Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Childcare Settings

Dennison, Barbara A.; Faith, Myles S.

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-76924-0_19

Cited by 4 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Two large reviews of the research on physical activity among preschoolers found low levels of objectively measured physical activity among children while in ECE, consistent across several different countries, with no ECE environments providing 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day for 3–4‐year‐old children, 3,4 which is the minimum daily recommendation in Britain, 5 the US 6 and Australia 7 . These findings are contrary to the perceptions of most educators and parents who often characterise young children as naturally active and energetic 8–10 . Additionally, research has found high levels of objectively measured sedentary behaviours including ‘screen‐time’ at ECE centres.…”

mentioning

confidence: 60%

Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand

Gerritsen

Morton

Wall

2016

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

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Objective: To investigate written policies, equipment, strategies and barriers to children's activity in early childhood education settings, including participation in health promotion programs and reported time children spend in active play and using screens while in care. Methods:Cross-sectional online survey of licensed childcare services in Auckland and Waikato. Policies were scored using a validated tool (WellCCAT-NZ). Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression.Results: Managers, head teachers or similar from 237 services completed the survey (28% of invited services). Of these, 35% had a written activity policy; most policies scored low on the WellCCAT-NZ. Comprehensive and strongly worded policies were associated with a lower adult-to-child ratio (p=0.03, adjusted for ECE characteristics). No policies addressed screen use. Children were reported to have teacher-led activity 80 minutes/day, and child-led activity five hours/day (indoor and outdoor). Children watched television daily in 2% and weekly in 11% the services; and used computers daily in 11% and weekly in 22% of services. Fewer than half of services participated in health promotion programs with a physical activity component. Conclusions:Childcare services reported having adequate equipment, space and time for physical activity of children; however, there are low participation rates in activity programs and a notable absence of written policy.

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confidence: 60%

Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand

Gerritsen

Morton

Wall

2016

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

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“…The psychological and behavioural impacts are also well documented, and include bullying, social isolation, poor self-esteem, and disordered eating [2,3]. Given the likelihood of excessive weight persisting from childhood into adulthood [4], interventions targeting the prevention of excessive weight gain in childhood have been recommended to avert the future health burden of obesity [5]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Early childhood represents an ideal opportunity for dietary intervention as preschool-age children are imitative of the dietary behaviours and eating patterns of their parents and authority figures, and as dietary attitudes and behaviours established during this period often persist into adulthood [4]. Furthermore, there appears to be capacity to influence young children’s food preferences through the social-affective context in which foods are offered [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the relationships between parent and home environment characteristics, interventions targeting such characteristics have been recommended to improve child diet and reduce the risk of excessive weight gain [4,19]. Currently, however, few trials have been conducted examining the effectiveness of interventions incorporating parent and home environment strategies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A randomised controlled trial and mediation analysis of the ‘Healthy Habits’, telephone-based dietary intervention for preschool children

Fletcher

Wolfenden

Wyse

et al. 2013

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

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BackgroundConsumption of non-core foods in childhood is associated with excessive weight gain in childhood. Parents play a vital role in establishing healthy diet behaviours in young children. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a telephone-based intervention in reducing child consumption of non-core foods, and to examine parent and home food environment mediators of change in child consumption.MethodsThe ‘Healthy Habits’ trial utilised a clustered randomised controlled design.Setting/participantsParents were recruited from 30 preschools (N = 394 participants, mean age 35.2±5.6 years). Parents randomized to the intervention group received four telephone contacts and print materials. Parents allocated to the control condition receive generic print materials only. Non-core food consumption was assessed using a validated child dietary questionnaire at baseline, 2 and 6 months post recruitment in 2010.ResultsThe intervention was effective in reducing child consumption of non-core foods at 2 months (intention to treat analysis: z=-2.83, p<.01), however this effect was not maintained at 6 months. Structural equation modelling using 2 month data indicated that child access to non-core foods in the home and child feeding strategies mediated the effect of the intervention.ConclusionThe telephone-based intervention shows promise in improving short term dietary behaviour in preschool age children, however further development is needed to sustain the effect in the long-term.Trial registrationAustralian Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12609000820202

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“…This elucidates the importance of creating healthy environments for young children who are still forming food preferences, eating behaviours and physical activity patterns, in order to break the 'vicious cycle' of demand for nutrient-poor and energy-dense foods and a sedentary lifestyle. Indeed, many commentators have concluded that a focus on the early years is the most cost-effective and efficacious strategy against obesity (5)(6)(7)(8) and that in order to see any progress on obesity prevention, healthy environments in the early years must be assured (9) . Early childhood education (ECE), although not compulsory, has become a ubiquitous experience for young New Zealanders and a key environment in their lives.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Child-care nutrition environments: results from a survey of policy and practice in New Zealand early childhood education services

Gerritsen

Wall

Morton

2015

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To describe nutrition environments in formal child care for 3-and 4-year-olds. Design: Cross-sectional online survey of nutrition-related child-care policy and practice. Written nutrition policies were analysed using the Wellness Child Care Assessment Tool. Setting: Licensed child-care services in the Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waikato regions of New Zealand. Subjects: Eight hundred and forty-seven services (private and community day care, kindergartens and playcentres). Results: Managers/head teachers of 257 child-care services completed the survey. Of services, 82·4 % had a written food, nutrition or wellness policy. Most policies did not refer to the national Food and Nutrition Guidelines and lacked directives for staff regarding recommended behaviours to promote healthy eating. Food was provided daily to children in 56·4 % of child-care services, including 33·5 % that provided lunch and at least two other meals/snacks every day. Teachers talked to children about food, and cooked with children, at least weekly in 60 % of childcare services. Nearly all services had an edible garden (89·5 %). Foods/beverages were sold for fundraising in the past 12 months by 37·2 % of services. The most commonly reported barrier to promoting nutrition was a lack of support from families (20·6 %). Conclusions: Although the majority of child-care services had a written nutrition policy, these were not comprehensive and contained weak statements that could be difficult to action. Foods served at celebrations and for fundraising were largely high in sugar, salt and/or saturated fat. Most services promoted some healthy eating behaviours but other widespread practices encouraged children to overeat or form unhealthy food preferences. KeywordsChild care Pre-school Kindergarten Day care Nutrition environment Nutrition behaviours Obesity preventionAs in many developed countries in the world, New Zealand has experienced a rapid rise in the prevalence of children who are overweight or obese (1) and now has one of the highest childhood obesity rates in the world (2) . Even pre-schoolers are affected by this public health crisis; weight and height measurements taken from 4-year-olds every year from 2009 to 2012 have revealed that one in three are overweight or obese, with no improvements seen over time. Māori and Pasifika children and those living in deprived neighbourhoods had an even greater prevalence of excess weight (3) . A recent Lancet series on obesity emphasised that there is a 'reciprocal … interaction between the environment and the individual' whereby 'environmental factors affect personal preferences and demands for unhealthy foods, which, as part of a vicious cycle, encourage environments to continue promoting unhealthy foods' (4) . This elucidates the importance of creating healthy environments for young children who are still forming food preferences, eating behaviours and physical activity patterns, in order to break the 'vicious cycle' of demand for nutrient-poor and energy-dense foods and a sedentar...

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Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Childcare Settings

Cited by 4 publications

References 80 publications

Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand

Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand

A randomised controlled trial and mediation analysis of the ‘Healthy Habits’, telephone-based dietary intervention for preschool children

Child-care nutrition environments: results from a survey of policy and practice in New Zealand early childhood education services

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