Nutrition Knowledge and Perspectives of Physical Activity for Pre-Schoolers amongst Early Childhood Education and Care Teachers

Abstract

<jats:p>Caregivers’ nutrition and physical activity knowledge is recognised as being important for children’s health and body size. Identifying knowledge gaps amongst caregivers may inform professional development and obesity-prevention strategies in childcare settings. This cross-sectional validated online questionnaire aimed to measure current early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers’ nutrition knowledge for pre-schoolers (2–5-year-olds) and related perspectives. Teachers’ (n = 386) knowledge of nutrition was lacking: The overall score was 22.56 ± 2.83 (mean ± SD), or 61% correct. Increased years of experience significantly predicted an increase in knowing that national nutrition and physical activity guidelines exist (B = 0.02 [95% CI, 0.00–0.03], r2 = 0.13, p = 0.033). Teachers’ increased agreement in feeling they were confident talking about nutrition to parents significantly predicted an increase in overall nutrition knowledge scores (B = 0.34 [95% CI, 0.06–0.63], r2 = 0.15, p = 0.019). The belief that ECEC teachers play a vital role in promoting pre-schoolers’ healthy eating and physical activity was widespread. Common knowledge barriers included a lack of staff training, confidence, and resources. ECEC teachers may lack nutrition knowledge for pre-schoolers, particularly in regard to basic nutrition recommendations (servings, food/beverage choices, and portion sizes).</jats:p>

The Development of a Psychometrically Valid and Reliable Questionnaire to Assess Nutrition Knowledge Related to Pre-Schoolers

“…This study is the first to develop a psychometrically valid and reliable ECEC teachers' nutrition knowledge for preschoolers questionnaire for use in New Zealand. It is intended that this tool be used by researchers, practitioners or ECEC providers aiming to investigate ECEC teachers' nutrition knowledge and related perspectives; as we have demonstrated elsewhere [53]. Identifying knowledge gaps is a first step for providing ECEC teachers with the relevant knowledge to support and implement children's healthy eating practices whilst in childcare.…”

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions and the Impact of a Nutrition-Integrated Pilot Curriculum

“…A critical barrier to implementation of nutrition education is a teacher's motivation to engage in this type of extra-role behavior (Hall et al, 2016;Rapson, Conlon, & Ali, 2020). Perera et al (2015) conducted a cross-sectional anonymous survey among 106 teachers, wherein the teachers expressed their feelings towards the importance of nutrition education and the barriers of implementing nutrition education.…”

Nutrition education incorporation into mainstream primary school curriculum in Ghana: Stakeholders’ sources of nutrition information and perceived barriers

“…These major international policies have trickled down into national educational policies with the aim of developing Nutrition Education (NE) within the school system. While these major policies have often generated a lot of interest among stakeholders, there is sufficient evidence to show that NE policies have not produced expected results in the school environment, due to varied reasons including underfunded and under-resourced NE programs in schools [ 11 , 13 ]. In Ghana, for example, a comparison of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Guidelines for Nutrition Education in Primary Schools for Developing Countries and Ghana’s Primary School Teaching syllabus shows shortfalls in the curriculum [ 14 , 15 ]: the policy brief on Primary School Teaching in Ghana does not explicitly mention a NE policy to guide actors within the school environment [ 15 ].…”