Researchers tested a 6-month coaching program called CELEBRATE Feeding that taught childcare workers how to recognize when children are hungry or full. The program focused on letting kids eat based on their own body signals rather than forcing them to finish their plates. Workers at eight childcare centers in Canada learned new feeding practices through coaching. After 6 months, the childcare centers showed significant improvements in how they handled mealtimes, with scores jumping from 38 to 46 out of a possible 63 points. This suggests that teaching caregivers about responsive feeding can create healthier eating environments for young children.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a coaching program could help childcare workers better recognize and respond to children’s natural hunger and fullness signals during meals
  • Who participated: 16 rooms across 8 childcare centers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Researchers observed how teachers and staff handled feeding times with the children in their care
  • Key finding: Childcare centers improved their feeding practices significantly after the 6-month CELEBRATE Feeding coaching program, with overall scores increasing from 38 to 46 out of 63 possible points (a 20% improvement, statistically significant at p < 0.001)
  • What it means for you: If your child attends childcare, this research suggests that coaching programs can help staff create better mealtime environments where children learn to trust their own hunger cues. However, results are from a small Canadian study, so more research is needed before drawing broad conclusions

The Research Details

Researchers visited eight childcare centers in Canada and observed mealtimes in two rooms at each center before and after a 6-month coaching program. They used a checklist with 21 different responsive feeding practices, scoring each one from 0 (not done) to 3 (best practice). Examples of what they looked for included whether staff encouraged children to serve themselves, whether they praised children for trying new foods, and whether they allowed kids to decide when they were full. The coaching program taught childcare workers about these practices through direct instruction and feedback. After 6 months, researchers returned to observe the same rooms again and compared the scores before and after the program.

This study design is important because it shows real-world changes in actual childcare settings rather than just testing ideas in a lab. By observing the same rooms before and after, researchers could see if the coaching actually changed how staff behaved during meals. The checklist approach ensures they measured specific, observable behaviors rather than just asking people what they thought they did

This study has some strengths: it measured actual behavior through observation rather than relying on what people said they did, and it showed clear improvements from before to after. However, there are limitations to consider: only 16 rooms were studied (a relatively small number), there was no comparison group of childcare centers that didn’t receive coaching, and we don’t know if the improvements lasted beyond the 6-month period

What the Results Show

The main finding was that childcare centers significantly improved their responsive feeding practices after the coaching program. Overall scores increased from an average of 38 points at the start to 46 points after 6 months—a gain of 8 points out of a possible 63. This improvement was statistically significant, meaning it’s very unlikely to have happened by chance. The researchers also found improvements in multiple individual feeding practices, though the abstract doesn’t specify which ones improved the most. This suggests the coaching program worked across different aspects of feeding, not just one or two areas.

While the abstract focuses on the overall improvement, it mentions that 21 different responsive feeding components were measured individually. This means researchers could see which specific practices improved most (like whether staff waited for children to ask for more food, or whether they praised children for listening to their fullness signals). The fact that multiple components improved suggests the coaching had broad effects on how childcare workers approached mealtimes

This research builds on earlier work showing that children have natural abilities to eat the right amount when adults don’t interfere. Previous studies suggested that childcare settings often override these natural signals by pressuring kids to finish meals or eat on a schedule. The CELEBRATE Feeding program appears to be one of the first to test whether coaching can reverse this pattern in real childcare settings

The study has several important limitations: it only included 16 rooms in two Canadian provinces, so results may not apply everywhere; there was no control group of childcare centers that didn’t receive coaching, so we can’t be completely sure the coaching caused the improvements; the study only measured changes during the 6-month program, so we don’t know if improvements lasted after the coaching ended; and the study didn’t measure whether these changes actually affected children’s eating habits or health outcomes

The Bottom Line

If you work in childcare or manage a childcare center, this research suggests that responsive feeding coaching programs may help improve mealtime practices (moderate confidence level). The evidence is promising but limited to a small Canadian study. If you’re a parent, you might ask your childcare provider whether they use responsive feeding practices and whether staff are trained to recognize your child’s hunger and fullness signals (low to moderate confidence for applying this specific study)

Childcare center directors and staff should care about this research, as it offers a practical way to improve their feeding practices. Parents of young children in childcare may also find this relevant. This research is less directly applicable to parents feeding children at home, though the principles of responsive feeding apply there too. The findings are most relevant to childcare settings in Canada and similar developed countries

The study showed improvements over 6 months of coaching. If a childcare center implemented a similar program, staff would likely need several months of coaching and practice to see significant changes in their feeding practices. Changes in children’s eating behaviors or health outcomes might take longer to appear

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If your childcare center uses an app, track the number of times daily that staff allow children to self-serve food or ask for more, and count instances where staff praise children for listening to fullness signals. Aim to increase these behaviors weekly
  • Staff can use an app to log specific responsive feeding moments during each meal (e.g., ‘child served their own portion,’ ‘child said they were full and we respected that’). This creates awareness and accountability for practicing these behaviors
  • Use the app to track overall feeding environment scores monthly using the same 21-component checklist from the study. Compare scores month-to-month to see if responsive feeding practices are improving, and identify which specific areas need more coaching focus

This research describes a coaching intervention in Canadian childcare settings and shows promising results for improving feeding practices. However, the study involved only 16 rooms and did not measure long-term effects on children’s health or eating behaviors. These findings should not replace professional nutrition or medical advice. Parents and childcare providers should consult with pediatricians or registered dietitians for personalized guidance on child feeding. This study’s results may not apply to all childcare settings or geographic regions.