The first day of kindergarten is right around the corner and research suggests many kids will show up overweight and unprepared.
Nearly 12 percent of incoming kindergarteners were obese and students who came from family, friend and neighbor care were significantly more likely to be obese than children from other types of care, according to research published in Pediatrics.
The study didn’t criticize family, friend and neighbor care. Instead, it pointed out those types of arrangements could be opportunities to intervene and tackle the growing problem of childhood obesity.
Our research points to the need to better understand how the specific features of child care environments may promote or protect against the development of obesity. For Latino and other populations of children at greatest risk of obesity, a crucial task is to understand how social, cultural, and economic influences interact with features of child care environments in the development of obesity. This understanding can then lead to the design and development of targeted interventions to reach children and families in child care settings. – “Preschool Child Care Participation and Obesity at the Start of Kindergarten,” 8/08, American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatrics.
Though researchers didn’t establish exact reasons why different care led to different rates of obesity – or a causation link – they had a few ideas.
Most family, friend, and neighbor caregivers are relatives (grandparents in particular) whose own income and educational backgrounds generally mirror those of the child's parents. Yet, our findings show that caregiver influence on children's physical development may be different from that of parents. For example, grandparents may be less physically active than parents. Another possibility is that indulgent grandparents may be less likely than parents to restrict their grandchildren's television viewing or access to energy-dense favorite foods, believing that "grandparent time" should be a time when children's whims rule.
In related news, a new survey out of Michigan found only 65 percent of incoming students are ready for kindergarten, the Detroit Free Press reports. (Thanks EarlyStories for highlighting this story.)
Finally, if you have any thoughts or opinions about the Early Learning Challenge Fund moving through Congress, you can join the dialogue over at the National Journal’s Education Blog, “How Would You Assess the Proposed Early Learning Challenge Fund?”