Body mass index (BMI) screenings are conducted as part of Head Start's (HS) health and nutrition assessments. Weight status classifications, which rely on the accuracy of the BMI measurements, are communicated to caregivers to engage them in health behavior change. Limited qualitative research has been conducted on the procedures for BMI…

Purpose/Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of teachers regarding food allergies. This project highlighted the importance of training teachers and incorporating food allergy management and protocols to keep children with food allergies safe and in an inclusive environment at school. Methods: A…

Barriers and supports to nutrition education in the early childhood classroom are most often presented from in-service teachers' perspective. Little work has been done to understand pre-service early childhood educators' perceptions of barriers and supports before entering the classroom. The purpose of this study was to identify early childhood…

For centuries we have been using food for our well-being and health maintenance. As far back as Hippocrates (known as the father of medicine), food has been a center stone used as the good or suffering of humanity. The Bible references food and fasting, cleansing and revitalization to heal the spirit. Before the scientific discovery of synthetic…

This research was carried out to evaluate the activities in the Ministry of National Education Preschool Education Program Activity Book and Digital Education Platform Educational Information Network Teachers' Preschool Activity Book, in terms of outcomes, indicators and learning processes related to food and nutrition. In this research, document…

Our study examined the relationship between improved personal health behaviors of Head Start teachers and the promotion of positive health behaviors in their classrooms. Thirty-three Head Start teachers across seven centers received six 30-min nutrition education lessons. Dietary intake, physical activity, and self-efficacy for promoting positive…

Children's food preferences are strongly associated with their consumption patterns. Children tend to choose foods with which they are familiar. It is proposed that the earlier and broader the experience with food, the healthier the child's or adult´s diet. In a focus group we developed a toolkit consisting of a training course for kindergarten…

Train-the-Trainer (TTT) methodology uses an expert to train a non-expert on how to implement an intervention and is often used by Cooperative Extension personnel for delivery of programs in the natural setting. In these interventions using multiple educators and/or non-experts, a measure of implementation (fidelity of implementation) is necessary…

Background: Early care and education settings (ECE) are potential venues for young children to develop healthy lifestyle habits. The study assesses training needs and associations with relevant practices of licensed ECE providers across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Methods: A random sample of 823 providers completed a 97-item survey assessing…

Food neophobia, defined as an unwillingness to consume novel and unfamiliar foods, is common in young children. Assessment of neophobia can be a challenge with this audience. With the increase in nutrition interventions focused on the young child, valid and reliable measures to assess willingness to try new foods that can be administered in groups…

This study aimed to understand early childhood pre-service teachers' thoughts and experiences with nutrition education in their undergraduate program and how these experiences play into their perceptions and future use of nutrition education within their own classrooms. Using phenomenology, 11 in-depth telephonic interviews were conducted with…

Schools are recognized as important locales for education and action to change food-related environmental and health behaviours. Research shows the potential for a whole school systems approach to integrate educational activities, food in school, and wider food-related interactions. However, little attention has been given to how theory is put…

This study investigated the food consumption and nutrition perceptions of pre-service early childhood teachers using a mixed method research design. Data was gathered from 37 pre-service early childhood teachers through survey consisting of items in rating scale and open-ended questions. Descriptive analyses were conducted to report pre-service…

Parents play a significant role in molding their children's nutrition knowledge and behavior. The purpose of the present study was to explore parental influence on preschooler's nutrition education from the perspectives of North Carolina-based Head Start coordinators and teachers. Investigators conducted 63 in-depth, structured interviews with…

The main purpose of the study described in this article was to test the effectiveness of Little Books and Little Cooks, a 7-week integrated nutrition and parenting education intervention designed to improve eating habits of families, strengthen relationships between parents and their children, and improve preschoolers' cooking skills. Participant…