Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Proper nutrition is important for young children's growth and development. Many young children spend considerable time in early learning and childcare (ELCC) centres, but little is known about the Canadian ELCC food environment. In this project, we will engage in two activities to identify and establish research priorities to support a healthy and equitable ELCC food environment. First, we will conduct an environmental scan of relevant literature to summarize nutritional guidelines for ELCC centres in Canada and around the world to identify research, practice, and policy gaps. Second, we will hold stakeholder workshops to collaboratively prioritize the research gaps identified from the environmental scan. These activities will enable us to determine the most relevant and impactful research needed to support the ELCC food environment, and the findings will inform future research, practice, and policy needs. This project will also serve as an important platform for engaging diverse stakeholders and building partnerships for future collaboration in enhancing the ELCC food environment.