P75 Improving Teacher Knowledge and Self-Efficacy to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in the Child Care Setting

Background Obesity prevention should begin in early childhood, when children are learning nutrition and physical activity behaviors. Early childhood education (ECE) teachers play a key role in obesity prevention. Teachers’ ability to encourage healthy habits is related to their knowledge and self-efficacy related to obesity prevention strategies. Objective To assess changes in knowledge and self-efficacy among teachers participating in the Healthy Child Care Georgia (HCCG) Intervention. Study Design, Settings, Participants The study design was a pretest-posttest design for ECE teachers (N = 22) in Clarke County, Georgia. The HCCG intervention focused on improving the wellness environment and implementing a six-week nutrition education curriculum, Eat Healthy, Be Active. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Teacher knowledge and self-efficacy were measured with the Confidence about Nutrition and Activity (CAN-Teach), containing four subscales. The survey was administered before, immediately after, and four weeks after the intervention. All data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests to compare baseline scores with end-of-intervention scores and with follow-up scores. Scores were also compared using non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Results Teachers’ average knowledge scores were significantly higher at the end of the intervention (M = 67.4) and at four-week follow-up (M = 71.1, t = -4.1, P = .001) as compared to baseline (M = 59.5, t = -2.4, P = .02). Composite self-efficacy scores increased significantly between baseline (M = 12.0) and post-intervention (M = 12.9) (t = -2.3, P = .03). Teachers’ self-efficacy scores were also significantly higher at the 4-week follow up (M = 13.4, t = -2.0, P Conclusion The HCCG intervention shows evidence of improving teachers’ knowledge and self-efficacy related to early obesity prevention. These improvements may serve as an important first step in changing the ECE classroom, in order to help ensure that children develop healthy eating and physical activity habits during early childhood. Funding None.