Child Care and Early Education Research Connections

Skip to main content

The association between childcare arrangements and risk of overweight and obesity in childhood: A systematic review

Description:
Over 80% of preschool-aged children experience non-parental childcare. Childcare type has the potential to influence weight outcomes, but its impact on childhood overweight/obesity is not well established. This review aims to (i) systematically evaluate the effects of childcare type on childhood overweight/obesity risk and (ii) investigate the impact of childcare intensity and age at commencement. Five electronic databases were searched for observational studies quantifying an association between childcare type [less than or equal to] 5 years and weight outcomes 18 years. Twenty-four studies were included (n = 127,529 children). Thirteen studies reported increased risk of overweight/obesity in children attending informal care (n = 9) or centre care (n = 4) vs. parental care. Seven studies reported decreased risk of overweight/obesity for children in centre vs. 'non-centre' care (parental and informal). Four studies reported no association between informal or centre care and overweight/obesity. Early (3 years) informal care, especially by a relative, was associated with increased risk of overweight/obesity. Higher intensity childcare, especially when commenced early (1 year), increased overweight/obesity risk. Later ([greater than or equal to] 3 years) centre care was associated with decreased risk of overweight/obesity. Early informal care, earlier commencement age and higher intensity represent a risk for childhood obesity. Exploration of the obesogenic aspects of these contexts is essential to inform preventative measures. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Literature Review

- You May Also Like

These resources share similarities with the current selection.

Association of childcare arrangement with overweight and obesity in preschool-aged children: A narrative review of literature

Literature Review

Childcare and overweight or obesity over 10 years of follow-up

Reports & Papers

The association between childcare and risk of childhood overweight and obesity in children aged 5 years and under: A systematic review

Literature Review
Release: 'v1.57.0' | Built: 2024-03-14 09:29:08 EDT