scholarly journals Is Vegetation Cover in Key Behaviour Settings Important for Early Childhood Socioemotional Function? A Preregistered, Cross-sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lærke Mygind ◽  
Peter Elsborg ◽  
Jasper Schipperijn ◽  
Bryan Boruff ◽  
Jarrad Lum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Emotional Difficulties ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Prosocial Behaviours ◽  
Peer Difficulties

The association between vegetation cover (comprising trees, shrubs, and grassed areas) in four key behaviour settings for children aged 2-5 and socioemotional functioning was investigated (n = 1196). The results showed that emotional difficulties were inversely associated with vegetation cover in the home yard (OR: 0.81 [0.69-0.96]) and neighbourhood (OR: 0.79 [0.67-0.94]), but not in the early childhood education and care outdoor areas or neighbourhood. Enhanced risk of emotional difficulties associated with lower levels of maternal education was reduced with higher percentages of home yard vegetation cover. We found no evidence of associations with conduct, hyperactivity and inattention, or peer difficulties. However, time spent playing outside was associated with reduced risk of peer difficulties and enhanced prosocial behaviours.

scholarly journals Sensory-based food education in early childhood education and care, willingness to choose and eat fruit and vegetables, and the moderating role of maternal education and food neophobia

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 2443-2453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaisa Kähkönen ◽  
Anna Rönkä ◽  
Mika Hujo ◽  
Arja Lyytikäinen ◽  
Outi Nuutinen
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Neophobia ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Food Education ◽  
Education And Care

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the association between sensory-based food education implemented in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres and children’s willingness to choose and eat vegetables, berries and fruit, and whether the mother’s education level and children’s food neophobia moderate the linkage.DesignThe cross-sectional study involved six ECEC centres that provide sensory-based food education and three reference centres. A snack buffet containing eleven different vegetables, berries and fruit was used to assess children’s willingness to choose and eat the food items. The children’s parents completed the Food Neophobia Scale questionnaire to assess their children’s food neophobia.SettingECEC centres that provide sensory-based food education and reference ECEC centres in Finland.SubjectsChildren aged 3–5 years in ECEC (n 130) and their parents.ResultsSensory-based food education was associated with children’s willingness to choose and eat vegetables, berries and fruit. This association was stronger among the children of mothers with a low education level. A high average level of neophobia in the child group reduced the children’s willingness to choose vegetables, berries and fruit. No similar tendency was observed in the group that had received sensory-based food education. Children’s individual food neophobia had a negative association with their willingness to choose and eat the vegetables, berries and fruit.ConclusionsChild-oriented sensory-based food education seems to provide a promising method for promoting children’s adoption of vegetables, berries and fruit in their diets. In future sensory food education research, more focus should be placed on the effects of the education at the group level.

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.

Food Allergy Readiness and Anaphylaxis Management in Early Childhood Education and Care in Western Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 43-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Hammershaimb Jacobsen ◽  
Ros Sambell ◽  
Amanda Devine ◽  
Sandra Vale
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Available Resources

WITH THE INCREASE IN prevalence of food allergy (FA) in young children, early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers are likely to have more enrolments of children who are at risk of anaphylaxis. This study examines the status of FA management in ECEC, and assesses the services’ current readiness to prevent and manage FA. A cross-sectional study comprising an online survey with multiple-choice and open-ended questions was conducted with 53 long day care services in Western Australia. Among the respondents, 83 per cent of services had at least one child enrolled with FA, 96 per cent had an FA policy, and 91 per cent required staff to undertake anaphylaxis training. A high level of self-reported confidence and skills were demonstrated; however, gaps were identified in risk-minimisation knowledge, use of adrenaline (epinephrine) autoinjectors and available resources. Extensive promotion of available resources will help improve compliance with anaphylaxis guidelines.

Language support competence and language proficiency of early years professionals in monolingual and bilingual settings: Similarities and differences

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-278
Author(s):  
Daniela Ofner
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Language Support ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Personnel Recruitment ◽  
Education And Care

AbstractEarly Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) professionals need specific knowledge and abilities to support children’s language development: language support competence (LSC). Research has shown varying levels of LSC of the personnel in early childhood education centers. However, only early childhood educators in monolingual institutions promoting the majority language were included in these studies. The growing interest in bilingual education in early childhood in many European countries raises the question whether ECEC professionals in bilingual institutions are better qualified for language-related tasks due to the evident focus on language and multilingualism. In a cross-sectional study, LSC and language proficiency of 115 ECEC professionals in monolingual and 24 ECEC professionals in bilingual early childhood education centers in Germany were assessed with standardized tests. Participants in bilingual institutions reached higher knowledge scores but did not differ from their colleagues in monolingual institutions in their abilities or language proficiency. Correlational and regression analyses revealed that LSC is related to several personal and professional background factors such as level of education or participation in professional development courses. The results are discussed with respect to language support practices in early childhood education and possible selection processes in personnel recruitment.

Beliefs of Slovenian early childhood educators regarding the implementation of physical education

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 659-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miha Marinsek ◽  
Marjeta Kovac
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Educational Role ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Care Systems

This cross-sectional study was designed to identify Slovenian early childhood educators’ beliefs concerning the importance of the competencies required to carry out physical education (PE), to identify which of those competencies early childhood educators might lack and to identify which competencies should be developed in the process of continuous professional development. For this purpose, a self-administered questionnaire was designed to examine belief statements regarding a wide scope of PE competencies among 183 early childhood educators. The participants evaluated the importance of individual competencies and reported their current and desired levels of competencies using a four-level scale. The results showed that early childhood educators believe that competencies to teach PE are an important part of early childhood education and that they need to improve in such competencies to carry out PE above the existing level. In particular, early childhood educators would like to improve in knowledge, skills and abilities that will enable them to implement PE efficiently and effectively to change children’s health-related behaviours. We suggest that the gap between the self-reported beliefs about the current level of PE competencies and the desired level of PE competencies is vital for policy-makers, who aim to create unitary early childhood education and care systems in which similar qualifications and competencies among early childhood educators are needed. It seems that a lack of policy, curriculum development and educators’ expertise in PE contributes to the considerable variation in the understanding of the educational role of early childhood educators within PE.

scholarly journals Movement Behaviors during COVID-19. A Survey among Children under Five Years of Latin American Origin or Descent from Chile, Mexico, and the US

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Jauregui ◽  
Deborah Salvo ◽  
Nicolas Aguilar-Farias ◽  
Anthony Okely
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care

Abstract Movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior (including screen time), and sleep) have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to report changes in and factors influencing movement behaviors during COVID-19 among Latin American/Latino children aged 1 to 5 years in Chile, Mexico, and the USA. We conducted a cross-sectional study between April and August 2020. Caregivers reported changes in movement behaviors and provided information about family and household characteristics. In total, 4,136 children (mean age [SD], 3.1 [1.4] years; 51% boys). The proportion of children who met the WHO Guidelines decreased significantly in all countries, with large declines in meeting the physical activity and screen time guidelines. Factors associated with changes were being an older child, unable to attend an early childhood education and care service, higher parental education levels, not having the opportunity to play with someone, and not having access to spaces to play. During COVID-19, Latino parents reported changes in physical activity, screen time, and sleep quality among their toddlers and preschoolers. The findings highlight the need to minimize disparities faced by families by providing access to early childhood education and care and safe places for children to play.

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