Maternal Employment and Children's Nutrition: Volume I, Diet Quality and the Role of the CACFP

by Mary Kay Crepinsek, Nancy Burstein, and Linda M. Ghelfi

Compared with children of nonworking mothers, children of full-time working mothers have lower overall HEI (Healthy Eating Index) scores, lower intake of iron and fiber, and higher intake of soda and fried potatoes, even after taking into account differences in maternal and other family characteristics. Nutritional differences between children of part-time working mothers and children of nonworking mothers were more sensitive to maternal and family characteristics, with no clear pattern of nutritional differences emerging. This study analyzed differences in nutrition outcomes among children whose mothers work full time, part time, and not at all, and the role USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) plays in meeting the nutrition needs of participating children, especially those whose mothers work.

Keywords: Food assistance, Child and Adult Care Food Program, CACFP, child nutrition, diet quality, nutrition, program outcomes, National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program, FANRP

In this publication...

• Entire Report
• Appendix A: Determination of Child-Maternal Female Dyads in the CSFII
• Appendix B: Sample Weights
• Appendix C: Characteristics of CSFII Sample Children, Households, and Mothers
• Appendix D: Early Childhood and Child Care Study Non-Response Analysis
• Appendix E: Standard Errors for Selected Exhibits in Chapter 4
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Children?s Nutrition Outcomes
• Chapter 3: Multivariate Analyses of Mother?s Work and Children?s Nutrition Outcomes
• Abstract, Acknowledgments, Contents, Executive Summary
• References
• Chapter 4: Role of the Child and Adult Care Food Program in Children?s Diets