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Association between childcare educators' practices and preschoolers' physical activity and dietary intake: a cross-sectional analysis.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION:Childcare educators may be role models for healthy eating and physical activity (PA) behaviours among young children. This study aimed to identify which childcare educators' practices are associated with preschoolers' dietary intake and PA levels. METHODS:This cross-sectional analysis included 723 preschoolers from 50 randomly selected childcare centres in two Canadian provinces. All data were collected in the fall of 2013 and 2014 and analysed in the fall of 2015. PA was assessed using Actical accelerometers during childcare hours for 5 consecutive days. Children's dietary intake was measured at lunch on 2 consecutive days using weighed plate waste and digital photography. Childcare educators' nutrition practices (modelling, nutrition education, satiety recognition, verbal encouragement and not using food as rewards) and PA practices (informal and formal PA promotion) were assessed by direct observation over the course of 2?days, using the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care tool. Associations between educators' practices and preschoolers' PA and dietary intake were examined using multilevel linear regressions. RESULTS:Overall, modelling of healthy eating was positively associated with children's intake of sugar (?=0.141, 95%?CI 0.03 to 0.27), while calorie (?=-0.456, 95%?CI -1.46 to -0.02) and fibre intake (?=-0.066, 95%?CI -0.12 to -0.01) were negatively associated with providing nutrition education. Not using food as rewards was also negatively associated with fat intake (?=-0.144, 95%?CI -0.52 to -0.002). None of the educators' PA practices were associated with children's participation in PA. CONCLUSIONS:Modelling healthy eating, providing nutrition education and not using food as rewards are associated with children's dietary intake at lunch in childcare centres, highlighting the role that educators play in shaping preschoolers' eating behaviours. Although PA practices were not associated with children's PA levels, there is a need to reduce sedentary time in childcare centres.

SUBMITTER: Ward S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5777459 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Association between childcare educators' practices and preschoolers' physical activity and dietary intake: a cross-sectional analysis.

Ward Stéphanie S Blanger Mathieu M Donovan Denise D Vatanparast Hassan H Muhajarine Nazeem N Engler-Stringer Rachel R Leis Anne A Humbert M Louise ML Carrier Natalie N

BMJ open 20170530 5

<h4>Introduction</h4>Childcare educators may be role models for healthy eating and physical activity (PA) behaviours among young children. This study aimed to identify which childcare educators' practices are associated with preschoolers' dietary intake and PA levels.<h4>Methods</h4>This cross-sectional analysis included 723 preschoolers from 50 randomly selected childcare centres in two Canadian provinces. All data were collected in the fall of 2013 and 2014 and analysed in the fall of 2015. PA ...[more]

PMID: 28559455

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Project description:ObjectivesChildcare practices determine the child nutritional outcomes, but resources for good practices are unequally distributed across socioeconomic status (SES). This study first examined the associations between social capital and childcare practices separately across SES groups. It then investigated the mediation effect of social capital between SES and childcare practices.DesignThis cross-sectional study used the Short Version of the Adapted Social Capital Assessment Tool to measure structural social capital (group membership, social support and citizenship activities) and cognitive social capital of mothers. Data were analysed using multilevel logistic regressions with random intercepts and mediation modellings.SettingRural Lilongwe, Malawi.ParticipantsA total of 320 mothers with a child aged between 12 months and 23 months.Primary outcome measuresChildcare practice outcomes included were minimum dietary diversity, handwashing and complete vaccination.ResultsAmong structural social capital dimensions, social support was found to be positively associated with minimum dietary diversity (adjusted OR (AOR)=1.44, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.71; p<0.001) and handwashing for all mothers (AOR=1.42, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.64; p<0.001). In the subgroup analysis, the higher SES group had higher odds of meeting the minimum dietary diversity (AOR=1.63, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.26; p=0.01) and handwashing with increased social support (AOR=1.53, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.08; p=0.01) than the lower SES. The mediation effect of social support accounted for 27.3% of the total effect between SES and minimum dietary diversity. Cognitive social capital was negatively associated with vaccination for the lower SES group (AOR=0.07, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.68; p=0.03).ConclusionsTo improve feeding and handwashing practices and to reduce health inequalities in rural Malawi, governments and organisations should consider promoting the value of social support and health. Future research is needed to explain the negative association between cognitive social capital and vaccination among the lower SES group.

Project description:BackgroundEarly childhood educators (ECEs) play a critical role in promoting physical activity (PA) among preschoolers in childcare; thus, PA-related training for ECEs is essential. The Supporting PA in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention incorporated: 1. shorter, more frequent outdoor play sessions; 2. provision of portable play equipment; and, PA training for ECEs. An extension of the SPACE intervention (the SPACE-Extension) incorporated only the shorter, more frequent outdoor play periods component of the original SPACE intervention. The purpose of this study was to explore the individual impact of these interventions on ECEs' PA-related self-efficacy and knowledge.MethodsECEs from the SPACE (n = 83) and SPACE-Extension (n = 31) were administered surveys at all intervention time-points to assess: self-efficacy to engage preschoolers in PA (n = 6 items; scale 0 to 100); self-efficacy to implement the intervention (n = 6 items); and, knowledge of preschooler-specific PA and screen-viewing guidelines (n = 2 items). A linear mixed effects model was used to analyze the impact of each intervention on ECEs' self-efficacy and knowledge and controlled for multiple comparison bias.ResultsThe SPACE intervention significantly impacted ECEs' self-efficacy to engage preschoolers in PA for 180 min/day (main effect), and when outdoor playtime was not an option (interaction effect). Further, the interaction model for ECEs' knowledge of the total PA guideline for preschoolers approached significance when compared to the main effects model. Participants within the SPACE-Extension did not demonstrate any significant changes in self-efficacy or knowledge variables.ConclusionsFindings from this study highlight the benefit of ECE training in PA with regard to fostering their PA-related self-efficacy and knowledge. Future research should explore the impact of PA training for ECEs uniquely in order to determine if this intervention component, alone, can produce meaningful changes in children's PA behaviours at childcare.

Project description:BackgroundPregnant and lactating women are at high risk of insufficient water intake. The cross-sectional study was mainly designed to evaluate the water intake, including total water intake (TWI), plain water intake, and water intake from beverages and foods of 200 pregnant women and 150 breastfeeding women in Beijing.MethodsA semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was employed to assess their dietary intake, TWI, plain water, and water intake from beverages and foods. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted for evaluating the association between water intake and dietary variables.ResultsOn average, the TWI of pregnant and breastfeeding women was 2638?mL/day and 3218?mL/day, respectively. Only 28% of pregnant women and 27% of breastfeeding women were complied with the adequate intake (AI). Water from foods was the greatest contributor to TWI both in pregnant and breastfeeding women. TWI was positively related to some dietary variables (P?<?0.001). For pregnant women, with each 100?kcal/day increase in energy intake, the TWI increased by 67?mL. With each 5?g increase in daily intake of dietary protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber, TWI increased by 72?mL, 66?mL, 22?mL, 353?mL, respectively. When the energy contribution of protein increased by 5%, TWI increased by 210?mL. The each 100?mg increase in daily sodium intake was accompanied with 52?mL increase in TWI. For breastfeeding women, with each 100?kcal/day increase in energy intake, the TWI increased by 54?mL. With each 5?g increase in daily intake of dietary protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber, TWI increased by 53?mL, 58?mL, 16?mL, 212?mL, respectively. The each 100?mg increase in daily sodium intake was accompanied with 54?mL increase in TWI.ConclusionsA large proportion of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Beijing were not adherent to AI for TWI set by Chinese Nutrition Society. Water intake from foods was the greatest contributor to TWI both in pregnant and breastfeeding women, and maternal dietary intake posed impacts on water intake during pregnancy and lactation. More researches are required to assess the water intake and hydration status of the populations.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Parents and their parenting practices play an important role in shaping their children's environment and energy-balance related behaviours (EBRBs). Measurement of parenting practices can be parent- or child-informed, however not much is known about agreement between parent and child perspectives. This study aimed to assess agreement between parent and child reports on parental practices regarding EBRBs across different countries in Europe and to identify correlates of agreement. METHODS: Within the ENERGY-project, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 10-12 year old children and their parents in eight European countries. Both children and parents filled in a questionnaire on 14 parental practices regarding five different EBRBs (i.e. soft drink, fruit juice and breakfast consumption, sports activity and watching TV) and socio-demographic characteristics. Children's anthropometric measurements were taken at school. We calculated percentages of agreement between children and their parents and weighted kappa statistics (for ordinal variables) per practice and country and assessed factors associated with agreement using multilevel linear regression. RESULTS: Reports of 6425 children and their parents were available for analysis. Overall mean agreement between parent and child reports was 43% and varied little among countries. The lowest agreement was found for questions assessing joint parent-child activities, such as sports (27%; Kappa (?)?= 0.14) or watching TV (30%; ? = 0.17), and for parental allowance of the child to have soft drinks (32%; ? = 0.24) or fruit juices (32%; ? = 0.19), or to watch TV (27%; ? = 0.17). Having breakfast products available at home or having a TV in the child's bedroom were the only practices with moderate to good agreement (>60%; ? = 0.06 and 0.77, respectively). In general, agreement was lower for boys, younger children, younger parents, parents with less than 14 years of education, single parents, parents with a higher self-reported body mass index and parents who perceived their child to be underweight. CONCLUSIONS: Parents and children perceive parental practices regarding dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviours differently in all parts of Europe, with considerable variation across specific practices and countries. Therefore, future studies should assess both, parents and children's view on parental practices.

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Association between childcare educators' practices and preschoolers' physical activity and dietary intake: a cross-sectional analysis.

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Association between childcare educators' practices and preschoolers' physical activity and dietary intake: a cross-sectional analysis.

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