Age Group: Elementary-age children (grades K to 5)

Convenience Stores are the Key Food Environment Influence on Nutrients Available from Household Food Supplies in Texas Border Colonias

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This paper examines spatial access to retail food stores, including traditional (supercenters, supermarkets, grocery stores), convenience (convenience stores and food marts), and non-traditional (dollar stores, discount stores) stores, as well as food shopping habits, and nutrients available in household food supplies among 50 Mexican-origin families residing in Texas border colonias. Researchers found significantly greater access More

A Qualitative Study of Diverse Experts’ Views About Barriers and Strategies to Improve the Diets and Health of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Beneficiaries

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This study engaged experts from diverse sectors to explore their opinions concerning the existing challenges to eating nutritiously in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program and propose strategies for improving the diets and health of SNAP recipients. The high cost of nutrient-rich foods, inadequate SNAP benefits amounts, and environmental factors associated with poverty were More

Evaluating the Impact of the Veggie Van Program in Underserved Communities on Youths’ Dietary Intake

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This study will evaluate an intervention delivered by community partners, the “Veggie Van” mobile market, a van service that sells weekly boxes of reduced-cost, fresh, North Carolina-grown fruits and vegetables and provides nutrition education, taste testing, and cooking demonstrations. Specific aims of the study are to: 1) determine the impact of the Veggie Van on More

Development of Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Quality Standards for Out-of-School Time Programs

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This paper describes the development of voluntary healthy eating and physical activity quality standards (HEPAQS) for out-of-school time programs. The final HEPAQS were developed using a national, mixed-methods needs assessment, review of existing standards and expert recommendations, and a participatory process of discussion, review, and consensus engaging 19 service and policy organizations and agencies in More

Eye-Tracking Children’s Fast-Food Choices as Influenced by Television Advertising

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Children are increasingly exposed to fast-food advertising and are increasingly consuming food from fast-food sources. Under the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), fast-food companies continue to promote fast food to children. Ads directed at children under the age of 12 usually include a variety of components featuring the brand logo, and a mix More

Attractive Names Sustain Increased Vegetable Intake in Schools

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This article describes two studies on how attractive naming can be implemented in schools to encourage healthier eating in a cost-effective and scalable way. In Study 1, researchers found that children ate more of their carrots when the carrots were named “X-ray Vision Carrots” than when they were named “Food of the Day” or unnamed. More

Studying Industry Self-Regulation of the Televised Advertising of Foods and Beverages to Children and its Impact on Nutritional Quality

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Research has established that children’s exposure to television ads for non-nutritious food products is a significant risk factor contributing to childhood obesity. The aim of this project is to continue an ongoing, independent evaluation of a food industry self-regulatory program known as the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI). Key research questions include: 1) More

Influence of Competitive Food and Beverage Policies on Children’s Diets and Childhood Obesity. A Research Review

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Competitive foods are foods and beverages that compete with school meal programs. They are sold through vending machines, a la carte cafeteria lines, school stores and other venues. Given that the foods and beverages available in schools have a significant impact on children’s diets and their weight, it is important to understand how competitive foods More