The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity
Co-producing an assessment instrument for physical activity policies in the early childhood education and care setting
By Brandl J, Oberwöhrmann S, Finger J and 5 others.
Abstract
Background
Despite the importance of physical activity (PA) for the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development of children, the effects of public policies on PA outcomes in early childhood education and care have only recently been investigated. As the available evidence is relatively recent, it has not yet been integrated into existing policy assessment tools. To address this gap, this study aimed to develop an instrument to assess the PA-related content of policies in early childhood education and care.
Methods
The instrument was developed through a multi-phase co-production process involving researchers and representatives from state-level health reporting authorities in Germany. Development was guided by a conceptual framework for policy content analysis and comprised three phases: (1) prototype development based on a systematic analysis of all 16 German educational framework plans, a systematic literature review on the effectiveness of public policies promoting PA in early childhood education and care, and a structured search for national and international policy recommendations; (2) expert consultation using a two-round Delphi survey (n = 24 in round 1; n = 26 in round 2), with indicators rated on a 10-point Likert scale and summarized using median scores; and (3) pilot testing in five German federal states to assess feasibility, clarity, and applicability of the instrument.