MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
The Importance of Nutrition and Physical Activity Standards for Child Care Settings
Sara Gable, Ph.D.University of Missouri, Columbia
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
Topics
a. Important backgroundb. Expert recommendations to guide state
policies and best practicesc. Current state child care regulations for
promoting children’s healthy weight. d. Conclusions and future considerations
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
Series105
101520253035404550
2-5 yrs6-11 yrs12-19 yrs20-39 yrs40-59 yrs
Obesity in Child* and Adult# Population
* NHANES 2011-2012: At or above the 95th %-tile BMI for age and gender; # BMI at or above 30 (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014)
Background
Children’s dietary intakeSome improvement (e.g., less full fat milk) Concerns: too few fruits and vegetables and too many sugary beverages, sweets, and salty snacksEvidence of extra calories
Activity habitsScreen time (~ 25 hours per week for 2 to 5 year olds)33% TVs in the bedroom
Sleep
* Fox et al., 2010; Kranz et al., 2004; USDA, 2009
* Nielsen, 2009; KFF, 2006
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity* in Children and Adolescents: 2011-2012 (NHANES)
•Overweight and obese groups combined: > the 85th %-tile BMI for age and sex (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014)
Girls Boys05
101520253035404550
2 - 5 yrs6 - 11 yrs12 - 19 yrs
*Overweight kindergarteners 4 times more likely to be obese at age 14 than non-overweight peers (Cunningham et al., 2014)
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
Implications for human capital formation troubling (“The competencies, knowledge, and personality attributes embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce economic value.”; Becker) http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/HumanCapital.html
Excess weight during childhood touches every area of human development
Academic performance and school functioning
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
Children’s Child Care Arrangements
o 61% of young children at least one child care arrangement per week.
o 29% have multiple arrangements per week.o Young children with employed mothers: 33 hrs in child care
centers, 32 hrs in home-based child care.o Average child experiences 5 different child care settings before
kindergarten. o Up to 75% of child daily nutritional needs can be met in child care.o In FY 2014, 3.6 million children were served meals and snacks per
day as part of the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
* Laughlin, 2013; Belsky et al., 2007; ADA, 2011
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
Expert Recommendations (and Rules) to Guide State Child Care Nutrition and
Physical Activity Standards
CACFP Meal Patterns Proposed Rule: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/meals-and-snacks
June, 2011
2012
April, 2015
June, 2011
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
National Association for Regulatory Administration. The 50-state child care licensing study: 2011-2013 Edition (Appendix A and Appendix B)
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
National Association for Regulatory Administration. The 50-state child care licensing study: 2011-2013 Edition (Appendix A and Appendix B)
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
What Distinguishes Today’s Young Children?
o Fewer of them (relative to population) 2013 all-time low general fertility (62.5 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44)
o Greater racial and ethnic diversity (just under 50% of people under 18 are members of “minority” groups)
o One in 4 children under 6 lives in poverty (14.3% White, 42.3% Black, 36.8% Hispanic).
o More than half of infants born in 2013 participated in WIC.o Obesity in young children more prevalent in low income households.o Parents working as hard as ever: 64% of mothers with children under 6
are employed, 72% of them work 35 or more hours per week.
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
What distinguishes today’s Child Care Providers?
o Child care workforce includes ~ 2 million people; 1 million work in centers and 1 million work for wages in home settings.
o Child care employment pays poorly (median hourly wage for center staff = $10.60), even for those with a BA (median hourly wage = $14.70)
o 46% of child care providers live in households that participate in select public support programs (EITC, Medicaid, SNAP, TANF) compared with 25% of overall US civilian workforce.
o Child care workforce at increased risk for obesity and chronic health conditions.
National Survey of Early Care and Education Project Team. (2013). Whitebook, M., Philips, D., & Howes, C. (2014).
MOCAN Conference (Apr 2015)
Conclusions
o Nutrition and physical activity standards for child care settings more important than ever.
o Address adults − parents and child care providers − along with children.
o Keep up the good work!
Care2bWell: A Worksite Physical Activity & Wellness Program for Child Care Staff Ward, Dianne Stanton Linnan, Laura A. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States