Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program Findings

A new report from the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition presents findings from an evaluation for the USDA FINI grant program. The results can inform the future of healthy food incentive programs. FINI is a program that can improve food access, reduce food insecurity, decrease health care costs, support local food systems and stimulate local More

HER Releases 0-5 Beverage Consumption Research Agenda

Despite the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommendation to limit added sugar intake to less than 10 percent of daily calories for children 2 years and older, almost two thirds of children ages 2 to 5 do not meet this recommendation, with the largest source of added sugars in their diet coming from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). More

School Wellness Committees Beneficially Linked to Child BMI and Nutrition

Attending a school with an active wellness committee is associated with having a lower BMI, eating breakfast more frequently, and consuming less sugary drinks, according to a recent study. The study used a sample of around 5,000 children from more than 400 schools. The authors suggest that, given this beneficial association, schools should encourage more More

Strategies to Reduce Sugary Drink Consumption Among Young Children

A new systematic review examined strategies to reduce sugary drink consumption among 0- to 5-year-olds. Successful strategies included in-person individual education, in-person group education, passive education (e.g., pamphlets), use of technology, training for childcare/healthcare providers, and changes to the physical access of beverages. What is needed from future studies? The authors call for more methodologically rigorous More

Sugary Drinks in America: Who’s Drinking What and How Much?

A report from Healthy Food America describes the consumption and sales of sugary drinks in the United States over time and among demographic subgroups. Using a variety of national datasets, HFA reports that sugary drink consumption varies by age, race/ethnicity, and income. For example, adolescents and young adults consume the most sugary drinks. Nearly a third More

A New Video Series by 1,000 Days: How to Introduce Solid Foods

Good nutrition during a child’s earliest years sets the foundation for lifelong health. It provides the essential building blocks for brain development, healthy growth and a strong immune system. However, too many children in the U.S. are not getting a healthy diet – fewer than half of children eat a vegetable on any given day. More

Voices for Healthy Kids: 2017 Progress Report

Voices for Healthy Kids, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,  has released its 2017 Progress Report,  Making Each Day Healthier for All Children. The report highlights the evolution of progress that has been made, as well as examples of policy successes related to physical activity and access to healthy food.

RWJF Statement on USDA’s Proposed Changes to the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), issued a comment in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) “Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements” interim final rule. “The implementation of the current school nutrition standards has been a remarkably successful endeavor. We applaud the school More

Strategies to Limit Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Young Children: Proceedings of a NASEM Workshop

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board convened a workshop exploring policies and programs at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels to limit sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in children ages 0 to 5. Topics included prevalence and trends in beverage intake among young children; beverage intake guidelines applicable to the age More