Child and Adult Care Food Program Associated

 with Better Nutrition

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursement for healthful meals and snacks served to children and adults. The CACFP was established by Congress in 1968 to ensure children  were receiving nutritious meals and today it is funded under section 17 of the  National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766). CACFP operates in child care centers, Head Start programs, after school care sites, emergency shelters, adult day care centers, and licensed or registered home day cares. 

A study the June 2012 issue of Childhood Obesity looked at foods and beverages served to 2-5 year-olds by type of child care and participation in CACFP. The study conducted in California surveyed child care providers on the foods served to children and compared the nutrition environments of non-CACFP and CACFP participants. The results of the study showed that CACFP sites served more fruits, vegetables, and milk and served fewer sweetened beverages. 

References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22799548
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/CACFP/aboutcacfp.htm
http://www.nutritionnc.com/snp/historyc.htm