Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare Homes
Since food preferences develop during early childhood and contribute to dietary patterns that can track into adulthood, it is critical to support healthy food environments in places where children spend significant amounts of time in, such as childcare. It is important to understand what factors inf...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/5/1368 |
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| author | Alison Tovar Patricia Markham Risica Andrea Ramirez Noereem Mena Ingrid E. Lofgren Kristen Cooksey Stowers Kim M. Gans |
| author_facet | Alison Tovar Patricia Markham Risica Andrea Ramirez Noereem Mena Ingrid E. Lofgren Kristen Cooksey Stowers Kim M. Gans |
| author_sort | Alison Tovar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since food preferences develop during early childhood and contribute to dietary patterns that can track into adulthood, it is critical to support healthy food environments in places where children spend significant amounts of time in, such as childcare. It is important to understand what factors influence the diet quality of children cared for in family childcare homes (FCCH). Methods: This study used baseline data from a cluster-randomized trial in FCCH, Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos. Surveys capturing providers’ socio-demographic characteristics were completed. Food and beverage consumptions were estimated using the Dietary Observation in Childcare protocol, and diet quality was calculated using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015. Comparison of mean HEI scores by provider socio-demographic variables were completed using ANOVAs, followed by multiple linear regression models for significant variables. Post-hoc ANOVA models compared mean HEI-2015 sub-components by income and ethnicity. Results: Significant differences in mean HEI-2015 scores were found for provider income level (less than $25,000, HEI: 64.8 vs. $25,001–$50,000: 62.9 vs. $75,001 or more: 56.2; <i>p</i> = 0.03), ethnicity (Non-Latinx: 56.6 vs. Latinx: 64.4; <i>p</i> = 0.002), language spoken outside of childcare (English: 58.6 vs. Spanish: 64.3, <i>p</i> = 0.005), and language spoken in childcare (English: 59.6 vs. Spanish: 64.4; <i>p</i> = 0.02). In linear regression models, a higher provider income ($75,001 or more) was negatively and significantly associated with the total HEI-2015 scores (β = −9.8, SE = 3.7; <i>p</i> = 0.009) vs. lower income (less than $25,000). When entering provider income and ethnicity to the same model, adjusting for Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP), only ethnicity was significant, with Latinx being positively associated with total HEI-2015 scores vs. non-Latinx (β = 6.5, SE = 2.4; <i>p</i> = 0.007). Statistically significant differences were found by ethnicity and language for greens/beans, total protein, and seafood and plant protein HEI-2015 component scores. Discussion: Lower income, and Latinx providers cared-for children had higher diet quality in FCCH compared to the other providers. Future studies should better understand what specific foods contribute to each of the HEI-2015 components in order to better tailor trainings and interventions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:54:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e08d5bea18e147cc9a4c6b1a81c58409 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:54:56Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-e08d5bea18e147cc9a4c6b1a81c584092023-11-20T00:03:31ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432020-05-01125136810.3390/nu12051368Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare HomesAlison Tovar0Patricia Markham Risica1Andrea Ramirez2Noereem Mena3Ingrid E. Lofgren4Kristen Cooksey Stowers5Kim M. Gans6Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USACenter for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University, South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USADepartment of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USADepartment of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USADepartment of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USADepartment of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, 358 Mansfield Rd, Storrs, CT 06269, USAHuman Development & Family Sciences, 348 Mansfield Road, Unit 1058, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USASince food preferences develop during early childhood and contribute to dietary patterns that can track into adulthood, it is critical to support healthy food environments in places where children spend significant amounts of time in, such as childcare. It is important to understand what factors influence the diet quality of children cared for in family childcare homes (FCCH). Methods: This study used baseline data from a cluster-randomized trial in FCCH, Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos. Surveys capturing providers’ socio-demographic characteristics were completed. Food and beverage consumptions were estimated using the Dietary Observation in Childcare protocol, and diet quality was calculated using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015. Comparison of mean HEI scores by provider socio-demographic variables were completed using ANOVAs, followed by multiple linear regression models for significant variables. Post-hoc ANOVA models compared mean HEI-2015 sub-components by income and ethnicity. Results: Significant differences in mean HEI-2015 scores were found for provider income level (less than $25,000, HEI: 64.8 vs. $25,001–$50,000: 62.9 vs. $75,001 or more: 56.2; <i>p</i> = 0.03), ethnicity (Non-Latinx: 56.6 vs. Latinx: 64.4; <i>p</i> = 0.002), language spoken outside of childcare (English: 58.6 vs. Spanish: 64.3, <i>p</i> = 0.005), and language spoken in childcare (English: 59.6 vs. Spanish: 64.4; <i>p</i> = 0.02). In linear regression models, a higher provider income ($75,001 or more) was negatively and significantly associated with the total HEI-2015 scores (β = −9.8, SE = 3.7; <i>p</i> = 0.009) vs. lower income (less than $25,000). When entering provider income and ethnicity to the same model, adjusting for Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP), only ethnicity was significant, with Latinx being positively associated with total HEI-2015 scores vs. non-Latinx (β = 6.5, SE = 2.4; <i>p</i> = 0.007). Statistically significant differences were found by ethnicity and language for greens/beans, total protein, and seafood and plant protein HEI-2015 component scores. Discussion: Lower income, and Latinx providers cared-for children had higher diet quality in FCCH compared to the other providers. Future studies should better understand what specific foods contribute to each of the HEI-2015 components in order to better tailor trainings and interventions.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/5/1368diet qualitychildcarehealthy eating index |
| spellingShingle | Alison Tovar Patricia Markham Risica Andrea Ramirez Noereem Mena Ingrid E. Lofgren Kristen Cooksey Stowers Kim M. Gans Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare Homes Nutrients diet quality childcare healthy eating index |
| title | Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare Homes |
| title_full | Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare Homes |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare Homes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare Homes |
| title_short | Exploring the Provider-Level Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet Quality of Preschool-Aged Children Attending Family Childcare Homes |
| title_sort | exploring the provider level socio demographic determinants of diet quality of preschool aged children attending family childcare homes |
| topic | diet quality childcare healthy eating index |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/5/1368 |
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