Beyond Local Champions: Contextual Factors Shaping the Implementation of Healthy Eating Interventions in Centre-Based Care – A Qualitative Study With Educators and Cooks

IF 1.5 4区医学 Q3 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Health Promotion Journal of Australia Pub Date : 2025-09-14 DOI:10.1002/hpja.70098

Jacqueline Chan, Alexander Hyde-Page, Philayrath Phongsavan, David Raubenheimer, Margaret Allman-Farinelli

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Issue Addressed

The early childhood education and care (ECEC) setting provides a critical opportunity to reach young children and families to support optimal nutrition and development. Despite the abundance of healthy eating interventions delivered in this setting, the most effective ways to improve children's diets remain unclear. These efforts are hindered by our limited understanding of the complex set of factors that influence the successful implementation of healthy eating interventions. This study aims to explore early childhood educator and cooks' experiences of the contextual factors influencing the implementation of healthy eating policies and practices.

Methods

A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with 10 educators and cooks from New South Wales, Australia. The Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research was used to guide data collection. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Educators and cooks expressed commitment to implementing healthy eating policies and described support from directors and local health services. However, ECEC sector conditions inhibited implementation success. Barriers to implementation included inadequate collaboration between management, educators, cooks and parents; limited opportunities for partnerships and networking within the ECEC sector and beyond; and insufficient nutrition education and training.

Conclusions

Addressing broader systems-level factors by strengthening work infrastructure, partnerships, and nutrition education and training opportunities is necessary to improve the implementation success of healthy eating policies and practices in the ECEC sector.

So What?

Findings can inform policymakers to consider barriers faced by ECEC staff in implementing healthy eating interventions.

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超越地方冠军：在中心护理中塑造健康饮食干预措施实施的背景因素-与教育工作者和厨师的定性研究

儿童早期教育和护理（ECEC）环境为幼儿和家庭提供了一个重要的机会，以支持最佳营养和发展。尽管在这种情况下提供了大量的健康饮食干预措施，但改善儿童饮食的最有效方法仍不清楚。我们对影响健康饮食干预成功实施的一系列复杂因素的理解有限，阻碍了这些努力。本研究旨在探讨幼儿教育工作者和厨师对影响健康饮食政策和实践实施的环境因素的经验。方法采用半结构化访谈法对来自澳大利亚新南威尔士州的10名教育工作者和厨师进行定性研究。采用了实施研究综合框架来指导数据收集。数据分析采用反身性主题分析。结果教育工作者和厨师表达了实施健康饮食政策的承诺，并描述了主管和当地卫生服务机构的支持。然而，ECEC部门的条件阻碍了实施的成功。实施的障碍包括管理人员、教育工作者、厨师和家长之间合作不足；在ECEC部门内外建立伙伴关系和网络的机会有限；营养教育和培训不足。结论通过加强工作基础设施、伙伴关系以及营养教育和培训机会来解决更广泛的系统层面因素对于提高ECEC部门健康饮食政策和实践的实施成功率是必要的。那又怎样?研究结果可以为决策者提供信息，以考虑ECEC工作人员在实施健康饮食干预措施时面临的障碍。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Health Promotion Journal of Australia PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

CiteScore

3.10

自引率

10.50%

发文量

115

期刊介绍： The purpose of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia is to facilitate communication between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers involved in health promotion activities. Preference for publication is given to practical examples of policies, theories, strategies and programs which utilise educational, organisational, economic and/or environmental approaches to health promotion. The journal also publishes brief reports discussing programs, professional viewpoints, and guidelines for practice or evaluation methodology. The journal features articles, brief reports, editorials, perspectives, "of interest", viewpoints, book reviews and letters.