In light of efforts to decrease added sugar, the use of nonsugar sweeteners (NSS) in the food supply is increasing. Although there is concern about the health effects of NSS, particularly among children, little is known about parents’ perceptions of NSS as replacements for added sugar and whether NSS front-of-package labels (FOPLs) influence parents’ perceptions More

The effects of front-of-package nutrition labels among Latino adults in the U.S., including those with limited English proficiency, remains largely unknown. The Food and Drug Administration has considered a high-in label stating when foods are high in nutrients of concern, but the design differs from Latin American high-in labels in several ways. This study examined More

In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a mandatory single front-of-package label (FOPL) listing low, medium, or high descriptors and the percent Daily Value (%DV) for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Effects of this scheme (referred to as Nutrition-Info-%DV) on consumer understanding, perceptions, and behaviors are largely unknown; thus, this study More

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed a mandatory “Nutrition Info” label be placed on the front of packaged foods, showing whether products have low, medium, or high amounts of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. The agency has also considered a “High-In” labeling system, which would require labels on products with high levels More

At least eight U.S. states currently offer universal free school meal programs, providing meals at no cost to all students regardless of household income. While marketing campaigns may help increase student participation, limited research has examined what message content and design most effectively motivate parents to encourage school meal use. This qualitative study explored parents’ More

Researchers increasingly conduct online surveys or experiments. Unfortunately, online approaches can attract fraudulent respondents from individuals who are ineligible, but respond to distort results or obtain study incentives. This can be difficult to detect. This paper aims to share lessons learned from a recent online study to support other researchers.

Food and beverage marketing drives poor diet quality and obesity risk among children. However, it is unknown how much young children are exposed to digital food and beverage marketing on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. The objective of this study was to estimate how frequently young children, who are particularly vulnerable to advertising, view More

Digital food and beverage marketing is embedded in nearly every platform children use (websites, mobile apps, social media, video sharing, gaming, streaming TV), promoting unhealthy foods and beverages, which is harming children’s health. Healthy Eating Research convened an expert panel to develop evidence-based recommendations for actions to mitigate harms from digital food marketing to children More

This project aims to determine the front-of-package label design that is most effective at helping Latino consumers identify and choose healthier products. The project also aims to explore whether the benefits of front-of-package design differ by English proficiency. Participants will include 4,000 US adults of parental age (18-55 years old) who identify as Latino. Participants More

Toddler milk is an ultra-processed beverage consisting primarily of powdered milk, caloric sweeteners, and vegetable oil. Pediatric health authorities do not support the use of toddler milk, and emerging evidence suggests that toddler-milk marketing practices may mislead consumers. However, studies have not synthesized the extent of toddler-milk marketing practices or how these practices affect parents’ More