Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116626

Sara Benjamin, MPH¹, Alice S. Ammerman, DrPH, RD², Janice Sommers, MPH³, and Dianne Ward, EdD³. (1) Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1700 Airport Rd, CB #3417, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3417, 919-966-3927, ssbenja@email.unc.edu, (2) Nutrition/Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1700 Airport Road, CB #8140, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, (3) Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1700 Airport Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

Overweight in preschool age children has increased dramatically in the past ten years. With large numbers of young children attending preschool, sound nutrition and physical activity environments are needed. The Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) project was developed to improve nutrition and physical activity policies and practices in child care settings. Included in the project is an environmental assessment instrument modeled after the Center for Disease Control and Prevention School Health Index. The NAP SACC tool was designed to allow child care settings to self-assess their nutrition and physical activity environments without repercussions from regulatory or licensing groups.

Development of the tool included a comprehensive review of national recommendations, state regulations, and current literature, and included expert review. Nine nutrition and six physical activity areas were identified that had a demonstrated or perceived relationship to childhood overweight, including: 1. Fruits and Vegetables, 2. Fried Foods and High Fat Meats, 3. Beverages, 4. Menus and Variety, 5. Meals and Snacks, 6. Foods Outside of Regular Meals and Snacks, 7. Supporting Healthy Eating, 8. Nutrition Education for Children, Parents and Staff, and 9. Nutrition Policy. 10. Active Play and Inactive Time, 11.TV Use and Viewing, 12. Play Environment, 13.Supporting Physical Activity, 14. Physical Activity Education for Children, Parents and Staff, and 15. Physical Activity Policy. Four response categories, ranging from minimum standard to best practice are available for each question. The instrument was pilot tested in 2003 and reliability and validity testing is currently underway.

Learning Objectives:

• Decribe the development process of a nutrition and physical activity self-assessment instrument.
• Identify the key nutrition and physical activity related issues and behaviors related to childhood overweight in child care settings.
• List credible nutrition and physical activity recommendations and standards for preschool-age children.

Keywords: Child Care, Obesity

Related Web page: www.napsacc.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation