Nutrition is an important health priority for Alaskans and one that links to both the physical activity and healthy weight priority health topics of Healthy Alaskans. This new health objective is focused on childhood nutrition as a way to center the strategies and action steps around the prevention of health issues that could occur later in life. By creating an objective focused on reducing the percentage of 3-year-olds who drink any sugary drinks on a given day, it allows for more focus on policy development surrounding sugary drinks and oral health. This objective also aims to decrease risks for development of diabetes and other chronic diseases in children and later in life. While sugary drinks are not a comprehensive measure of nutrition behavior, the HA2030 team recognizes that work on sugary drinks will likely impact prevention efforts in other areas of nutrition.

There is less research on the efficacy of physical activity and nutrition mass media campaigns relative to those on targeting tobacco use; however, the Community Guide (link below) does find that:
Based on strong evidence of effectiveness for producing intended behavior changes, the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends health communication campaigns that use multiple channels, one of which must be mass media, combined with the distribution of free or reduced-price health-related products.

Source:

• https://www.thecommunityguide.org/sites/default/files/assets/Health-Communication-Mass-Media.pdf

There is some evidence that Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) lead to improvements in the quality of participating early child care and preschool programs (Boller 2015, Jeon 2014, OPRE-Tout 2010, Tout 2011, Ma 2011). However, additional research is needed to confirm effects.

There is strong evidence that nutrition interventions in preschool and child care improve children’s diets (Mikkelsen 2014, Grantham-McGregor 2014, Larson 2011, Robinson 2014) and physical activity interventions increase their activity levels (Gordon 2013, Kreichauf 2012, Larson 2011, Ward 2010, Robinson 2014).

Sources:

• Evidence for a quality rating and improving system (including developing quality standards):https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health/policies/preschool-child-care-quality-rating-and-improvement-systems-qris
• Evidence for imeplementing policies (per standards) in ECEs: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health/policies/nutrition-and-physical-activity-interventions-in-preschool-child-car