Premium
Policy change improves nutrition environments of central Texas child‐care centers (632.7)
Author(s) -
Bates Kristin,
BiedigerFriedman Lesli,
Thompson Courtney,
Crixell Sylvia,
Friedman B.J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.632.7
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , overweight , breastfeeding , psychology , nursing , medical education , medicine , environmental health , family medicine , gerontology , political science , obesity , pediatrics
More than one third of US children are overweight or obese. With 70% of all children under the age of 6 cared for child‐care centers (CCCs), CCCs provide an optimal avenue for establishing healthy lifestyles. Nutrition practices and policies play an important role in influencing health behaviors. In this study, after Institutional Review Board approval, policies were collected from 32 central Texas CCCs; a training workshop was held offering instruction on creating policies to improve nutrition in CCCs, and policies were again collected from 24 CCCs post‐intervention. Centers’ policies were assessed and sorted into categories. Scores (0‐3) were assigned categorically for each CCC based on whether a policy existed, and on the degree of detail and implementation. Frequencies were determined and policy categories/themes were linked to other intervention data sets such as menu analysis and staff knowledge and behaviors using NVIVO 10. Pre‐intervention, more policies were related to meals, snacks, infant feeding, allergies, and celebrations. Post‐intervention, analysis showed that additional policies were created, including policies regarding breastfeeding and sweets (e.g. cupcakes). Comparison of pre‐ and post‐intervention scores suggests that the training workshop had a positive impact on policies influencing the nutrition environment of the CCCs. Grant Funding Source : Texas State University Research Enhancement Program