J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017 Dec;117(12):1963-1971.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2017.07.001. Epub 2017 Aug 24.
National childhood obesity prevention policies recommend that child-care providers educate young children about nutrition to improve their nutrition knowledge and eating habits. Yet, the provision of nutrition education (NE) to children in child-care settings is limited.
Using the 2011 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics benchmarks for NE in child care as a guiding framework, researchers assessed child-care providers' perspectives regarding delivery of NE through books, posters, mealtime conversations, hands-on learning, and sensory exploration of foods to young children (aged 2 to 5 years).
Using a qualitative design (realist method), individual, semistructured interviews were conducted until saturation was reached.
PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: The study was conducted during 2012-2013 and used purposive sampling to select providers. Final sample included 18 providers employed full-time in Head Start or state-licensed center-based child-care programs in Central Illinois.
Child-care providers' perspectives regarding implementation of NE.
Thematic analysis to derive themes using NVivo software.
Three overarching themes emerged, including providers' motivators, barriers, and facilitators for delivering NE to children. Motivators for delivering NE included that NE encourages children to try new foods, NE improves children's knowledge of healthy and unhealthy foods, and NE is consistent with children's tendency for exploration. Barriers for delivering NE included that limited funding and resources for hands-on experiences and restrictive policies. Facilitators for delivering NE included providers obtain access to feasible, low-cost resources and community partners, providers work around restrictive policies to accommodate NE, and mealtime conversations are a feasible avenue to deliver NE. Providers integrated mealtime conversations with NE concepts such as food-based sensory exploration and health benefits of foods.
Present study findings offer insights regarding providers' perspectives on implementing NE in child care. Drawing from these perspectives, registered dietitian nutritionists can train providers about the importance of NE for encouraging healthy eating in children, integrating NE with mealtime conversations, and practicing low-cost, hands-on NE activities that meet the food safety standards for state licensing. Such strategies may improve providers' ability to deliver NE in child-care settings.
国家儿童肥胖预防政策建议儿童保育提供者向幼儿传授营养知识，以提高他们的营养知识和饮食习惯。然而，在儿童保育环境中为儿童提供营养教育（NE）的情况有限。
本研究以 2011 年营养与饮食学会制定的儿童保育 NE 基准为指导框架，评估儿童保育提供者通过书籍、海报、用餐时的对话、实践学习以及对食物的感官探索向幼儿（2 至 5 岁）提供 NE 的观点。
采用定性设计（现实主义方法），进行了个人半结构化访谈，直到达到饱和状态。
参与者/设置：本研究于 2012-2013 年进行，采用目的抽样选择提供者。最终样本包括 18 名全职在伊利诺伊州中部的“头等大事”或州许可的中心式儿童保育计划中工作的提供者。
儿童保育提供者对实施 NE 的看法。
使用 NVivo 软件对主题进行主题分析。
出现了三个总体主题，包括提供者提供 NE 的动机、障碍和促进因素。提供 NE 的动机包括 NE 鼓励儿童尝试新食物，NE 提高儿童对健康和不健康食物的认识，以及 NE 符合儿童探索的倾向。提供 NE 的障碍包括实践经验和限制政策的资金和资源有限。提供 NE 的促进因素包括提供者获得可行的、低成本的资源和社区合作伙伴，提供者围绕限制政策进行工作以适应 NE，以及用餐时的对话是提供 NE 的可行途径。提供者将用餐时的对话与 NE 概念（如基于食物的感官探索和食物的健康益处）结合起来。
本研究结果提供了关于提供者对在儿童保育中实施 NE 的看法的见解。注册营养师营养师可以从这些观点出发，向提供者传授 NE 对鼓励儿童健康饮食的重要性，将 NE 与用餐时的对话相结合，并实践符合州许可食品安全标准的低成本、实践 NE 活动，从而提高提供者在儿童保育环境中提供 NE 的能力。
