We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
An implementation intervention to encourage healthy eating in centre-based child-care services: impact of the Good for Kids Good for Life programme.
- Authors
Bell, A Colin; Davies, Lynda; Finch, Meghan; Wolfenden, Luke; Francis, J Lynn; Sutherland, Rachel; Wiggers, John
- Abstract
ObjectiveTo determine the impact of an implementation intervention designed to introduce policies and practices supportive of healthy eating in centre-based child-care services. Intervention strategies included staff training, resources, incentives, follow-up support, and performance monitoring and feedback.DesignA quasi-experimental design was used to assess change over 20 months in healthy eating policy and practice in intervention and comparison child-care services.SettingThe Hunter New England (HNE) region of New South Wales (NSW), Australia.SubjectsAll centre-based child-care services (n 287) in the intervention region (HNE) were invited and 240 (91 % response rate) participated. Two hundred and ninety-six services in the rest of NSW were randomly selected as a comparison region and 191 participated (76 % response rate). A sub-analysis was conducted on those services that provided children food (n 196 at baseline and n 190 at follow-up). Ninety-six provided menus for analysis at baseline (HNE, n 36; NSW, n 50) and 102 provided menus at follow-up (HNE, n 50; NSW, n 52).ResultsServices in the intervention region were significantly more likely to provide only plain milk and water for children (P = 0·018) and to engage parents in nutrition policy or programmes (P = 0·002). They were also more likely (P = 0·056) to have nutrition policy on home packed food. In addition, menus of services that provided lunch were significantly more likely to comply with healthy eating guidelines for sweetened drinks (P < 0·001), fruit (P < 0·001) and vegetables (P = 0·01).ConclusionsAn implementation intervention was able to modify policy and practice in a large number of child-care services so that they were more supportive of healthy eating.
- Subjects
NEW South Wales; CHILD care services; HEALTH programs; CHILD nutrition; MENUS; COMPARATIVE studies
- Publication
Public Health Nutrition, 2015, Vol 18, Issue 9, p1610
- ISSN
1368-9800
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1017/S1368980013003364