One‐third of low‐income preschool‐age children, like those in Head Start (HS), are overweight or obese. National HS requirements state that funded programs must provide nutritious meals, snacks, and nutrition education (NE) to enrolled children. Studies investigating administrator barriers, motivators, and facilitators (BMF) related to NE in the preschool classroom are limited. However in K‐12 settings, teachers describe a lack of available classroom time as a barrier and a personal commitment to the content as a motivator, and access to nutrition professionals, who could aid in the development of lesson plans, as a facilitator to NE in the classroom. In the current study, in‐depth individual telephone interviews were conducted with HS administrators to determine perceived BMF related to implementing of NE in the preschool classroom. Administrators were interviewed based on their familiarity with HS NE requirements. While HS administrators were motivated by a desire to prevent childhood obesity and found that policies that regulated NE facilitated implementation, they still faced barriers, including a lack of NE knowledge and higher ranking priorities for the classrooms. NE researchers can use this information to design materials and training for HS staff that target the challenges faced in the HS facilities while emphasizing motivating and facilitating factors.
Young children are capable of learning and understanding basic information about health and nutrition. The earlier a child is exposed to nutrition education (NE), the greater the opportunity for establishing healthy habits early in life. Uniquely, federal policy requires the provision of nutritious meals, snacks and NE to all children enrolled in Head Start (HS) programs. Teachers play a vital role in the provision of NE in the preschool classroom. Research investigating teacher barriers, motivators, and facilitators (BMF) to implementing NE in the preschool classroom are limited. However, K‐12 teachers have reported time, training, available curricular materials and administrative support as common issues. In‐depth individual telephone interviews were conducted with HS teachers to determine perceived BMF to NE in the preschool classroom. Teachers discussed a personal interest in the topic as it relates to children's long‐term health as a motivator; policy, training, and support from parents and administratiors as facilitators; and lack of time, resources (materials and lessons), and personal knowledge as major barriers to implementing NE in their classrooms. Results will be used to inform future NE interventions in the preschool classroom. Understanding teacher BMF can improve young children's long‐term health‐related behaviors through increased access to quality NE.
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