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
Combating Childhood Obesity: Risks, Prevention and Intervention (featured session at the 2010
NAEYC Annual Conference and Expo
Policy Resources
Tools for Child Care Providers
Additional Resources

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)
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