Integration of nutrition-related components by early childhood education professionals into their individual work with children at risk

Poor nutrition is a major risk factor affecting proper development of children. However, there is limited knowledge about the way in which this subject is being integrated into professionals' work in early childhood education programs dealing with situations of children-at-risk. A study on this subject was conducted with 60 professionals who participated in a program for advanced studies in early childhood education. The findings indicate that in their work with children-at-risk, about half of the participants reported that they put less emphasis on nutritionrelated components than on psychosocial-educational components. The two most frequent barriers noted to integrating the subject of nutrition were deficiency of knowledge and lack of financial support within the agencies. Participants attributed a high level of importance to integrating nutrition-related components in their work, although only a few reported that they collaborate with or refer children and their families to nutrition specialist. Education and training programs need to provide professionals in early childhood education with a knowledge base sufficient to enable them to reduce the barriers to integrating nutrition-related components in their individual work with children at risk.