Childhood nutrition, physical development and obesity are serious health and development issues.  NAEYC has standards for nutrition and health in our early childhood program accreditation system and we work with coalitions on child nutrition program quality and funding.  In 2010, NAEYC was pleased to receive a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to elevate the issue of childhood obesity prevention and to work with our network of experts, as well as state and local Affiliates to provide resources to advocates and early childhood programs as they undertake this work. Below is a compilation of a variety of resources that we hope will prove useful both at the program level and in planning childhood obesity prevention efforts.  

NAEYC General Resources on Childhood Nutrition and Obesity Prevention 

• Child Nutrition Fact Sheet
• Children’s Literature about Health, Nutrition and Safety   
• "Early Sprouts": Establishing Healthy Food Choices for Young Children (Young Children, Vol. 64, No. 4, 49-55. Copyright © 2009 NAEYC)
• The Food Friends: Encouraging Preschoolers to Try New Foods (Young Children, Vol. 61, No. 3. Copyright © 2006 NAEYC)
• HAPPE: Toddlers in Physical Play with Extra: Ideas for engaging toddlers in indoor and outdoor physical play activities (Young Children, Vol. 61, No. 3, 32-34. Copyright © 2006 NAEYC)
• Healthy Lunches and More (Teaching Young Children, Vol. 2, No. 4, 24-27. Copyright © 2009 NAEYC) 
• The Impact of Teachers and Families on Young Children's Eating Behaviors (Young Children, Vol. 66, No. 2, 84-88. Copyright © 2011 NAEYC) 
• Increasing Children's Physical Activity (Teaching Young Children, Vol. 4, No. 3, 6-7. Copyright © 2011 NAEYC)
• Learning by Leaps and Bounds (Young Children Articles)
• Meal Pattern Requirements for Children age 1 through 12
• NAEYC Accreditation Standards and Criteria
• NAEYC Comments to the Task Force on Childhood Obesity  
• Ramps and Pathways: Developmentally Appropriate, Intellectually Rigorous, and Fun Physical Science (Young Children, Vol. 65. No. 1, 12-17. Copyright © 2010 NAEYC) 
• Resources for Encouraging Good Nutrition and Fitness (Young Children, Vol. 61, No. 3, 54-58. Copyright © 2006 NAEYC)   
• Resources on Health and Safety in Early Child Care
• SKIPing Toward an Active State: Promoting Physical Activity in Preschoolers (Young Children, Vol. 61, No. 3. Copyright © 2006 NAEYC)
• Smart School Snacks: A Comprehensive Preschool Nutrition Education Program (Young Children, Vol. 61, No. 3, 20-24. Copyright © 2006 NAEYC)
• Tots in Action On and Beyond the Playground (Young Children, Vol. 61, No. 3, 34-36. Copyright © 2006 NAEYC) 

 Featured Sessions at the 2011 NAEYC Annual Conference and Expo

• Developing Healthy Eating Habits and Serving Good Nutrition in Child Care Settings 
• The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010: Using Changes in Policy at the Federal Level to Positively Impact Children's Eating Habits and Nutrition 
• Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs: How to Implement a New Set of National Standards in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screen Time for Early Childhood Programs 

Combating Childhood Obesity: Risks, Prevention and Intervention (featured session at the 2010 NAEYC Annual Conference and Expo)

• Combating Childhood Obesity: Risks, Prevention and Intervention. The NAP SACC Program (Dianne Ward, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
• Policy Options to Promote Physical Activity in Child Care: Active Living Research (James Sallis, Ph.D., San Diego State University)
• Preventing Childhood Obesity and Eliminating Health Disparities in America (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity) 

Policy Resources

• Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
• Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
• Lets Move! Child Care Initiative 
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP) 
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC)  

Tools for Child Care Providers

• Child Care Food Program Wellness Kit (Food Research and Action Council)
• Child Care Mealtime and Active Play Partnerships
• Creating the Environment for Movement and Suggested Starter Equipment for Movement Curriculums
• NAP SACC (Nutrition and Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care)
• Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs (National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education) 

Additional Resources

• Achieving a State of Healthy Weight: A National Assessment of Obesity Prevention Terminology in Child Care Regulations 2010 - January 2011 (National Resource Center for Health and Safety In Child Care and Early Education)
• Active Living Research
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity