Child Care and Early Education Research Connections

Skip to main content

Feasibility of a multicomponent program to promote physical activity and nutrition in Georgia low-income early care and education settings

Description:
Background: This article describes the process and intermediate outcomes from a program implemented in 65 Early Care and Education (ECE) centers serving low-income families throughout Georgia during the 2014–2017 school years. Methods: The HealthMPowers’ Empowering Healthy Choices in Schools, Homes, and Communities ECE program was based on the organization’s previously successful elementary school program and aligns with current early childhood nutrition and physical activity recommendations. Participating centers worked with HealthMPowers for up to 3 years. A team from each center led changes by conducting annual self-assessments, creating and implementing improvement plans, and implementing nutrition and physical activity programs using educational resources and environmental cues. A monitoring and evaluation plan provided ongoing feedback to HealthMPowers and centers. Family and staff surveys provided insights into behaviors of children, families, and staff. Process measures included specific benchmarks (e.g., center leadership team formation, improvement plan implementation). Annual self-assessment results served as intermediate outcome measures. Results: As of 2017, 65 centers had enrolled in the program. All centers formed a health team and completed the baseline self-assessment and most implemented an improvement plan (88%). At the 1-year follow-up self-assessment, centers reported improvements from baseline including never offering food incentives for good behavior (75%–86%), conducting taste testing at least once a month (61%–79%), and rarely/never serving sugar-sweetened beverages (93%–96%). Conclusions: Initial process measures from a multicomponent health promotion program in ECE were promising. An integrated continuous improvement approach to working with child care settings is feasible and likely effective. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Country:
United States
State(s)/Territories/Tribal Nation(s):
Georgia

Related resources include summaries, versions, measures (instruments), or other resources in which the current document plays a part. Research products funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation are related to their project records.

- You May Also Like

These resources share similarities with the current selection.

Weight of the Nation: Early care and education policy review

Other

Physical activity and nutrition: Family routines and program practices in LAUP

Reports & Papers

Embedding physical activity and nutrition in early care and education programs

Other
Release: 'v1.58.0' | Built: 2024-04-08 08:44:34 EDT