scholarly journals A preschool-based intervention for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) teachers in promoting healthy eating and physical activity in toddlers: study protocol of the cluster randomized controlled trial PreSchool@HealthyWeight

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Toussaint ◽  
Martinette T. Streppel ◽  
Sandra Mul ◽  
Anita Schreurs ◽  
Marielle Balledux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Cluster Randomized

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 on Eating Environments and Activity in Early Childhood Education and Care in Alberta, Canada: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4247
Author(s):  
Lynne M. Z. Lafave ◽  
Alexis D. Webster ◽  
Ceilidh McConnell ◽  
Nadine Van Wyk ◽  
Mark R. Lafave
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
The Impact

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) environments influence children’s early development and habits that track across a lifespan. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of COVID-19 government-mandated guidelines on physical activity (PA) and eating environments in ECEC settings. This cross-sectional study involved the recruitment of 19 ECEC centers pre-COVID (2019) and 15 ECEC centers during COVID (2020) in Alberta, Canada (n = 34 ECEC centers; n = 83 educators; n = 361 preschoolers). Educators completed the CHEERS (Creating Healthy Eating and activity Environments Survey) and MEQ (Mindful Eating Questionnaire) self-audit tools while GT3X+ ActiGraph accelerometers measured preschooler PA. The CHEERS healthy eating environment subscale was greater during COVID-19 (5.97 ± 0.52; 5.80 ± 0.62; p = 0.02) and the overall score positively correlated with the MEQ score (r = 0.20; p = 0.002). Preschoolers exhibited greater hourly step counts (800 ± 189; 649 ± 185), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (9.3 ± 3.0 min/h; 7.9 ± 3.2 min/h) and lower sedentary times (42.4 ± 3.9 min/h; 44.1 ± 4.9 min/h) during COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID, respectively (p < 0.05). These findings suggest the eating environment and indices of child physical activity were better in 2020, which could possibly be attributed to a change in government-mandated COVID-19 guideline policy.

scholarly journals Bidirectional Collaborations in an Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial Performed in the Swedish Early Childhood Education Context

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia J Frankenberg ◽  
Hillevi Lenz Taguchi ◽  
Tove Gerholm ◽  
Linnea Bodén ◽  
Petter Kallioinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Randomized Controlled

scholarly journals The effects of a preschool-based intervention for Early Childhood Education and Care teachers in promoting healthy eating and physical activity in young children: A cluster randomised controlled trial

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0255023
Author(s):  
Nicole Toussaint ◽  
Martinette T. Streppel ◽  
Sandra Mul ◽  
Marielle Balledux ◽  
Karen van Drongelen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Positive Effect

The need for excess weight gain prevention in disadvantaged young children is widely recognised. Early Childhood Education and Care teachers are potential key actors in early interventions to prevent overweight and obesity. This study examines the effects of a preschool-based intervention for teachers in promoting healthy eating and physical activity in young children. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted at 41 preschools in a deprived area of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The intervention consisted of 2 programmes that were applied in succession: A Healthy Start and PLAYgrounds for TODdlers. The study period was 9 months. Primary outcomes were assessed via questionnaires and included teachers’ knowledge, attitude, food/activity-related practices, and level of confidence in promoting healthy behaviours. Secondary outcomes in this study were teachers’ and children’s BMI (z-score), body composition, dietary intake and physical activity level. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed using linear mixed models. In total, 115 teachers and 249 children (mean age 3.0 (0.2) years) were included. A positive effect on teachers’ knowledge about the Dutch dietary guidelines was found after the programme A Healthy Start (difference = 1.38; 1-sided 95% CL = 0.29; p = 0.02). This effect was not sustained at 9 months (difference = 0.34; 1-sided 95% CL = -0.76; p = 0.31). The overall intervention had a positive effect on 3 of the 5 attitude statements regarding a healthy lifestyle (difference ranged from 0.34 to 0.55) and on the practice scale Activity-related-Modelling (difference = 0.16; 1-sided 95% CL = 0.06; p = 0.01). No intervention effects were observed on food-related practice scales and the level of confidence in promoting healthy behaviours. At this stage, no effects were seen on teachers’ and children’s BMI (z-score). This study contributes to the professional development of Early Childhood Education and Care teachers and addresses the call for interventions to prevent overweight/obesity and to minimise health inequalities in young children.

scholarly journals A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Increase Physical Activity of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Early Childhood Education and Care: Study Protocol for the ‘Everybody Energise’ Trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (21) ◽  
pp. 4275
Author(s):  
Tessa Delaney ◽  
Jacklyn K. Jackson ◽  
Jannah Jones ◽  
Alix Hall ◽  
Ashleigh Dives ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Randomised Controlled

The use of ‘Energisers,’ short bouts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), have been shown to significantly increase children’s physical activity within the school setting but not within Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centres. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of an intervention involving the provision of educator-led daily Energisers to increase the time children spend in MVPA while attending ECEC. Fourteen ECEC centres in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia, will be randomised to either an intervention or control group. The intervention group will be supported by the research team to implement three brief (5-min) educator-led Energisers each day for children aged three to six years between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Control ECEC centres will continue to provide ‘normal practice’ to children. The primary trial outcome is child minutes of MVPA whilst in ECEC, assessed objectively via accelerometery over three days. Outcome assessment will occur at baseline and 6 months post-baseline. Linear mixed models under an intention-to-treat framework will be used to compare differences between groups in MVPA at follow-up. This will be the first cluster randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy of Energisers in isolation on increasing the time children spend in MVPA.

scholarly journals The Impact of a Workplace Wellness Program on Provider Health in Early Childhood Education Settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie N. Powers ◽  
Charlotte V. Farewell ◽  
Emily Maiurro ◽  
Jini Puma
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Workplace Wellness ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Childhood Education

Background: Early childhood education (ECE) working environments often contribute to poor health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe healthy eating–related and physical activity–related awareness and adoption of behavior change of ECE providers after participating in a workplace wellness (WW) program and to explore facilitators and barriers to ECE provider participation in WW program. Methods: The WW program offered healthy eating and physical activity challenges to promote ECE provider health and well-being. Approximately 1,000 ECE providers in Colorado from 35 ECE settings were invited to participate. After the intervention, ECE providers completed two surveys: (a) a provider postsurvey and (b) a WW challenge survey. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to examine factors associated with percent agreement that participation in the WW program increased awareness and adoption of health behaviors. Findings: A total of 250 (25%) ECE providers participated in WW program from 2015 to 2017. After participation, approximately 84% of respondents agreed they were more aware of the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and of being physically active, while 81% reported eating more fruits and vegetables, and 80% reported being more physically active in the workplace. Logistic regression models found that the length of time teaching in ECE settings was positively and significantly associated (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.00, 1.21]) with the odds of providers agreeing that participation in the WW program increased their awareness of health behaviors. Conclusion/Application to Practice: The design and implementation of WW programs that emphasize facilitators, such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as reduce barriers, such as time constraints and unachievable goal setting, may increase the awareness and adoptions of healthy eating–related and physical activity–related behaviors among ECE work settings.

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