Barriers to Obesity Prevention in Head Start
About one-third of children who enter Head Start, the nation’s largest federally funded education program for preschool children, are overweight or obese. Because young children are increasingly spending time in child care and early childhood education programs, focusing on these settings is critical to a comprehensive approach to reducing obesity. But a study -- co-authored by researchers at Temple University and Mathematica Policy Research -- finds that Head Start program directors lack the money, time and knowledge to adequately address obesity.
According to the study, parents and staff sometimes shared cultural beliefs that were inconsistent with preventing obesity, such as the belief that heavier children are healthier. The authors thus suggest targeting interventions toward teachers, child care providers and parents, rather than children. They propose that Head Start could use additional federal resources to provide healthy meals and snacks, increase training and technical assistance to promote healthy habits and develop staff wellness programs to support teachers in changing their behavior to act as positive role models.
The study was published in the March/April 2010 issue of the journal Health Affairs.
