An Opportunity to Increase Early Childhood Nutrition Training Among Providers

Abstract

About one-fourth of all toddlers and preschool children in the United States are overweight or at risk of being overweight. Child care providers have the opportunity to influence children’s nutrition early in their development, given the amount of time providers spend with them, particularly during meals. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Academy of Pediatrics have addressed the importance of increasing nutrition education. Implementing policy change to promote training among child care providers is one method to address childhood obesity. AB 290, a bill on child care licensing, was signed into law. This will require incoming child care providers to take 1 hour of early childhood nutrition, as part of the licensing process. The bill will require nutrition training to include information on age-appropriate meal patterns and on participation in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. The passage of AB 290 will help to increase nutrition training among providers, as nutrition education is currently not required. Other states should consider amending child care licensing laws related to nutrition training. Effective childhood obesity prevention legislation addressing the importance of nutrition is one small step that can be taken to combat the obesity epidemic.