Evidence mapPaperPMID 39187294Full record

ArticleHealth promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals2025

Assessing the implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices in Early Childhood Education and Care in New South Wales, Australia: A cross-sectional study.

Ana Renda, Kathryn Reilly, Serene Yoong, Melanie Lum, Christophe Lecathelinais, Rebecca Hodder, Alice Grady

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Assessing the implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices in Early Childhood Education and Care in New South Wales, Australia: A cross-sectional study.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ana RendaSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4319-2447
Kathryn ReillySchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2862-956X
Serene YoongNational Centre of Implementation Science, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Melanie LumSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Christophe LecathelinaisSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Rebecca HodderSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Alice GradySchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3379-5340

Funding

Australian GovernmentHeart FoundationNational Health and Medical Research Council
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

issue addressedAustralian children are not meeting the recommended physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE) guidelines. Health behaviour practices implemented in community settings such as early education services can improve child's health outcomes and are therefore key to help meet guidelines. This study aimed to measure the implementation of HE and PA policies and practices in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and to examine their association with service characteristics.

methodsA random sample of 1122 centre-based ECEC services were invited to a cross-sectional survey measuring HE and PA policy and practice implementation. Regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between the service characteristics and implementation of policies/practices.

resultsIn total, 565 ECEC services completed the survey. Results show that while some practices are implemented, the implementation of practices promoting HE and PA education is low. Practices related to educator training for HE (18%) and PA (13%) were poorly implemented. The implementation of practices such as 'providing educator training around child PA', 'engaging families in activities to increase child PA' and 'encouraging supportive feeding practices' were significantly higher in services located in major cities than regional/remote services. 'Having a PA policy' and the practice of 'limiting the use of screen time' was significantly higher in long day care services than in preschools. The implementation of 'providing educator-led PA', 'providing free play opportunities' and 'having a PA policy' was significantly lower in private not-for-profit community managed services than in private for-profit services.

conclusionsImplementation of various HE and PA policies and practices in regional/remote services, private not-for-profit services and preschools across NSW could be improved. SO WHAT?: Future research should be prioritised towards identifying factors influencing the implementation of these policies and practices to best tailor implementation support efforts for those who need it the most.

Indexed as

Diet, HealthyExerciseHealth PolicyHealth PromotionChild Day Care CentersChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleNew South Waleschildcarehealthy eatingimplementationobesity preventionphysical activitypolicypractice

Identifiers

PMID39187294
PMCPMC11806366

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.