Impact of a worksite wellness program on the nutrition and physical activity environment of child care centers

Abstract

Purpose: To test whether implementing a staff wellness program affects the nutrition and physical activity environment at child care centers.

Design: Quasi-experimental controlled trial.

Setting: Child care centers in low income neighborhoods in California.

Subjects: Eighty-two staff members at 13 centers completed the study.

Intervention: Intervention and control groups received training and education about nutrition and physical activity. The intervention group also participated in a worksite wellness program.

Measures: Staff members' personal health habits, self-efficacy in working with families on nutrition and physical activity, and changes in children's food and physical activity environments were assessed.

Analysis: Statistical software was used to analyze change scores for pre-post measures and to test differences for end point-only measures.

Results: Although significant differences in staff members' personal health behaviors were not observed, staff from intervention sites exhibited more positive changes in their comfort level in talking to parents about nutrition and physical activity. Intervention sites reported providing more fresh fruits (p = .004) and vegetables (p = .03) to children as part of regular meals and snacks and serving more fresh fruits (p = .05) at children's celebrations. Control sites reported greater increases in sweetened foods (p = .02) and sweetened beverages (p = .05) at children's celebrations.

Conclusion: The wellness intervention shows promise in improving the children's food environment in a child care setting.