title: Family child care home providers as role models for children: Cause for concern?
abstract: Health behaviors associated with chronic disease, particularly healthy eating and regular physical activity, are important role modeling opportunities for individuals working in child care programs. Prior studies have not explored these risk factors in family child care home (FCCH) providers which care for vulnerable and at-risk populations. To address this gap, we describe the socio-demographic and health risk behavior profiles in a sample of providers (n = 166 FCCH) taken from baseline data of an ongoing cluster-randomized controlled intervention (2011-2016) in North Carolina. Data were collected during on-site visits where providers completed self-administered questionnaires (socio-demographics, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, number of hours of sleep per night and perceived stress) and had their height and weight measured. A risk score (range: 0-6; 0 no risk to 6 high risk) was calculated based on how many of the following were present: not having health insurance, being overweight/obese, not meeting physical activity, fruit and vegetable, and sleep recommendations, and having high stress. Mean and frequency distributions of participant and FCCH characteristics were calculated. Close to one third (29.3%) of providers reported not having health insurance. Almost all providers (89.8%) were overweight or obese with approximately half not meeting guidelines for physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and sleep. Over half reported a "high" stress score. The mean risk score was 3.39 (± 1.2), with close to half of the providers having a risk score of 4, 5 or 6 (45.7%). These results stress the need to promote the health of these important care providers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, United States.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tovar
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 1700 Airport Rd., CB 7426, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7426, United States.
authors.forename: Amber E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 1700 Airport Rd., CB 7426, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7426, United States.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grummon
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 1700 Airport Rd., CB 7426, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7426, United States.
authors.forename: Regan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burney
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Gilling's School of Global Public Health,170 Rosenau Hall, CB #7400, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400, United States.
authors.forename: Temitope
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Erinosho
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, United States.
authors.forename: Truls
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Østbye
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 1700 Airport Rd., CB 7426, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7426, United States; University of North Carolina Gilling's School of Global Public Health,170 Rosenau Hall, CB #7400, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400, United States.
authors.forename: Dianne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ward
keywords: Child care; Chronic disease risk; Family child care homes; Obesity; Role modeling