Child Care and Obesity Policy Forum

The Human Services Policy Center (HSPC) hosted a forum on child care, childhood obesity, and policy intervention. The forum featured nationally recognized experts on child care and health, nutrition, physical activity, and policy. A link to the agenda is provided below.

The goals of the forum were to provide up-to-date information on the ways child care is linked to obesity in children; present evidence about the importance of addressing obesity early in development; and discuss potential changes in programs and policies that can make it easier for preschool children and their families to be physically active, choose healthy foods, and minimize sedentary behaviors.

The event took place in the Bertha K. Landes Room at Seattle City Hall on Friday, October 26, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Links to the presentation slides are provided below.

Child Care and Obesity Policy Forum Agenda

Keynote:

• Keynote Address: Childhood Obesity and the Importance of Early Childhood
  Philip R. Nader, MD, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine

Research Update Presentations:

• Child Care Settings and Children's Obesity
  Erin Maher, PhD, HSPC, University of Washington
• The Influence of Feeding Practices in Child Care on Obesity in Early Childhood
  Susan L. Johnson, PhD, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Presentation Notes
• Environmental Risks for Overweight in Preschool Children
  Julie C. Lumeng, MD, Center for Human Growth & Development, University Michigan
• Promoting Health and Preventing Disease in Child Care Settings
  Kristen A. Copeland, MD, Cincinnati Hospital Children's Medical Center

Panel Presentations:

• Movement equals Learning for Preschoolers and Their Families
  Donna Johnson, PhD, RD, Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington
  Patty Kimbrell, MEd, Consultant on Physical Activity for Young Children, San Diego
• Child Care Health Consultation
  Adrienne Dorf, MPH, RD, Child Care Health Program, Seattle/King County Public Health
• Healthy Weight at Child Care: The NAP SACC Project
  Sara Benjamin, PhD, MPH, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (has worked with "Eat Smart, Move More" and the Nutrition & Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care)

Support for the forum is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Washington Center for Obesity Research.