Effectiveness in adapting the implementation of the Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) using real-world conditions

Abstract

Abstract The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) was a multistate intervention that was highly effective in implementing best practices for healthy eating physical activity (HEPA) in early care and education (ECE) programs across the USA. The ECELC included didactic in-person learning sessions, technical assistance, and self-assessment-guided action planning. This study aimed to describe the effectiveness of adaptions to the self-assessments, learning sessions, and overall support, and also aimed to compare the effectiveness of each to the Original ECELC Model, when applicable. This study utilized a pre-poststudy design using data collected via the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) instrument for ECE programs that adapted the Original ECELC Model. Adaptations to the Original ECELC Model were found to promote best practices and policies with regard to Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding, Child Nutrition, Infant & Child Physical Activity, Outdoor Play & Learning, and/or Screen Time as demonstrated by the NAP SACC (p < .05), with some exceptions of nonstatistically significant increases. Improvements were found to be statistically similar to improvements made among participants of the Original ECELC Model. Partner-driven, scalable, and customizable policy- and practice-based interventions to promote HEPA among children in ECE settings may serve as a key strategy to work toward reducing risk for childhood obesity.