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Abstract #146285

Mindy Hu, RD, MPH¹, Candace Young, MS², Zachary Brown¹, Rebecca Lee, MPH³, Lilia Bayley, BA⁴, Jose Quintana, BS⁵, and Darrin O. Taylor, BA⁵. (1) Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette St., CN#46, New York, NY 10007, 212-442-1854, mhu@health.nyc.gov, (2) Bureau of Chronic Disease, Physical Activity and Nutrition Program, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette, New York, NY 10007, (3) East & Central Harlem District Public Health Office, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 158 East 115th Street 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10029, (4) Brooklyn District Public Health Office, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 485 Throop Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11221, (5) Bronx District Public Health Office, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 1826 Arthur Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has found that obesity begins early: 27% of children in city Head Start programs are obese. Increasing the quantity and quality of physical activity is one strategy to help curb the rising obesity epidemic.

DOHMH provides day care staff with training in a physical activity curriculum for early childhood. The curriculum (SPARK Early Childhood) is designed to provide high energy, academically integrated, enjoyable activities for children ages 3-5. Training first began three years ago in day cares in the South Bronx, North and Central Brooklyn, and East and Central Harlem, where obesity rates are the highest in the city. In 2006, the training program was expanded to additional neighborhoods which also have a high prevalence of obesity, including Washington Heights, Jamaica Queens, and Staten Island.

Coinciding with this expansion, the New York City Health Code was amended to require 60 minutes per day of physical activity for children 12 months and older in full-day day care programs. For children ages three or older, at least 30 of these minutes must be structured and guided physical activity led by a teacher. Training in the physical activity curriculum enables teachers to fulfill the new requirements for structured physical activity.

As of January 1, 2007, approximately 2000 staff from 500 day cares (30% of licensed day care sites) have been trained in the curriculum. DOHMH's efforts represent an interface been mutually supportive programming and policy/environmental approaches to address child obesity.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe a strategy for enabling teachers and child care providers to increase physical activity in early childhood.
• Identify a policy to increase physical activity in day care settings.

Keywords: Physical Activity,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.