Chan Jacqueline, Hyde-Page Alexander, Phongsavan Philayrath, Raubenheimer David, Allman-Farinelli Margaret
Nutrition and Dietetics Group, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Nutrients. 2025 Aug 17;17(16):2661. doi: 10.3390/nu17162661.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Early childhood education and care is an ideal setting to promote healthy eating behaviours in young children. However, successful implementation and sustainment of healthy eating policies and practices remains a key challenge in the Australian early childhood education and care (ECEC) context. This study aimed to understand the contextual factors influencing early childhood education directors' decisions to implement healthy eating policies and practices.
Twelve directors from centre-based long day care centres in New South Wales, Australia, participated in semi-structured interviews. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research.
Directors ( = 12) described alignment with centre values and goals, compatibility with work infrastructure, local champions to lead implementation, and external partnerships with government support services as key facilitators. Directors identified a need for further support to address factors within the broader ECEC sector. Directors described a lack of external partnerships with the community, competing demands for available resources, unrealistic expectations from guidelines and parents, and inconsistent practices across settings as factors inhibiting implementation success.
Implementation and sustainment of healthy eating policies and practices can be improved by strengthening parent and community partnerships, investment in the workforce, and a coordinated approach to the provision of support.
背景/目标：幼儿教育与保育是促进幼儿健康饮食行为的理想场所。然而，在澳大利亚幼儿教育与保育（ECEC）环境中，成功实施和维持健康饮食政策及做法仍是一项关键挑战。本研究旨在了解影响幼儿教育主管实施健康饮食政策及做法决策的背景因素。
来自澳大利亚新南威尔士州全日制长期日托中心的12名主管参与了半结构化访谈。访谈数据采用反思性主题分析和实施研究综合框架进行分析。
主管们（n = 12）将与中心价值观和目标的一致性、与工作基础设施的兼容性、引领实施的当地倡导者以及与政府支持服务的外部伙伴关系描述为关键促进因素。主管们指出需要进一步支持以解决更广泛的幼儿教育与保育部门内部的因素。主管们将缺乏与社区的外部伙伴关系、对可用资源的竞争性需求、来自指导方针和家长的不切实际期望以及不同场所做法不一致描述为阻碍实施成功的因素。
通过加强家长和社区伙伴关系、对劳动力的投资以及提供支持的协调方法，可以改善健康饮食政策及做法的实施和维持。
