Summary of the Report of Findings; Central and Northern Michigan Child Care Providers' Views of and Experiences with Healthy Weight and Physical Activities in Preschool Children. Pretest Evaluation of the "Healthy Weight in Preschool Children" Project. A Study Prepared by Central Michigan University's Center for Applied Research and Rural Studies for CMU Public Broadcasting and Community Coordinated Child Care; May 2003.

  • Slightly less than one half of the respondents are employed by licensed preschools, with more than one third being involved with day care centers, and one quarter with Head Start programs. Centers are most likely to serve children between three and five years of age. More than three quarters of centers do serve at least some families receiving assistance from the Family Independence Agency, although only slightly more than one third participate in State of Michigan food programs. Centers employ, on average, only four full-time staff members.
  • Child care providers are highly educated with almost 60 percent being at least college graduates. More than 70 percent have received special training in nutrition or meal planning; more than 80 percent have received special training in organizing physical activities for children.
  • In about one half of centers meals are prepared on site, and in most centers the individual responsible for meal planning has received specialized training in nutrition or meal planning.
  • Almost three quarters of centers serve a noon-day meal and about 60 percent serve breakfast. Few centers serve dinner or supper. Children are most likely to eat one meal at centers and are least likely to eat three meals. Almost all centers serve snacks, and they are served at a regular time each day. Only 10 percent of the centers serving snacks typically serve cookies or chips.
  • Virtually all centers make water available to children at any time of day, and almost 95 percent serve milk at least once each day. Only about 10 percent of centers regularly serve dessert, and almost all centers that serve only a noon meal serve one or more portions of fruit or vegetables.
  • The vast majority of respondents make a conscious effort to introduce new foods and to vary the menu of foods for children, and 60 percent give children choices about what they eat. Hardly any respondents report that food or food treats are used to punish children for bad behavior, and only about 20 percent report using food or food treats as a reward for good behavior. About one respondent in five reports that their center participates in the “clean plate club.”
  • When asked what would encourage them to serve healthier meals, one quarter of respondents report that they already do so. Similarly, about one respondent in five reports no problems in planning healthy meals.
  • The respondent is the individual most likely to organize physical activities for children. Other individuals involved tend to be teachers, and most have received specialized training in physical activities for children.
  • Children spend more time in winter engaged in free time activities that use their large muscle groups than in organized physical activities. Even so, only about one half of respondents report that children spend one hour or more in free time activities such as running, jumping, or skipping. More than 90 percent of centers have space available outdoors for physical activities, and more than 80 percent report having indoors space.
  • The chance for more physical activities is used as a reward for good behavior by more than one half of respondents, and about 30 percent of respondents “take away” a chance for physical activity as a punishment for poor behavior.
  • When asked what would encourage them to organize more physical activities for children, about 40 percent of respondents report more space or equipment. Similar numbers of respondents tell interviewers that space and equipment constitute problems faced when trying to organize such physical activities. Weather is a concern for about one quarter of respondents.
  • About 80 percent of respondents think that it is “very important” to talk with children about healthy foods; slightly more than one half think it is “very important” to talk with children about “the ways physical activity helps the body;” and slightly more than one third think it is “very important” to talk with children about “different sizes and shapes of bodies children have.”
  • Majorities of respondents believe that their children eat healthy foods at home and engage and physical activities when they are home, although about 30 percent believe they do not do so.
  • Almost 70 percent of respondents agree that parents would read materials on healthy weight and physical activities if such materials were given to them.
  • Families are more likely to ask child care providers about issues related to food and healthy weight than to ask about issues related to the lack of physical activities for their children. More than three quarters of respondents report that families ask about food and eating habits, while less than 20 percent report discussions with families about the lack of physical activities.
  • Almost 60 percent of respondents report that they do host or provide workshops for the families of their children. More than 60 percent report that the workshops have focused on children’s food and eating habits and on appropriate physical activities for children, while only one quarter report workshops on issues related to appropriate weight. Child care providers are even more likely to provide families with take-home materials or information on community resources—more than 90 percent do so. Materials are more likely to focus on food and eating habits and on physical activities than on appropriate weight for children.
  • More than three quarters of respondents have attended 4C workshops, and almost 70 percent of respondents report that their staff directly involved with children attend them also. More than one half of respondents believe that their staff needs training on food, physical activities, and weight related to children, although more than 40 percent do not think so. When asked what other topics are appropriate for staff training, more than 20 percent focus on issues related to behavior and discipline.
  • Professional development training through 4C is viewed as more helpful than professional development training through traditional college classes or distance learning. Time and cost are the two most commonly mentioned barriers for participation in professional development; each is mentioned by more than 30 percent of respondents.
  • More than 80 percent of respondents have Internet access in their home, and about two thirds have such access at their organization. More than one half of respondents do watch programs on CMU Public Television, although more than 90 percent do not have children at their center watch PBS. More than three quarters of respondents never listen to CMU Public Radio.
  • More than one half of respondents report that they would be “very likely” to watch PBS programs dealing with healthy weight, food, and activities for preschool children; evenings are the most convenient time for such programs.