Date Approved

8-2019

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Education (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

College of Education

First Advisor

Dr. Linda Pickett

Second Advisor

Dr. Steve Glass

Third Advisor

Dr. Tess Armstrong

Academic Year

2019/2020

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity has become a major health concern in the United States and other countries. Obese children are now acquiring what is considered adult diseases, at a young age. This will have detrimental effects on their health as a child and even more so as an adult, resulting in poor quality of life and a shorter lifespan. An obese child also faces delays and shortages in meeting developmental standards, such as physical development, psychosocial, emotional development, cognitive, and so forth. When obese, children will have a harder time concentrating on learning materials and will struggle in school. Parents are responsible to supply and meet the basic needs of the child including food. Children model and learn from experience and what they know. It is important to teach parents about proper nutrition so that parents are knowledgeable in how to help their child to succeed. Programs need to be placed in early childhood environments to help encourage parents to enforce healthy living, which will result in children having a better ability to learn and meet the appropriate developmental standards and overall live a healthier and happier life. The purpose of this study was to assess the snacking habits, current knowledge, and the effect of an educational intervention on the parents of young children who attend a Midwestern university preschool. Results depict a small sample of parents who do want to provide healthy foods to their children and found the intervention of information to be valuable because it will help guide them when considering and providing snacking habits and foods for their children.

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