Institute for Health Research and Policy, School of Public Health (Ms Schermbeck, Mr Leider, and Dr Chriqui); Healthy Policy and Administration, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, (Dr Lin and Dr Chriqui); and Illinois Public Health Institute, Chicago, Illinois (Ms Simon).
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2024;30(4):540-549. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001921. Epub 2024 Jun 12.
For many young children, early childcare and education (ECE) programs are the only source of nutritious meals and physical activity (PA); however, the COVID-19 pandemic led to program closures, restrictions, and changed practices.
To examine changes in nutrition and PA-related best practices in ECE settings in Illinois from 2019, just prior to the pandemic, as compared to 2022. We also examined how changes over time varied by program type (ie, centers vs homes), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) status, and/or Head Start/Early Head Start status.
The study design is a repeated cross-sectional survey administered in December 2019 and October 2022.
State of Illinois.
A total of 888 and 1162 ECE providers completed initial and follow-up surveys, respectively.
NA.
Provider report of meeting 14 nutrition and 9 PA-related best practices.
Overall, 9 nutrition-related best practices were maintained and 5 declined over time. Centers, CACFP, and Head Start providers reported significant declines in meeting nutrition-related practices over time. A total of 8 PA-related best practices were maintained and 1 declined over time. Centers reported a significant decline in 5 of the PA-related best practices over time, and these declines were significantly different than in homes over time. Similarly, Head Start programs reported a decline in 4 PA-related best practices over time, and the change was significantly different from non-Head Start programs in 3 of the 4 practices.
The findings of this study should be considered a new baseline for ECE nutrition and PA-related best practices in Illinois and should serve as a wake-up call for advocates nationwide with regard to the provision of nutrition and PA-related best practices in centers and by CACFP and Head Start providers postpandemic.
对于许多幼儿来说，早期儿童保育和教育 (ECE) 计划是获得营养膳食和身体活动 (PA) 的唯一来源；然而，COVID-19 大流行导致计划关闭、限制和改变了实践。
比较 2019 年大流行前和 2022 年伊利诺伊州 ECE 环境中营养和 PA 相关最佳实践的变化。我们还研究了随着时间的推移，这些变化如何因计划类型（即中心与家庭）、儿童和成人护理食品计划 (CACFP) 状态以及/或 Head Start/Early Head Start 状态而异。
研究设计是一项在 2019 年 12 月和 2022 年 10 月进行的重复横断面调查。
伊利诺伊州。
共有 888 名和 1162 名 ECE 提供者分别完成了初始和后续调查。
无。
提供者报告符合 14 项营养和 9 项 PA 相关最佳实践的情况。
总体而言，9 项营养相关最佳实践得以维持，5 项实践随时间推移而下降。中心、CACFP 和 Head Start 提供者报告称，随着时间的推移，营养相关实践的符合率显著下降。共有 8 项 PA 相关最佳实践得到维持，1 项实践随时间推移而下降。中心报告称，随着时间的推移，5 项 PA 相关最佳实践中的 4 项实践显著下降，而且这些下降与家庭的下降在时间上明显不同。同样，Head Start 项目报告称，随着时间的推移，4 项 PA 相关最佳实践中的 4 项实践有所下降，在其中 3 项实践中，这一变化与非 Head Start 项目明显不同。
本研究的结果应被视为伊利诺伊州 ECE 营养和 PA 相关最佳实践的新基线，并应引起全国倡导者的关注，即在大流行后，中心和 CACFP 和 Head Start 提供者应提供营养和 PA 相关最佳实践。
