Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand
Abstract Objective: To investigate written policies, equipment, strategies and barriers to children's activity in early childhood education settings, including participation in health promotion programs and reported time children spend in active play and using screens while in care. Methods: Cr...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2016-08-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12529 |
| _version_ | 1797764567506354176 |
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| author | Sarah Gerritsen Susan M.B. Morton Clare R. Wall |
| author_facet | Sarah Gerritsen Susan M.B. Morton Clare R. Wall |
| author_sort | Sarah Gerritsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: To investigate written policies, equipment, strategies and barriers to children's activity in early childhood education settings, including participation in health promotion programs and reported time children spend in active play and using screens while in care. Methods: Cross‐sectional online survey of licensed childcare services in Auckland and Waikato. Policies were scored using a validated tool (WellCCAT‐NZ). Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression. Results: Managers, head teachers or similar from 237 services completed the survey (28% of invited services). Of these, 35% had a written activity policy; most policies scored low on the WellCCAT‐NZ. Comprehensive and strongly worded policies were associated with a lower adult‐to‐child ratio (p=0.03, adjusted for ECE characteristics). No policies addressed screen use. Children were reported to have teacher‐led activity 80 minutes/day, and child‐led activity five hours/day (indoor and outdoor). Children watched television daily in 2% and weekly in 11% the services; and used computers daily in 11% and weekly in 22% of services. Fewer than half of services participated in health promotion programs with a physical activity component. Conclusions: Childcare services reported having adequate equipment, space and time for physical activity of children; however, there are low participation rates in activity programs and a notable absence of written policy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:57:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-166173e3740c4427a49dcad599056ec9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:57:36Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-166173e3740c4427a49dcad599056ec92023-08-02T02:39:43ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052016-08-0140431932510.1111/1753-6405.12529Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New ZealandSarah Gerritsen0Susan M.B. Morton1Clare R. Wall2School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences University of Auckland New ZealandCentre for Longitudinal Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences University of Auckland New ZealandDiscipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences University of Auckland New ZealandAbstract Objective: To investigate written policies, equipment, strategies and barriers to children's activity in early childhood education settings, including participation in health promotion programs and reported time children spend in active play and using screens while in care. Methods: Cross‐sectional online survey of licensed childcare services in Auckland and Waikato. Policies were scored using a validated tool (WellCCAT‐NZ). Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression. Results: Managers, head teachers or similar from 237 services completed the survey (28% of invited services). Of these, 35% had a written activity policy; most policies scored low on the WellCCAT‐NZ. Comprehensive and strongly worded policies were associated with a lower adult‐to‐child ratio (p=0.03, adjusted for ECE characteristics). No policies addressed screen use. Children were reported to have teacher‐led activity 80 minutes/day, and child‐led activity five hours/day (indoor and outdoor). Children watched television daily in 2% and weekly in 11% the services; and used computers daily in 11% and weekly in 22% of services. Fewer than half of services participated in health promotion programs with a physical activity component. Conclusions: Childcare services reported having adequate equipment, space and time for physical activity of children; however, there are low participation rates in activity programs and a notable absence of written policy.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12529obesity preventionphysical activity environmentchild obesitypreschoolday care |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Gerritsen Susan M.B. Morton Clare R. Wall Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health obesity prevention physical activity environment child obesity preschool day care |
| title | Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand |
| title_full | Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand |
| title_fullStr | Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand |
| title_short | Physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare: results from a survey of early childhood education services in New Zealand |
| title_sort | physical activity and screen use policy and practices in childcare results from a survey of early childhood education services in new zealand |
| topic | obesity prevention physical activity environment child obesity preschool day care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12529 |
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