C5_Study FAQs

C5. Study FAQs

This page has been left blank for double-sided copying.

SNACS-II Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the study?

SNACS-II aims to: 1) describe CACFP providers, 2) determine the nutritional content and quality of CACFP meals and snacks, 3) describe children’s food intake in and out of child care settings, 4) describe the characteristics of children, youth and families participating in CACFP, 5) assess plate waste (food that is served but not eaten), 6) examine infant feeding practices, and 7) determine the cost to produce CACFP meals and snacks. The study is not an audit.

Why is this study being done? Who is sponsoring the study? Who is conducting it?

Good nutrition and physical activity are key to proper childhood development. This important study will help providers, sponsors and USDA understand how CACFP operates so that it can better help children learn and grow. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in USDA is sponsoring SNACS-II. Mathematica, an independent research organization, is conducting the study on behalf of USDA, FNS.

Who will be in the study?

SNACS-II will collect data from over 1,300 CACFP child care providers in 25 States and over 3,000 infants, children, youth, and their parents/guardians.

What are the study activities? When do they occur?

Providers will participate in different sets of study activities. The activities may include staff surveys, interviews about CACFP costs, meal and environment observations, height and weight measurements, parent interviews and a youth survey. We will invite providers and parents/guardians to participate starting in August 2022. Data collection will start in January 2023.

How will the results from the study be used?

The study team will disseminate key findings in manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals, a consumer-friendly summary report, infographics or fact sheets and public use data files. Findings will be made available to child care providers and the public upon completion of the study. The results will inform future Federal policy around nutrition and physical activity standards for CACFP child care providers.

Why should I participate?

You will contribute important data for USDA, FNS as they seek to improve the health, wellness and learning of children across the United States. Additionally, staff, parents/guardians and youth will receive compensation for their time for some of the activities.

Do I have to participate?

Under the terms of Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, institutions participating in CACFP are required to participate in this data collection. Taking part in the study is also voluntary for parents/guardians and children. The decision to participate will not affect any USDA benefits received by providers, sponsors or families participating in this data collection.

Are there any risks or benefits to participation?

Your organization will not benefit directly from being in the study, but it will make an important contribution by providing information on nutrition and activity in child care settings. Although there is a very small chance someone could see the information your organization provides, the study team has taken many steps to reduce this risk. For example, we store contact information separately from study data.

What about my privacy?

All information collected about child care providers, children and families in the study is for research purposes only and will be kept private to the full extent allowed by law. Responses will be grouped together. No child care providers, children, or families will be identified by name.

Where can I get more information?

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is collecting this information to understand the nutritional quality of CACFP meals and snacks, the cost to produce them, and dietary intakes and activity levels of CACFP participants. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to examine CACFP operations. The collection does request personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. Responses will be kept private to the extent provided by law and FNS regulations. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0669. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 0.0501 hours (3 minutes) per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. ATTN: PRA (0584-0669). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Study toll-free hotline: 844-288-5645

Study email address: SNACS2@mathematica-mpr.com

For more information: https://snacs2.org