Daycare Is the New Frontier for Obesity Prevention
Early childhood is a critical time for obesity prevention. Children are developing taste preferences, learning to walk and play, and eagerly mimicking both healthy and unhealthy behaviors of their caregivers. Yet for many children, those caregivers may be someone other than their parents: In the U.S., for example, it’s estimated that 75 percent of children spend time in child care, for an average of 35 hours per week. (1)
Child care providers are in a unique position to educate parents about healthy eating and activity habits, and also to provide a healthy environment for children to eat, play, and grow. They can serve children age-appropriate healthy foods, and limit junk food, sugary drinks, and juice. They can offer children lots of opportunities for active play, in fun, short bursts throughout the day. And they can keep televisions turned off and away from areas where children sleep. When parents also adopt these practices at home, children are assured the best chance of growing into a healthy weight.
This section of The Obesity Prevention Source summarizes obesity prevention recommendations for early child care providers, based on a review of expert guidance from the Institute of Medicine, the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and others. These nutrition, feeding-style, activity, screen time, and sleep recommendations are appropriate guidelines for parents to follow, as well. For more detailed guidance on these recommendations and ideas for putting them into practice, explore the source list on each page, as well as the links to useful tool-kits and other resources.Child care providers are in a unique position to educate parents about healthy eating and activity habits, and also to provide a healthy environment for children to eat, play, and grow. They can serve children age-appropriate healthy foods, and limit junk food, sugary drinks, and juice. They can offer children lots of opportunities for active play, in fun, short bursts throughout the day. And they can keep televisions turned off and away from areas where children sleep. When parents also adopt these practices at home, children are assured the best chance of growing into a healthy weight.Sadly, child obesity rates are rising worldwide, even among the youngest of children: Globally, an estimated 43 million preschool children were overweight or obese in 2010, a 60 percent increase since 1990. (2) And children’s early-life experiences, such as lack of breast feeding, too-little sleep, and too-much television can increase the risk of obesity later in life. That’s why early child care providers have such a crucial role to play in turning around the obesity epidemic.
Early Child Care Nutrition
Child care providers can encourage healthy eating habits in young children by providing a variety of nutritious foods, limiting junk food and sugary drinks, and encouraging parents to do the same at home.
Here is a summary of early childhood nutrition recommendations for obesity prevention, based on a review of expert guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, the Institute of Medicine, and others. Though these recommendations are designed for early child care providers, parents can also adopt these nutrition guidelines at home. For more detailed guidance on these recommendations and ideas for putting them into practice, explore the source list and the links to other resources.
Serve age-appropriate and healthy beverages
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Provide a varied and balanced diet that emphasizes minimally processed foods
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Encourage healthy growth in children by keeping high-calorie, low-nutrient foods out of child care |
Encourage family involvement in healthy eating at the child care facility |
Early Child Care Nutrition-Source List
1. American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education: Selected Standards from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition; 2010.
2. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, University of Colorado Denver. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education: Achieving a State of Healthy Weight: A National Assessment of Obesity Prevention Terminology in Child Care Regulations 2010. Aurora, CO; 2011.
3. Institute of Medicine. Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011.
4. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Benchmarks for Nutrition in Child Care. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111:607-615.
Infant Feeding and Mealtime Habits
How infants and children are fed can be just as important as what they are fed. Child care providers can give infants age-appropriate foods and beverages, make mealtimes enjoyable (and television-free), and encourage children to regulate their own food intake.
Here is a summary of infant feeding and mealtime recommendations for obesity prevention, based on a review of expert guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, the Institute of Medicine, and others. Though these recommendations are designed for early child care providers, parents can follow these feeding and mealtime guidelines at home, too. For more detailed guidance on these recommendations and ideas for putting them into practice, explore the source list and the links to other resources.
Promote ideal and age-appropriate fluid intake among infants |
Practice responsive feeding
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Introduce complementary foods at the appropriate age |
Encourage children to enjoy meals and regulate their own food intake |
Model healthy mealtime behaviors to children |
Infant Feeding and Mealtime Habits-Source List
1. American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education: Selected Standards from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition; 2010.
2. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, University of Colorado Denver. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education: Achieving a State of Healthy Weight: A National Assessment of Obesity Prevention Terminology in Child Care Regulations 2010. Aurora, CO; 2011.
3. Institute of Medicine (IOM). Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011.
4. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Benchmarks for Nutrition in Child Care. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111:607-615.
5. World Health Organization. Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. 2003.
Healthy Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep in the Early Years
Young children should spend most of the day being active, not sitting or watching television. During nap times, children need peaceful and television-free places to sleep, both in the child care setting and at home.
Here is a summary of early child care activity, screen time, and sleep recommendations for obesity prevention, based on a review of expert guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, the Institute of Medicine, and others. Though these recommendations are written for child care providers, parents can follow these same guidelines at home. For more detailed guidance on these recommendations and ideas for putting them into practice, explore the source list and the links to other resources.
Encourage daily physical activity among children in child care
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Facilitate age-appropriate activity in short, regular bursts throughout the day
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Model active play |
Minimize television/screen time and sedentary time
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Support healthy sleeping habits |
Healthy Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep-Source List
1. American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education: Selected Standards from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition; 2010.
2. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, University of Colorado Denver. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education: Achieving a State of Healthy Weight: A National Assessment of Obesity Prevention Terminology in Child Care Regulations 2010. Aurora, CO; 2011.
3. Institute of Medicine (IOM). Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011.
4. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Benchmarks for Nutrition in Child Care. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111:607-615.