  urlLink Position of The American Dietetic Association: Nutrition standards for child-care programs : "Over the past 3 decades there has been steady growth in the use of center-based child-care arrangements. In 1965, 26% of young children in nonparental care were in center-based programs. By 1995, more than 70% of young children in nonparental care were in center-based programs, 20% in family child-care homes, and 8% in other arrangements (eg, relatives or in-home caregivers) (3). This trend toward increasing reliance on center-based and other formal child-care settings provides expanded opportunities to ensure that young children are routinely offered nutritious foods that keep them free from hunger, promote their proper growth, and reinforce choices and habits that prevent disease and support good health.
Over the years, trends in child health in the United States have shifted the emphasis in child nutrition programs from a narrow focus on the prevention of dietary deficiencies toward the broader view of promoting healthful food practices for longterm benefits. During the past 3 decades, increased iron intake among infants has resulted in a decline in childhood iron-- deficiency anemia (4).
Total energy intakes have increased or, in some cases, remained stable (5,6). The percent of energy intake from protein and carbohydrate has increased whereas the percent of energy intake from fat has decreased (7). These are positive trends. Opportunities abound, however, for further improvements in children's diets. Prevalence of overweight among preschool children has doubled in the past 20 years (8). Although intake of fat and saturated fat has declined, it still is consumed in amounts that exceed recommendations (7,9).
In addition, children are not eating the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables (7,9,10) or grain products (7,11). New research is providing clear evidence that food habits and patterns of nutrient intake acquired in early childhood 'track' into later childhood and adulthood (12-14). It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that implementation of high standards for nutrition and nutrition education in child-care settings today will have major impact on the health of Americans well beyond the year 2010. " 
