What to know
States and communities can use the Quick Start Action Guide to strengthen policies and activities related to healthy growth and obesity prevention in early care and education (ECE) settings. This CDC resource includes worksheets and guiding questions to use with the Spectrum of Opportunities Framework.
How to use the Quick Start Action Guide
The guide is called the State Obesity Prevention Efforts Targeting the Early Care and Education Setting: Quick Start Action Guide. It leads users through The Spectrum of Opportunities Framework for State-Level Obesity Prevention Efforts Targeting the Early Care and Education Setting.
These resources can be used to strengthen policies and activities related to healthy growth and obesity prevention for young children. Although the Quick Start Action Guide is geared toward states, local communities may also find the resources and worksheets included in the guide helpful.
If you are new to this work, consider starting with a partnership assessment and moving through each step of the guide. If you are already working in ECE, your starting point will be determined by your prior work and current partnerships.
Key steps outlined in the guide:
- Assess and strengthen partnerships.
- Complete or obtain a state profile and identify equity goals and strategies.
- Assess efforts to date.
- Determine the feasibility of opportunities.
- Develop an action plan and logic model.
Data to support your work
Several data sources will tell you about obesity prevention policies and activities in your state or community. These data can be used to complete the Quick Start Action Guide worksheets.