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Nutrition and Physical Activity Randomized Control Trial in Child Care Centers Improves Knowledge, Policies, and Children's Body Mass Index

Alkon, A., Crowley, A. A., Neelon, S. E., Hill, S., Pan, Y., Nguyen, V., Rose, R., Savage, E., Forestieri, N., Shipman, L., & Kotch, J. B.
2014

From the abstract: "To address the public health crisis of overweight and obese preschool-age children, the Nutrition And Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) intervention was delivered by nurse child care health consultants with the objective of improving child care provider and parent nutrition and physical activity knowledge, center-level nutrition and physical activity policies and practices, and childrens body mass index (BMI). Results showed significant increases in providers and parents knowledge of nutrition and physical activity, center-level improvements in policies, and child-level changes. The NAP SACC intervention, as delivered by trained child health professionals such as child care health consultants, increases provider knowledge, improves center policies, and lowers BMI for children in child care centers. More health professionals specifically trained in a nutrition and physical activity intervention in child care are needed to help reverse the obesity epidemic."

Citation

Alkon, A., Crowley, A. A., Neelon, S. E., Hill, S., Pan, Y., Nguyen, V., . . . Kotch, J. B. (2014). Nutrition and physical activity randomized control trial in child care centers improves knowledge, policies, and children's body mass index. BMC Public Health, 14, 215.

DOI

10.1186/1471-2458-14-215