Key points
CDC's Early Care and Education (ECE) State Indicator Report 2023 provides data on what states are doing to promote healthy growth and obesity prevention in ECE settings. The report can guide future ECE nutrition, physical activity, healthy growth, and obesity prevention efforts.
Overview
The report illustrates how states have embedded healthy growth and obesity prevention into their ECE systems, as outlined in the Spectrum of Opportunities Framework.
Key findings
The ECE State Indicator Report 2023 indicates that:
- 47 states increased the number of obesity prevention standards in their licensing regulations for ECE centers since 2014.
- 34 states support Child and Adult Care Food Program meal patterns through their licensing regulations.
- 33 states have an obesity prevention intervention for ECE programs.
- 30 states offer a tool that helps ECE programs assess their nutrition, physical activity, breastfeeding, and Farm to ECE policies and practices.
- 43 states report supporting Farm to ECE activities through state or local activities.
What you can do
State and local health department staff and other key ECE partners can use this report to guide future ECE nutrition, physical activity, healthy growth, and obesity prevention efforts. It can also be used to educate state and local decision makers about existing policies and activities and ways they can support healthy growth and obesity prevention efforts.
Resources
Consider several sources of data to get a comprehensive understanding of your state or community context.
Also see the Early Care and Education State Indicator Report 2016.