Menu Labeling Regulations and Calories Purchased at Chain Restaurants

This article evaluates the impact of a menu labeling regulation in King County, Wash., on calories purchased and awareness and use of labels six and 18 months after implementation. Like prior studies, researchers found no significant changes in calories purchased six months after implementation, but found a modest decrease in the calories purchased after 18 More

Variation in Access to Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in Vending Machines Across Rural, Town and Urban High Schools

This paper examines the variation in high school student access to sugar-sweetened beverages through vending machines by geographic location (urban, town, or rural) in 26 schools in New Hampshire and Vermont. Advertisements on school vending machines were also compared. Researchers found that sugar-sweetened beverages were widely available in school vending machines, appearing and advertised most More

Disparities in Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened and Other Beverages by Race/Ethnicity and Obesity Status Among United States Schoolchildren

This article examines disparities in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and other beverages among U.S. schoolchildren by race/ethnicity and obesity status using national data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III). Researchers found that beverage consumption patterns did not substantially differ by obesity status, but they did differ by race/ethnicity in the More

Using Rewards-Based Incentives to Increase Purchase of Fruit and Vegetables in Lower-Income Households: Design and Start-Up of a Randomized Trial

This paper reports the design and baseline results of a rewards-based incentive program–the Frequent Buyer Rewards Study–in a large full-service supermarket located in a predominately minority community in Philadelphia, Penn. The Frequent Buyer Rewards Study is a four-phase randomized trial designed to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables in lower-income households. Baseline data indicates More

A Review of Snacking Patterns Among Children and Adolescents: What are the Implications of Snacking for Weight Status?

Given the growing contributions of snacks to dietary intake and the need for effective strategies to reduce and prevent obesity, it is important to consider whether snacking behaviors are associated with high body mass index (BMI) in childhood. This review summarizes U.S. research that has examined trends in snacking behaviors and its contributions to dietary More

Recommendations for Healthier Beverages

Beverage choices contribute significantly to dietary and caloric intake in the United States. Choosing healthy beverages and other lower-calorie options, instead of high-calorie, sugar-sweetened beverages, has great potential to help Americans reduce caloric intake, improve diet quality, and reduce their risk for obesity. This document outlines a comprehensive set of age-based recommendations to define healthier More

Associations of Food Stamp Participation with Dietary Quality and Obesity in Children

Studies suggest that participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the largest federal nutrition assistance program in the U.S.—may be associated with suboptimal dietary patterns among adults, but these associations have not been extensively examined among children. This paper discusses the results of a study that examined the overall dietary quality among a national sample More

Examining Student Reactions to Varied Strategies for Presenting and Promoting Healthy and Unhealthy School Lunch Offerings

The aim of this project is to examine how varied changes to the school food environment affect children’s food choices and dietary intake, lunchroom waste, and overall financial costs. The following environmental interventions will be investigated: 1) removing unhealthy choices from the school lunchroom and promoting the remaining healthy options (Healthy Choices condition); 2) maintaining More