Policy Intervention to Increase Physical Activity Among Early Childcare and Education Programs

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About 60% of kids under the age of 6 are placed in some form of non-parental care-early childcare and education (ECE)-during the work week. Thus, these settings are promising environments to provide obesity-prevention resources and establish physical activity habits early in childhood, particularly for Latino kids who are at greater risk for obesity-related health problems than their white peers.

In 2012, researchers in Wisconsin developed a year-long, quasi-experimental study to examine the efficacy of the Active Early guide, an 80-page guide developed by experts and statewide partners in the fields of ECE, public health, and physical activity, to improve physical activity opportunities in ECE settings using low- to no-cost strategies along with training and environmental changes.

Active Early promoted improvements in providing structured (i.e. teacher-led) physical activity beyond the recommended 60 daily minutes.

• Observed teacher-led physical activity significantly increased from 30.9 ± 22.7 minutes at baseline to 82.3 ± 41.3 minutes.
• Percent time children spent in sedentary activity decreased significantly (−4.4 ± 14.2 % time, −29.2 ± 2.6 minutes).
• As teacher led-activity increased, percent time children were sedentary decreased and percent time spent in light physical activity increased.
• The physical activity environment and policies were assessed using the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) instrument and improved significantly:
  • Training and Education (2.4 ± 3.8 at baseline to 14.5 ± 6.5 at 12-months)
  • Physical Activity Policy (2.0 ± 4.1 at baseline to 18.6 ± 4.6 at 12-months)

Read more about how ECE settings can help Latino kids achieve a healthy weight by kindergarten.

Colorado stepped up obesity prevention in ECE settings. Read about it here.

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