A new study, “Impact of Changes to the Child and Adult Care Food Program on Children’s Dietary Intake in Family Child Care Homes,” was published today in the Public Health Nutrition.
Abstract
SETTING: FCCHs in Boston, MA, USA.
PARTICIPANTS: Three- to 5-year-old children attending FCCHs.
RESULTS: We observed 107 meals consumed by twenty-eight children at the thirteen FCCHs across an average of 2·5 (sd 1·3) d before the CACFP policy change, and 239 meals consumed by thirty-nine children across 3·8 d (sd 1·4) 1 year later. During lunch, fruit intake increased by about a third of a serving (+0·38 serving, 95 % CI 0·04, 0·73, P = 0·03), and whole grain intake increased by a half serving (+0·50 serving, 95 % CI 0·19, 0·82, P = 0·002). No changes were seen in other meal components.
CONCLUSION: Young children’s dietary intake in CACFP-participating FCCHs improved following the CACFP meal pattern change, particularly for fruits and whole grains, which were targets of the new policy. Additional research should examine impacts of the changes in other child care settings, age groups and locales.
KEYWORDS:
Child care; Dietary intake; Nutrition policy; Policy implementation
Impact of changes to the Child and Adult Care Food Program on children’s dietary intake in family child care homes.
Kenney EL, Poole MK, Cory H, Cradock AL. Public Health Nutrition. 2020:1-8. doi:10.1017/S1368980019004646.