How to integrate and leverage digital health modalities for health promotion in early childhood education: Opportunities to improve intervention access and engagement.

Abstract

Early childhood education (ECE) settings are important for the development of children's healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. Efforts to disseminate and implement health behavior promotion strategies in ECE settings have seldom optimized digital health, a missed opportunity highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this commentary, we discuss previous efforts to shift ECE-based health behavior programs to digital health modalities, notable opportunities for digital health in these settings, and a multilevel perspective to support future efforts. We propose future directions in digital health literacy, reaching various ECE settings, implementation science, and community partnerships to expand the use of digital interventions.