The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #71678

Matthew C. G. Marsom, Desiree Backman, DrPH, MS, RD, and Tanya Garbolino, MBA. Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Section, Public Health Institute, 601 N. 7th Street, P.O. Box 942732, MS-662, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, (916) 322-8749, mmarsom@dhs.ca.gov

Currently in its development phase, the California Preschool 5 a Day Plus Active Play! Campaign seeks to ensure preschool-age children eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day and increase their levels of active play. The Campaign will target low-income parents of children aged 0 to 5 years, preschool age children themselves, the childcare workforce and policymakers. To date, there has been insufficient emphasis on the importance of 5 A Day for preschool-age children, despite evidence that establishing healthier eating practices, including a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, is essential for young children’s healthy development. California’s children under the age of 5 are not getting the adequate nutrition they need, and they consume fewer fruits and vegetables, less fiber, and more fat and sodium than recommended. Using specific examples from secondary research into preschoolers' nutrition and active play, and recently completed primary research with childcare providers and low-income parents of children aged 0-5, this session will illustrate the barriers that parents and childcare providers face in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and opportunities for active play for preschool children. It will also demonstrate how the Campaign intends to implement conclusions from the research – through direct interventions and collaborative partnerships – to overcome these barriers and promote policy and environmental change that will empower parents and childcare providers to provide a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and opportunities for active play for children in their care.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to:
• 3. Recognize the critical need for a statewide, multi-level campaign to increase preschoolers’ consumption of fruits and vegetables and their levels of active play.
  7. List three primary and secondary research methods used to isolate five of the main factors that enable or inhibit preschoolers’ consumption of fruits and vegetables and their levels of active play.
  11. Discover how to apply the lessons of the research to develop three ground-breaking interventions, based on the Social Ecological Model, toward establishing healthier behavior for young children and achieving identified policy objectives.

Keywords: Social Marketing, Nutrition

Related Web page: www.ca5aday.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.