Screen-Time Policies and Practices in Early Care and Education Centers in Relationship to Child Physical Activity

The Early Care and Education (ECE) track presentations from CDC’s Weight of the Nation (WON) 2012 conference showcased innovative national, state, and community obesity prevention efforts. The track was organized around CDC’s “Spectrum of Opportunities” for obesity prevention in ECE (the Spectrum; Table 1), which outlines a common set of opportunities that can enhance the ECE environment with respect to nutrition, breastfeeding support, physical activity, and screen time — all important areas for obesity prevention targeting young children. Participants discussed the opportunities on the spectrum that had been pursued, the obesity prevention standards and best practices that had been the emphasis of their efforts, and common steps for developing, implementing, and evaluating initiatives. This paper provides background information on why ECE is an important component of any jurisdiction’s obesity prevention efforts, references for the primary national reports offering standards and best practice recommendations, an introduction to the Spectrum, and brief summaries of the WON ECE track presentations.

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Young Children’s Screen Time and Physical Activity: Perspectives of Parents and Early Care and Education Center Providers

Global Pediatric Health ◽

10.1177/2333794x19865856 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 2333794X1986585 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth D. Joseph ◽

Chelsea L. Kracht ◽

Jessica St. Romain ◽

Andrew T. Allen ◽

Caroline Barbaree ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Screen Time ◽

Environmental Influences ◽

Early Care And Education ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Early Care

Early care and education (ECE) providers and parents can facilitate physical activity (PA) and reduce screen time in preschoolers. Input from caregivers on barriers and facilitators of PA and screen time is needed to comprehensively address these behaviors and promote children’s health. Four focus groups (3 parent and 1 ECE provider) were conducted. Thematic analysis was performed to identify themes and subthemes. Twenty-eight caregivers (21 parents and 7 ECE providers) participated. Caregivers reported responsibility for modeling and shaping children’s PA and screen time. Parents felt that a busy lifestyle was a PA barrier and encouraged screen time. ECE providers were concerned about certain environmental influences on PA. The groups differed in their view of screen time as either entertainment (parents) or educational (providers). Both types of caregivers were unaware of PA or screen time guidelines. Investigation into opportunities to utilize screen time to serve priorities of both caregivers and promote child PA are needed.

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Obesity prevention in early care and education: a comparison of licensing regulations across Canadian provinces and territories

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/pubmed/fdaa019 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 362-373

Author(s):

Kelsey A Vercammen ◽

Johannah M Frelier ◽

Mary Kathryn Poole ◽

Erica L Kenney

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Obesity Prevention ◽

Screen Time ◽

Early Care And Education ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Early Care ◽

Canadian Province ◽

Maximum Score ◽

Time Standards ◽

Canadian Provinces

Abstract Background Early care and education (ECE) settings represent an important point of intervention for childhood obesity prevention efforts. The objective of this paper was to compare ECE licensing regulations for each Canadian province/territory to evidence-based, obesity prevention standards. Methods Two authors reviewed existing ECE regulations for each province/territory and examined whether the regulatory text supported standards for nutrition (n = 11), physical activity (n = 5) and screen time (n = 4). Provinces/territories were evaluated on the strength of regulatory language for each standard (i.e. fully, partially, or not addressed) and a total comprehensiveness score (maximum score of 20). ECE centres and homes were examined separately. Results The majority of provinces/territories required providers to follow Canada’s Food Guide, but few had regulations for specific foods or beverages. Most provinces/territories included standards related to written menus and drinking water, but the strength of these standards was weak. Many provinces/territories required physical activity and outdoor opportunities to be provided daily, but few included a time requirement. Only two provinces included any screen time standards. Total comprehensiveness scores averaged 5.7 for centres and 5.4 for homes. Conclusions Canadian provinces/territories have insufficient obesity prevention regulations in ECE settings, highlighting a potential point of intervention to prevent obesity.

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Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs

10.1542/9781581107739 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Best Practices ◽

Screen Time ◽

Performance Standards ◽

Early Care And Education ◽

National Standards ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Early Care ◽

Education Programs

Updated set of national standards describing evidence-based best practices in nutrition, physical activity, and screen time for early care and education programs. The new Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education, 2nd ed. is the new set of national standards describing evidence-based best practices in nutrition, physical activity, and screen time for early care and education programs. The standards are for all types of early care and education settings - centers and family child care homes. These updated standards will be a part of the new comprehensive Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition.

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Multisector Approach to Improve Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policies and Practices in Early Care and Education Programs: The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project, 2013–2017

Preventing Chronic Disease ◽

10.5888/pcd16.180582 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Teresa M. Garvin ◽

Lisa Weissenburger-Moser Boyd ◽

Alethea Chiappone ◽

Casey Blaser ◽

Mary Story ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Early Care And Education ◽

Early Care ◽

Education Programs ◽

Learning Collaboratives ◽

Policies And Practices

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Design and methodology of a cluster-randomized trial in early care and education centers to meet physical activity guidelines: Sustainability via Active Garden Education (SAGE)

Contemporary Clinical Trials ◽

10.1016/j.cct.2018.12.003 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 77 ◽

pp. 8-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rebecca E. Lee ◽

Elizabeth Lorenzo ◽

Jacob Szeszulski ◽

Anel Arriola ◽

Meg Bruening ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Randomized Trial ◽

Cluster Randomized Trial ◽

Early Care And Education ◽

Early Care ◽

Physical Activity Guidelines ◽

Garden Education ◽

Cluster Randomized

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Physical Activity Opportunities Within the Schedule of Early Care and Education Centers

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2017-0071 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 73-81 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Stephanie Mazzucca ◽

Derek Hales ◽

Kelly R. Evenson ◽

Alice Ammerman ◽

Deborah F. Tate ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Early Care And Education ◽

Early Care

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Process Evaluation of an Early Care and Education Intervention: The California Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Study (CA-CORD)

Health Promotion Practice ◽

10.1177/1524839918786953 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 298-307 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Shih-Fan Lin ◽

Amy Binggeli-Vallarta ◽

Griselda Cervantes ◽

Janette Angulo ◽

Jamie S. Moody ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Child Care ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Health Behavior ◽

Process Evaluation ◽

The United States ◽

Early Care And Education ◽

Latino Children ◽

Early Care ◽

Obesity Research

Given the widespread use of out-of-home child care in the United States, early care and education (ECE) providers offer ideal settings to promote health behaviors among Hispanic/Latino children whose obesity prevalence remains high. This study details the process evaluation of ECE intervention strategies of a childhood obesity research demonstration study (California Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration [CA-CORD]) to prevent and control obesity among Hispanic/Latino children aged 2 to 12 years. Participating ECE providers received the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) materials and action planning sessions with a trained interventionist; Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) physical activity (PA), health behavior, and body mass index assessment trainings; and health behavior toolkit, cooking kit, water dispensers, and posters to promote healthy eating, PA, water consumption, and quality sleep. Intervention logs and director/lead teacher interviews evaluated how well 14 center-based and 9 private ECE providers implemented policy, system, and environmental changes. NAP SACC was implemented with higher fidelity than other strategies, and participation in SPARK trainings was lower than health behavior trainings. ECE directors/lead teachers reported that the intervention activities and materials helped them promote the targeted behaviors, especially PA. Results demonstrated that the use of NAP SACC, trainings, and toolkit had high fidelity and were potentially replicable for implementation in ECE settings among Hispanic/Latino communities.

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