LiveWell in early childhood: results from a two-year pilot intervention to improve nutrition and physical activity policies, systems and environments among early childhood education programs in South Carolina

BMC Public Health

Tia Prostko¹  Meghan Slining²  Jen Stephenson²  Miguel Negrete²  Joanne Timberlake²  Melissa Fair³  Sally Wills⁴  Misty Pearson⁵  Stephanie Knobel⁶  Joanna Smyers⁷ 

[1] Early Care and Education Division, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Greenville, SC, USA;Health Sciences Department, Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC, USA;Institute for the Advancement of Community Health, Furman University, Greenville, SC, USA;LiveWell Greenville, Greenville, SC, USA;SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention, Columbia, SC, USA;YMCA Judson Community Center, Greenville, SC, USA;Youth Learning Institute, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA;

关键词: Nutrition;    Physical activity;    Child care;    Overweight;    Policy;    Public health;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-021-10975-7

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEarly childhood education (ECE) settings are critical intervention targets for obesity prevention. This study evaluated a pilot two-year community-based participatory research (CBPR) project designed to assist ECE center directors and caregivers in policy, systems and environmental (PSE) change for improving healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA).MethodsA two-year CBPR study was conducted in 10 licensed ECE centers in Greenville, South Carolina. The intervention consisted of five steps: [1] baseline data collection and self-assessment using the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go-NAP SACC), [2] tailored goal setting and action planning, [3] technical assistance and access to resources, [4] post intervention data collection and re-assessment, and [5] celebration of success. Main outcome measures (HE and PA environments, practices and policies) were assessed using the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool at baseline and 24 months. One classroom of 3–5-year-olds was randomly selected for observation from each center (mean of 12 children per classroom). Means and standard deviations were calculated for total PA, total nutrition and each subscale of PA and nutrition. Paired sample t-tests were calculated to assess changes in EPAO scales from baseline to post intervention.ResultsTen ECE centers enrolled in the pilot study and eight completed the two-year intervention. Center-based goals were accomplished across all 8 ECE centers over the two-year intervention: 16 child nutrition goals, 6 outdoor play goals, 11 physical activity goals and 8 screen time goals across the entire sample. Nutrition policy and PA policy significantly improved (p < 0.05), with greater improvements in PA (10.0 point increase, p = .048) as compared to nutrition (3.3 point increase, p = 0.02).ConclusionsUtilizing a CBPR approach, this two-year nutrition and PA PSE intervention in ECE centers improved ECE center HE and PA policies.

【 授权许可】

CC BY