Abstract：
BACKGROUND: For many young children, early childcare and education (ECE) programs are the only source of nutritious meals and physical activity (PA); however, the COVID-19 pandemic led to program closures, restrictions, and changed practices.
OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in nutrition and PA-related best practices in ECE settings in Illinois from 2019, just prior to the pandemic, as compared to 2022. We also examined how changes over time varied by program type (ie, centers vs homes), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) status, and/or Head Start/Early Head Start status.
METHODS: The study design is a repeated cross-sectional survey administered in December 2019 and October 2022.
METHODS: State of Illinois.
METHODS: A total of 888 and 1162 ECE providers completed initial and follow-up surveys, respectively.
METHODS: NA.
METHODS: Provider report of meeting 14 nutrition and 9 PA-related best practices.
RESULTS: Overall, 9 nutrition-related best practices were maintained and 5 declined over time. Centers, CACFP, and Head Start providers reported significant declines in meeting nutrition-related practices over time. A total of 8 PA-related best practices were maintained and 1 declined over time. Centers reported a significant decline in 5 of the PA-related best practices over time, and these declines were significantly different than in homes over time. Similarly, Head Start programs reported a decline in 4 PA-related best practices over time, and the change was significantly different from non-Head Start programs in 3 of the 4 practices.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study should be considered a new baseline for ECE nutrition and PA-related best practices in Illinois and should serve as a wake-up call for advocates nationwide with regard to the provision of nutrition and PA-related best practices in centers and by CACFP and Head Start providers postpandemic.
OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in nutrition and PA-related best practices in ECE settings in Illinois from 2019, just prior to the pandemic, as compared to 2022. We also examined how changes over time varied by program type (ie, centers vs homes), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) status, and/or Head Start/Early Head Start status.
METHODS: The study design is a repeated cross-sectional survey administered in December 2019 and October 2022.
METHODS: State of Illinois.
METHODS: A total of 888 and 1162 ECE providers completed initial and follow-up surveys, respectively.
METHODS: NA.
METHODS: Provider report of meeting 14 nutrition and 9 PA-related best practices.
RESULTS: Overall, 9 nutrition-related best practices were maintained and 5 declined over time. Centers, CACFP, and Head Start providers reported significant declines in meeting nutrition-related practices over time. A total of 8 PA-related best practices were maintained and 1 declined over time. Centers reported a significant decline in 5 of the PA-related best practices over time, and these declines were significantly different than in homes over time. Similarly, Head Start programs reported a decline in 4 PA-related best practices over time, and the change was significantly different from non-Head Start programs in 3 of the 4 practices.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study should be considered a new baseline for ECE nutrition and PA-related best practices in Illinois and should serve as a wake-up call for advocates nationwide with regard to the provision of nutrition and PA-related best practices in centers and by CACFP and Head Start providers postpandemic.
摘要：
背景：对于许多年幼的孩子来说，早期儿童保育和教育（ECE）计划是营养餐和体育锻炼（PA）的唯一来源；但是，COVID-19大流行导致项目关闭，限制,和改变的做法。
目标：从2019年大流行之前，研究伊利诺伊州ECE环境中营养和PA相关最佳实践的变化，与2022年相比。我们还研究了随时间变化的程序类型(即，中心vs房屋)，儿童和成人护理食品计划（CACFP）状态，和/或提前开始/提前开始状态。
方法：研究设计是在2019年12月和2022年10月进行的重复横断面调查。
方法：伊利诺伊州。
方法：共有888和1162个ECE提供者完成了初始和后续调查，分别。
方法：NA。
方法：提供者报告满足14种营养和9种PA相关的最佳实践。
结果：总体而言，9种与营养相关的最佳做法得到维持，5种随着时间的推移而下降。中心,CACFP,和HeadStart提供者报告说，随着时间的推移，满足营养相关实践的人数显着下降。随着时间的推移，总共维持了8种与PA相关的最佳做法，其中1种有所下降。中心报告说，随着时间的推移，与PA相关的5种最佳实践大幅下降，随着时间的推移，这些下降与家庭显著不同。同样，HeadStart计划报告说，随着时间的推移，4种与PA相关的最佳实践有所下降，并且在4种实践中的3种实践中，该变化与非HeadStart计划显着不同。
结论：这项研究的结果应被视为伊利诺伊州ECE营养和PA相关最佳实践的新基准，并应在大流行后由CACFP和HeadStart提供者在中心提供营养和PA相关最佳实践方面为全国倡导者敲响警钟。
目标：从2019年大流行之前，研究伊利诺伊州ECE环境中营养和PA相关最佳实践的变化，与2022年相比。我们还研究了随时间变化的程序类型(即，中心vs房屋)，儿童和成人护理食品计划（CACFP）状态，和/或提前开始/提前开始状态。
方法：研究设计是在2019年12月和2022年10月进行的重复横断面调查。
方法：伊利诺伊州。
方法：共有888和1162个ECE提供者完成了初始和后续调查，分别。
方法：NA。
方法：提供者报告满足14种营养和9种PA相关的最佳实践。
结果：总体而言，9种与营养相关的最佳做法得到维持，5种随着时间的推移而下降。中心,CACFP,和HeadStart提供者报告说，随着时间的推移，满足营养相关实践的人数显着下降。随着时间的推移，总共维持了8种与PA相关的最佳做法，其中1种有所下降。中心报告说，随着时间的推移，与PA相关的5种最佳实践大幅下降，随着时间的推移，这些下降与家庭显著不同。同样，HeadStart计划报告说，随着时间的推移，4种与PA相关的最佳实践有所下降，并且在4种实践中的3种实践中，该变化与非HeadStart计划显着不同。
结论：这项研究的结果应被视为伊利诺伊州ECE营养和PA相关最佳实践的新基准，并应在大流行后由CACFP和HeadStart提供者在中心提供营养和PA相关最佳实践方面为全国倡导者敲响警钟。
