Work

Implementing the New Child and Adult Care Food Program’s Nutrition Standards in Boston

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: In 2017, the US Department of Agriculture's Child and Adult Care Food Program's (CACFP's) nutrition standards were updated to improve nutrition and meal quality while remaining feasible for child care providers to implement. We conducted a pre-post study of 13 family child care home (FCCH) providers in Boston, Massachusetts, to compare reported opportunities for training and technical assistance and knowledge of new nutrition standards before the effective date of the updates (October 1, 2017) and 1 year later. The McNemar test was used to test for differences in provider responses. Few FCCH providers received training or technical assistance or had knowledge of most new standards at baseline or at follow-up; however, provider-reported knowledge of the whole-grain standard improved over time (from 6 providers to 12 providers) (P = .03). One year post implementation, FCCH providers still needed additional training, technical assistance, or other support to meet the new nutrition standards for meals served to children.

Source: Preventing Chronic Disease

DOI: 10.5888/pcd17.190426

Authors: Mary Kathryn Poole, Angie L. Cradock, Erica L. Kenney

Institution: Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases