Date of Publication

1-20-2016

Abstract

Introduction:

1 in 5 Vermont children experience food insecurity. Inadequate nutrition threatens cognitive, social, and emotional development in the first years of life.

49.1% of Vermont children arrive at kindergarten underprepared. It has been shown that undernourished children have reduced activity levels and withdraw from their environment, removing them from critical learning opportunities and social interactions.

Supporting the provision of healthy food in early childcare programs may help address the issue of food insecurity and promote healthy childhood development.

Currently, there are no existing data on both Vermont childcare providers and parents of these children on their perceptions of the importance of providing food in early childcare programs as well as the associated benefits and barriers to do so.

Advisor(s)

Alison Howe, MS University of Vermont College of Medicine

Katy Davis, MA, Hunger Free Vermont

Sarah Kenney, MA, Let's Grow Kids

Agency

Hunger Free Vermont and Let's Grow Kids

Subjects

Access to Health Services, Health-Related Quality of Life & Well-Being, Early and Middle Childhood, Maternal, Infant, and Child Health, Educational and Community-Based Programs, Social Determinants of Health

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License

Nutrition in Early Childcare Programs: The Benefits and Barriers
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