

Childhood obesity is a major public health crisis. Obese children are at risk for developing chronic diseases and are more likely to become obese adults. Despite efforts to decrease the number of obese children, the rate has more than tripled since the 1980s. Since childhood obesity is multifactorial, any person involved in caring for a child outside of the home can have an impact on the child's life helping to minimize risk factors, such as poor nutrition, which is known to contribute to obesity. Purpose: The purpose of the project was to 1) assess ECE providers' understanding of national childhood nutrition guidelines in relation to whether or not they participate in the STARS to Quality program or the CACFP; 2) create and provide childhood nutrition education to ECE providers with the objective to reinforce or increase knowledge on childhood nutrition and the important role of the ECE provider to deliver sound nutrition; and 3) to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of the education tool in increasing ECE provider knowledge of national childhood nutrition guidelines. Methods: Licensed ECE programs in the State of Montana completed a demographic survey, pre-test, educational video viewing, and posttest regarding childhood nutrition recommendation guidelines. The project was developed using the National Dietary Guidelines for all Americans and the Child and Adult Care Food Program recommendations for reimbursable meals. Pre and posttest scores were compared and analyzed. Evaluation: Overall, there was an 11.5% improvement in correct answers from the pretest to the posttest indicating that viewing of the educational tool was successful in increasing knowledge. Discussion: The use of a guideline based educational tool for ECE programs has the potential to increase caregiver knowledge regarding childhood nutrition recommendations and contribute to prevention efforts concerning childhood obesity.