Community Partnering to Encourage Healthy Beverage Intake Through Child Care

Beverage consumption is an important determinant of young children's weight, yet few obesity prevention interventions focus comprehensively on encouraging healthy beverage consumption. This quasi-experimental study evaluated whether a childcare-based intervention, combining environmental changes, education/promotion, and policy supports to promote healthy beverage intake, improved at-home beverage consumption and weight status among children ages 2-5 years.

Inappropriate intake of whole milk, fruit juice, and sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with childhood obesity, obesity-related co morbidities, and dental caries, yet there are few proven interventions to promote child intake of healthy beverages consistent with national guidelines. Child care facilities provide a potential venue for influencing healthy beverage intake in children and families. The overall objective of this study is to use principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR; an approach in which researchers partner with community members to conduct research) to develop, pilot test, and examine the acceptability, feasibility, sustainability, and preliminary outcomes of a child care-based intervention to encourage child intake of age-appropriate, guideline-recommended beverages. The central hypothesis is that a multi-level intervention consisting of educational strategies to encourage intake of guideline-recommended beverages; increased accessibility of lead-free, fluoridated, drinking water in child care and at home; and evidence-based child care and home beverage policies will lead to healthier beverage intake and reduced childhood obesity. This hypothesis was tested through a quasi-experimental trial in four child care centers. Centers were randomized to a control (delayed-intervention) condition or to receive a 12-week intervention that promoted consumption of healthy beverages (water, unsweetened low-fat milk) and discouraged consumption of unhealthy beverages (juice, sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat or sweetened milk). The multi-pronged intervention was delivered via child care centers, targeted children, parents, and child care staff, and included education, environmental changes, and policies. Outcomes were measured at baseline and immediately post-intervention and included children's (n =154) at-home beverage consumption (assessed via parental report) and overweight/obese weight status (assessed via objectively measured height and weight).

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Child care centers were eligible if they were in San Mateo County, CA, were licensed, had enrolled at least ten children ages 2-5 years, participated in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP: a federal nutrition assistance program providing funding for meals and snacks), had English or Spanish-speaking staff, and served primarily English or Spanish-speaking families.
2. Two to five-year-old children were eligible if they were enrolled in participating child care facilities.
3. Parents of eligible children were able to participate in beverage intake surveys if they spoke English or Spanish.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Non-center, unlicensed, and higher-income child care facilities were ineligible to participate.
2. Parents unable to speak Spanish/English were excluded.