CHEERS Assessment

Key Discoveries

CHEERS Publications

CHEERS for Child Care is an evidence-informed program promoting healthy eating and active environments in early learning and child care programs. Supporting healthy development for young children 

The following is a selection of CHEERS publications:

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Early childhood educator well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study and emic perspective. Lafave, L.M.Z., Webster, A.D., & McConnell, C. (2022). In Pattnaik, J. Renck Jalongo, M. (Eds.), The impact of COVID-19 on early childhood education and care. Educating the young child., vol. 18, pp. 193–212. Springer, Cham https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96977-6_10

The Impact of COVID-19 on Eating Environments and Activity in Early Childhood Education and Care in Alberta, Canada: A Cross-Sectional Study. Lafave, L.M.Z., Webster, A.D., McConnell, C., Van Wyk, N., Lafave, M.R. Nutrients 13, 4247 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124247

Impact of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Educator’s Perspectives and Practices in Nutrition and Physical Activity: A Qualitative Study. Lafave, L.M.Z., Webster, A.D., & McConnell, C. Early Childhood Educ J 49, 935–945 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01195-0

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Content Validity for a Child Care Self-assessment Tool: Creating Healthy Eating Environments Scale (CHEERS). Lafave, L., Tyminski, S., Riege, T., Hoy, D., & Dexter, B. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 77(2), 89-92 (2016).   https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2015-041

Reliability assessment of the CHEERS child care self-assessment tool. Lafave, L., Tyminski, S., Hoy, D., Dexter, B., Riege, T., & Seguin, L.  Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice & Research, 76,3 (2015).

Conference Presentations

Sedentary Behaviour, Physical Activity, and Step Count in Preschoolers During COVID-19: A Pre-Pandemic Comparison.
Webster, A., McConnell, C., and Lafave, L. International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Conference (2021).
Mealtime experiences in a pandemic: perspectives from early childhood educators
Lafave, L., Webster, A.D., and McConnell, C. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 46(4): S23. (2021)
Through the early childhood educator’s lens: physical activity, preschoolers, and COVID.
McConnell, C., Webster, A., and Lafave, L. Through the early childhood educator’s lens: physical activity, preschoolers, and COVID. Physical and Health Education (PHE) Canada (2021).
Perspectives of early childhood educators in supporting active kids: a qualitative study.
Mohamed, Q., McConnell, C., Webster, A., Van Wyk, N., and Lafave, L. MRU Research and Scholarship Days (2021).
Concurrent validation of the CHEERS survey and the mindful eating questionnaire.
Lafave, L. and Webster, A. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 45 (4): S29 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0129.
The Role of Professional Learning Communities to Enhance Health Knowledge and Teaching Practice in Early Childhood Educators.
Lafave, L., Yeo, M., Farebrother, M., Seguin, L., and Riege, T. European Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (EuroSoTL) Conference (2019). BASEL, SPAIN.
Assessment as learning: ECEC educator’s perceptions of the CHEERS self-administered tool.
Lafave, L. & Smey-Carston, C. European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Conference (2018). BUDAPEST, HUNGARY.
Mealtime Conversation in Alberta Child Care Centres: A Needs Assessment Study. 
Chan, S., Liu, L., Riege, T., Seguin, L. and Lafave, L. MRU Research and Scholarship Days (2018). CALGARY, CANADA.
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Curious About How You Can Get Involved?

We offer a certificate to complete our 12-week well-being professional development course and educators will have opportunities to connect virtually with educators across Alberta.