Date of Publication

1-24-2012

Abstract

Introdction: • The prevalence of overweight / obese children aged 2-5 in the United States is 21.2%. The National Center of Health Statistics estimates a 30% increase in the prevalence of obesity between 2001 and 2004. • The Vermont Department of Health estimates that about 30% of low income children between 2 and 5 years of age are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. • Physical activity programming at child care centers is the most important predictor of physical activity in preschool-aged children, more important than the child’s socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. • Although the National Association for Sports and Physical Education offers some guidelines, there are no clear recommendations for physical activity in childcare settings in Vermont and nationwide.

Advisor(s)

Janice Gallant, MD, University of Vermont College of Medicine

Sarah Adams-Kollitz, Burlington Children's Space

Agency

Burlington Children's Space

Subjects

Early and Middle Childhood, Educational and Community-Based Programs, Health Communication and Health Information Technology, Nutrition and Weight Status, Physical Activity, Social Determinants of Health, Maternal, Infant, and Child Health

Creative Commons License

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

A Community Model to Improve Physical Activity in Children

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