A study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior reports on Apr. 11 that the Site-Level Assessment Questionnaire (SLAQ) is a reliable and valid tool for early care and education providers to assess their nutrition and physical activity practices. The research, co-authored by Christina M. Becker, Janice Kao, Sridharshi C. Hewawitharana, Carolyn D. Rider, Amanda Linares, Ron Strochlic, Miranda Westfall Brown and Gail Woodward-Lopez at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and Nutrition Policy Institute, found that most items in the SLAQ showed moderate or higher reliability.
The findings are significant as they provide childcare centers with a standardized way to evaluate their health-promoting practices across areas such as meals, family involvement, physical activity, and wellness policies. The study notes that 88% of SLAQ items demonstrated moderate or higher reliability while over half showed moderate or higher validity. Researchers said these results support using the questionnaire to improve self-reflection among providers and implementation of healthier practices for children.
The current version of the SLAQ has been updated based on feedback from this research to enhance measurement accuracy further. According to the authors: “Overall, the SLAQ presents a practical tool that can support future efforts to improve nutrition and physical activity in ECE settings.” This resource aims to help sites identify areas needing improvement more easily.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources secures funding through public contributions to support its programs according to the official website. The organization also promotes sustainable practices aimed at strengthening resilient ecosystems and economic vitality according to its website. It utilizes nine research and extension centers representing California’s diverse ecosystems as reported by UC ANR.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is recognized for linking research with community needs according to its official site, manages Cooperative Extension services within the University of California system as stated on its website, conducts over 33,000 educational events annually, and involves more than 18,000 volunteers in its initiatives according to UC ANR.
As interest grows in improving child health outcomes through better nutrition policies in early care environments, tools like SLAQ may play an increasing role in guiding best practices.