Rainbow Food and Childcare
Children of childcare age rely on adults to provide food for them.
Adults therefore need to be encouraged and supported in that
responsibility.

A recent study conducted by a Sydney Health Promotion Service
found that the nutrition policy of some childcare centres needed further
improvement. The same study showed that carers* can be effective disseminators of nutritional information and can bring about change in the behaviour of parents using childcare centres.
Child and family day care settings provide the opportunity to directly access and disseminate nutritional information to families.

The aim of the Rainbow Food-Eating by Colour Project is to raise awareness of the benefits of good nutrition at the earliest possible stage of children’s development. Improving practices related to nutrition by staff and parents is the expected outcome.

This outcome will be measured by improvements in the variety scores of participating children. Babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers can participate.

2004
 
Rainbow Food has now been successfully trialled in the childcare setting, with the assistance of the Federal Minister for Children. The results are tabled below. The best results came from the centre which used the program for the longest period of time. An improvement of 319% was achieved in the variety of healthy food sent in from home following the implemetation of the Rainbow Food program.

RAINBOW FOOD-EATING BY COLOUR® IN CHILDCARE PILOT RESULTS

CENTRES 3,4 AND 9 PROVIDED INFORMATION IN WRITTEN REPORTS AND COMMENTS

These results are verified by psychologists Radha Nicholson and Evelyn Lucas, members of the Australian Psychological Society and members of the projects' steering committee.

FOOD VARIETY SCORES AS PROVIDED BY FAMILIES AND CENTRES

*These centres incorporated the program but provided their information in the form written reports and comments.