The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) urges policymakers to help prevent childhood obesity by improving state regulations for early care and education (ECE) settings related to child nutrition, physical activity, and screen time. More than three quarters of preschoolaged children in the USA attend ECE settings, and many spend up to 40 h per week under ECE care. ECE settings provide meals and snacks, as well as opportunities for increasing daily physical activity and reducing sedentary screen time. However, many states' current policies do not adequately address these important elements of obesity prevention. A growing number of cities and states, child health organizations, medical and early childhood associations, and academic researchers are beginning to identify specific elements of policy and regulations that could transform ECE settings into environments that contribute to obesity prevention. Let's Move! Child Care recommends a set of straightforward regulations addressing nutrition, physical activity, and screen time in ECE settings. These emerging models provide local and state leaders with concrete steps to implement obesity prevention initiatives. We provide a set of recommendations based upon these models that will help state and local policymakers to improve current policies in ECE settings.
KEYWORDSEarly care and education, Child care, Obesity, Prevention, Health Policy
INTRODUCTIONIn the USA, approximately 76 % of children ages 3-5 years attend early care and education (ECE) [1]. ECE settings include preschools, child care centers, day care homes/family homes, Head Start, and prekindergarten programs. Children of working parents spend nearly 40 h per week in ECE [1]. ECE settings typically provide 1-2 meals and snacks on average per day [2] and also provide opportunities to be physically active and reduce overall screen time. Given that nearly 23 % of American children ages 2-5 years are overweight or obese [3], ECE settings represent an
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