Obesity prevention in the early care and education setting: successful initiatives across a spectrum of opportunities.
With an estimated 12.1% of children aged 2-5 years already obese, prevention efforts must target our youngest children. One of the best places to reach young children for such efforts is the early care and education setting (ECE). More than 11 million U.S. children spend an average of 30 hours per week in ECE facilities. Increased attention at the national, state, and community level on the ECE setting for early obesity prevention efforts has sparked a range of innovative efforts. To assist these efforts, CDC developed a technical assistance and training framework - the Spectrum of Opportunities for Obesity Prevention in the ECE setting - which also served as the organizing framework for the Weight of the Nation ECE track. Participants highlighted their efforts at national, state, and local levels pursuing opportunities on the Spectrum, the standards and best practices that had been the emphasis of their efforts, and common steps for developing, implementing, and evaluating initiatives. Strong leadership and collaboration among a broad group of stakeholders; systematic assessment of needs, opportunities and resources; funding sources; and training and professional development were reported to be integral for successful implementation of standards and best practices, and sustainability.
Applied Research and Guidelines Development Team Lead in the Obesity Prevention and Control Branch, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA.
Meredith A
MA
Reynolds
Caree
C
Jackson Cotwright
Barbara
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Polhamus
Allison
A
Gertel-Rosenberg
Debbie
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Chang
D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D063105:Food Assistance; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D014481:United States