ABOUT POD

Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) is aimed at reversing the trend toward childhood obesity by improving OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL DIVERSITY of childcare centers, which research suggests can increase children’s level of physical activity, increase time spent outdoors by children and teachers, and increase children’s awareness of vegetables, fruit, and nuts as healthy foods. Project POD considers design of outdoor environments in early childhood as a preventive health intervention.

The project is driven by a) evidence that young children learn most effectively (good nutritional habits for example) through hands-on experience, and b) evidence that being outdoors is critical to children’s physical development (outdoor environments are correlates of physical activity; green environments in particular support attention functioning). In addition, understanding food selection and preparation may support the development of lesson plans related to language, math, science, the arts, and others.

Three childcare centers were selected from 30 participating in the current NLI/NIEHS project for which baseline data had been gathered.

The project is divided into four activities:

1. TEACHER TRAINING on the use of the outdoors to promote physical activity and healthy nutrition
2. PARTICIPATORY DESIGN ASSISTANCE to preschool staff/volunteers to help them modify their outdoors to support children’s daily nutritional and physical activity needs
3. START-UP INCENTIVES to buy plant materials and tools and honoraria to support lead teachers to implement projects
4. DISSEMINATION of information to ensure transfer of knowledge. The three projects will act as catalysts for change by other NC childcare providers

The LONG TERM GOAL is to generate and transfer knowledge to create a cultural re-alignment of care for young children emphasizing the importance of the outdoors as a preventive health strategy.

POD is supported by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.
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