Abstract
Background
Family child-care homes (FCCHs) are an important provider of nonparental child care
for low-income families. Little is known about the quality of nutrition and physical
activity environments of FCCHs in the southern United States, where child obesity
and child poverty levels are high.
Objectives
To assess the quality of the nutrition and physical activity environments of a sample
of FCCHs in Mississippi and examine the differences by urban vs rural location.
Design
Cross-sectional study.
Participants/setting
Data were from a random sample of 134 FCCHs that enroll children aged 3 to 5 years.
The sample was stratified by urban vs rural location and participation in the Child
and Adult Care Food Program. Providers completed a modified version of the Environment
and Policy Assessment and Observation-Self Report tool by mail and reported on provisions,
practices, policies, and the general FCCH nutrition and physical activity environment.
Main outcome measures
A nutrition environment score (range=0 to18), physical activity environment score
(range=0 to 24), and a combined nutrition and physical activity environment score
(range=0 to 42) were calculated from Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation-Self
Report tool data.
Statistical analyses performed
Descriptive statistics and t tests were computed, with statistical significance set at P≤0.05.
Results
Average scores for the nutrition, physical activity, and combined nutrition and physical
activity environment were 9.4, 11.1, and 20.5, respectively. The average nutrition
environment score (9.6 vs 9.2; P=0.39) and physical activity environment score (11.3 vs 11.0; P=0.62) did not differ between urban and rural homes. The combined nutrition and physical
activity scores (20.8 vs 20.2; P=0.50) also did not differ between urban and rural homes.
Conclusions
Findings highlight the need to improve the nutrition and physical activity environments
of FCCHs, regardless of geographic location. Further research is needed to understand
barriers to providing higher-quality nutrition and physical activity environments.
Keywords
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Biography
T. Erinosho is a research assistant professor, Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Biography
D. Hales is a research assistant professor, Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Biography
D. Ward is a professor, Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Biography
A. Vaughn is associate director, The Children's Healthy Weight Research Group, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Biography
Z. Gizlice is retired; at the time of the study, he was director, Biostatistical Support Unit, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 29, 2019
Accepted:
November 13,
2018
Received:
April 16,
2018
Footnotes
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
FUNDING/SUPPORT The authors thank Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, for providing grant funds to support this study.
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
