Defining Priorities and Optimal Research Designs for Studying the Impact of Digital Food Marketing on Adolescents

Few studies have examined adolescent exposure to food marketing. This research gap is compounded by the dearth of academic studies of digital food marketing, especially regarding adolescents, who are exposed to increased food and beverage marketing on the Internet, cell phones and other digital platforms. Recent developments at the federal level reflect growing concerns that More

Examining Whether Cause Marketing by Soda Companies Mimics Tobacco-Industry Strategies to Thwart Regulation

The sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) industry is increasingly using corporate social responsibility campaigns—particularly cause marketing appeals via social media—to reach young people. The purpose of this study is to assess how the current cause marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns of the SSB industry compare to the strategies articulated and practiced by the tobacco industry. More

Examining the Effects of School Drinking-Water Policies and Practices on Student Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in California

Few U.S. studies have investigated school drinking water access and policies and practices related to school drinking water. This project will investigate drinking water availability, policies and practices, and barriers to implementing programs and policies to improve drinking water access and intake in California public schools. If pending California state legislation to improve drinking water More

Measuring the Impact of Menu Labeling in Schools on Student Food Choices

Point-of-purchase nutrition labeling policies are proposed as a mechanism to increase awareness of nutrient content, modify food selection decisions, reduce selections of energy dense foods and increase selections of nutrient dense foods. School meal programs offer an opportunity to extend these benefits to children, especially lower-income children, but there has been little research to support More

Assessing the Effects of the Federal Commodities Program on School Meals for Children in Lower-Income Communities

It is important to examine how the national school meal programs, which feed roughly half the country’s school-age population every school day, can contribute to preventing childhood obesity. Although the USDA’s Child Nutrition Commodity Program offers many nutritious options to school districts, previous research has shown that schools primarily order foods high in fat that More

Examining Rewards-Based Incentives for Fruit and Vegetable Purchases by Lower-Income Families

Incentives that reward healthier food purchases and that provide reinforcement to the consumer have not been systematically and rigorously studied, particularly among lower-income populations. The aim of this study is to determine whether an incentive-based system increases healthier food purchasing practices by lower-income families. The study is a randomized controlled trial of 70 adult supermarket More

Student Involvement in Wellness Policies: A Study of Pennsylvania Local Education Agencies

This paper examines student-involvement goals in local wellness policies by analyzing the characteristics of local education agencies (LEAs) in Pennsylvania. Researchers found that the majority of LEAs in Pennsylvania included policy goals that address student involvement in various activities related to wellness policy, food service and role modeling. LEAs with comprehensive and strong policies were More

Lessons Learned from Evaluations of California’s Statewide School Nutrition Standards

This article evaluates the impact of legislation that established nutrition standards for competitive foods in California schools. Researchers found that regulation of competitive foods modestly improved school environments and student nutritional intake. Availability of nutrition standard-compliant foods and beverages increased, while availability of noncompliant items decreased. The authors conclude, however, that additional policies are needed More