Abstract
Overweight and obesity in childhood is a significant public health issue. Family day care (FDC) offers a setting where good eating habits can be nurtured in young children, yet often the food environment is unhealthy. This study aims to determine FDC educators’ knowledge and confidence about nutrition and the barriers and enablers to supporting healthy food environments. Australian FDC educators were recruited to a mixed methods study using self-administered e-surveys and qualitative in-depth interviews. The survey data (n = 188) revealed good knowledge about sugary foods, but poor knowledge of protein-rich foods. Nutrition knowledge was not associated with confidence to make nutrition recommendations. Interviews (n = 9) revealed parents’ dietary choices and educators’ personal beliefs as barriers to healthy food environments, although importantly, the FDC educator role was identified as being pivotal in supporting the health and wellbeing of children and their families. This study highlights that FDC-specific nutrition education and support is vital to ensure children at FDC and their families are exposed to healthy food environments. Research to investigate specific avenues for nutrition education promotion programs specifically designed to support the unique role played by FDC educators is needed, in order to support the long-term health and welfare of the next generation of Australians.
Highlights
Childhood is a significant developmental period and early life experiences impact adult health
The survey was adapted for the Family day care (FDC) setting from the SNACPlus study, a program that provided professional development and resources to embed in the nutrition curriculum and supportive food environments in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services [20]
This study revealed the fact that nutrition knowledge among FDC educators varies, yet there were some key nutrients for which knowledge was low
Summary
Childhood is a significant developmental period and early life experiences impact adult health. In 2014–2015, 20% of Australian children aged 2–4 years were overweight or affected by obesity, increasing their risk of breathing difficulties, hypertension, insulin resistance, and early markers of cardiovascular disease [1]. Overweight or obesity affected children have an increased risk of carrying this weight status into adulthood [2]. The healthcare costs associated with obesity in childhood are significant [3]. Childhood education and care (ECEC) services are an important health promotion setting, as research suggests an association between children’s attendance and increased risk of overweight/obesity, especially if healthy eating and physical activity are not promoted [4]. In Australia, family day care educators operate from their own homes to provide education and care for small groups of children aged
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