Family Child Care Providers' Nutrition Practices and Policies: Happy Healthy Homes

Abstract

Objective: Determine the impact of family child care home providers' nutrition knowledge, confidence, and perceived barriers on program nutrition best practices and written nutrition policies.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported surveys of 49 female providers in Oklahoma City analyzed with Spearman correlation, multivariate linear and logistic regression (α < 0.05).

Results: Confidence and barriers were significantly correlated (r_s(47) = -0.4, P = 0.004). Independent variables explained 36% of practices (r² = 0.357). Nutrition knowledge (standard β = 0.442, P = 0.001) and confidence (standard β = 0.358, P = 0.008) were significantly associated with practices; barriers were not. No significant association between independent variables and written policies resulted.

Conclusions and implications: Provider nutrition knowledge and confidence appear to be suitable targets to improve nutrition practices. Further research can evaluate possible influences on the presence and quality of family child care home written nutrition policies and specific nutrition policy topics associated with healthier nutrition practices.

Keywords: child; daycare home; nutrition knowledge; preschool; self-efficacy.