Latest News and Research

Ages 5-18 Beverage Recommendations

Experts convened by Healthy Eating Research from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association have developed evidence-based recommendations to guide healthier drink choices for kids ages 5 to 18. The recommendations address questions and concerns about sugar, caffeine, and other ingredients to promote better overall nutrition and health.

Learn more

Research & Publications See all

January 2025

Healthy Beverage Consumption in School-Age Children and Adolescents: Recommendations from Key National Health and Nutrition Organizations

Given the importance of beverage consumption throughout the lifespan and the need for comprehensive and consistent evidence-based recommendations, Healthy Eating Research (HER) convened an expert panel representing four key national health and nutrition organizations to develop recommendations for beverage consumption consistent with a healthy diet for children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 years. The More

December 2024

Opportunities to Improve Summer EBT: Perspectives from state SNAP agencies

Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), or SUN Bucks, is a new federal program that provides grocery benefits to low-income families with children during the summer months, when children no longer have access to free or reduced-price meals at school. However, 13 states did not opt into the program when it launched in 2024. To understand More

December 2024

Evidence to Support an Additional CACFP Meal Reimbursement for Family Childcare Home Providers

This policy brief provides evidence supporting the need for an increase in the number of reimbursable meals and snacks under the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, also known as CACFP, from three to four per child daily. CACFP provides nutritious meals to nearly 625,000 children attending family childcare homes nationwide, primarily from lower-income More

December 2024

Estimating Young Children’s Exposure to Food and Beverage Marketing on Mobile Devices

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