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Examining Differences in Achievement of Physical Activity Best Practices Between Urban and Rural Child Care Facilities by Age

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Abstract

Go Nutrition and Physical activity Self Assessment in Child Care (NAP SACC) is an evidence based intervention developed to positively impact childhood obesity in early childhood education (ECE) facilities. One focus of Go NAP SACC is the development of physical activity best practices. However, little research has examined differences in achievement of best practices based on age of child and geographic location. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the achievement of physical activity best practices between urban and rural childcare facilities by age-specific recommendations (infants, toddlers, and preschoolers) and in the overall physical activity environment. Urban (n = 207) and rural (n = 218) ECE facilities completed the Go NAP SACC process. Data were analyzed using an ANCOVA. A majority of facilities reported exceeding best practices (79.5%), however significant differences were found on 18 best practices with urban facilities outscoring their rural counterparts on 17 of these items. A comparison by age found that urban facilities reported higher achievement of best practices among infants (60%) in comparison to toddlers (40%) or preschoolers (30%). Future studies should continue to explore the rural–urban context of physical activity practices across the early childhood age groups to ensure healthy physical development of children.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all of the Nebraska Go NAP SACC trainers and ECE professionals.

Funding

This work was supported by the Cooperative Agreement Number NU58DP004819, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services. This work was also supported by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Child Care and Development Fund, USDA Nebraska Team Nutrition, and a Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health & Kinesiology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge St., Omaha, NE, 68182, USA

    Danae Dinkel & John P. Rech

  2. Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, USA

    Yage Guo & Dipti Dev

  3. Kinesiology and Sports Sciences Department, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, USA

    Matthew Bice

  4. Center for the Child & Community, Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Lincoln, USA

    Emily Hulse

  5. Nebraska Extension, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, USA

    Donnia Behrends

  6. Nebraska Department of Education, Lincoln, USA

    Christina Burger

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  1. Danae Dinkel
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Dinkel, D., Rech, J.P., Guo, Y. et al. Examining Differences in Achievement of Physical Activity Best Practices Between Urban and Rural Child Care Facilities by Age. Early Childhood Educ J 50, 481–491 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01169-2

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