Oral

The presentations are based on the two phases of the evaluation of the New York City regulations on Beverages, Physical Activity and Screen Time for Licensed Group Child Care Centers. The primary objective of this project was to conduct an evaluation of the New York City group child care regulations on beverages, physical activity, and screen viewing time. The evaluation provided empirical evidence regarding the level of child care center compliance and the nature of the relationship between compliance with the regulations and child level outcomes related to beverage consumption and physical activity. During Phase I of this project (October 2009 through January 2010), early child care and education centers were recruited from all five boroughs of New York City; in-person surveys were conducted with various child care staff, including child care center directors, teachers, and food service personnel. In addition, a structured environmental assessment was conducted with all participating centers, in-depth interviews were conducted with New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) staff members, and NYC DOHMH records were reviewed. Phase I was designed to assess compliance at the center level. The data collected served as the basis for understanding the degree to which early child care and education centers complied with the regulations and helped to explore the relationship between training, technical assistance and centers’ ability to comply with the regulations. Phase II of the project (April 2010 through June 2010) strengthened the evidence of compliance with the regulations and focused on understanding the regulations’ influence on child-level behaviors through the use of direct observation conducted at the child and center levels. Phase II was conducted in a sub-sample of 110 centers out of the 176 centers that participated in Phase I. Phase II procedures included collecting observational and environmental data within a selected classroom during a 2-day site visit, accounting for data at both the classroom and child levels. Child-level anthropometric data were also collected to assess obesity-related outcomes; and accelerometers were used to measure physical activity levels.

Session Objectives: Describe methodological issues and lessons learned in conducting evaluations of policy-level interventions that target children in child care and similar settings Discuss the child-level outcomes associated with compliance with the New York City regulations concerning beverages and physical activity

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)