Research & Publications | Healthy Eating Research

Focus Areas

Resource Types

Age Groups

Race/Ethnicity

State Earned Income Tax Credit and Food Security: Results Among Economically At-Risk Households With Children

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the state Earned Income Tax Credit on food insecurity among economically at-risk U.S. households with children and explore differential effects across sociodemographic groups. The authors used an intent-to-treat causal inference design and household-level data from all 50 U.S. states available from the Current Population More

Date: July 2025

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Food Access Pricing & Economics

State Minimum Wage and Food Insecurity Among US Households With Children

This study aimed to assess whether state minimum wage generosity was associated with change in food insecurity among households with children and explore differential policy impacts across sociodemographic groups. This cross-sectional study of a national sample of US households from the Current Population Survey used a 2-way fixed effects modeling approach to test whether increases More

Date: March 2025

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Food Access Pricing & Economics

A Meta-Ethnography to Determine Critical Constructs of Nutrition Security

This meta-ethnography aimed to examine and thematically analyze relevant qualitative studies to create a nutrition security conceptual framework. Following the 7-step process for a meta-ethnography, 6,831 studies were screened and eligible papers relating to nutrition security were included. Two researchers independently read and extracted data from each paper. This information was then combined, and 2 More

Date: March 2025

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Diet Quality & Healthy Weight

The relationship between fruit drink front-of-package claims, fruit imagery, and ingredient disclosures and consumer perceptions, intentions, and behavior: A systematic review

Fruit drinks are the top sources of added sugar in young children’s diets, increasing their risk of chronic disease. It is unclear to what extent front-of-package (FOP) marketing and disclosures influence parents’ perceptions of fruit drinks and their intentions and decisions to purchase them. These data are needed to inform regulatory and legal action to More

Date: January 2025

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Beverages

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

Date: January 2025

Resource Type: Expert Panel Report

Focus Areas: Beverages

Opportunities in Programs and Policies to Address the Underlying Drivers of Sugary Drink and Water Consumption in the Washington, DC, Metro Area: A Qualitative Community-Based System Dynamics Approach

The objectives of this study were to develop a shared understanding among multiple stakeholders about the structural and underlying, interconnected drivers of SSB and water consumption in the Washington, DC, metro area and to have them identify feasible and influential policy levers. A community-based system dynamics approach was used during a 2-day group model building More

Date: January 2025

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Beverages

Experiences with COVID-19 economic relief measures among low-wage worker families: a qualitative study

This study aimed to understand experiences with COVID-19 economic relief measures among low-wage worker households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews from low-wage workers in households with children in two U.S. cities in 2022 (n = 40). The sample was recruited from a larger study which included survey measures More

Date: November 2024

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Nutrition Policy & Programs Pricing & Economics

Water Is K’é: Learning from the Navajo Community to Promote Early Child Health

Drinking water instead of sugary drinks is key to reducing health disparities. Since beverage habits are shaped by complex personal, community, and environmental factors, community input is critical to design any intervention promoting water. The research team worked with community partners to design a program to promote healthy beverage habits among young Navajo children. The More

Date: September 2024

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Beverages Early Childhood

Online retail nudges to help parents with lower-income choose healthy beverages for their children: A randomized clinical trial

Nudges offer a promising tool to reduce sugary drink intake among children who are most at risk for diet-related disease. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of online store nudges on purchases of sugary drinks for children in lower-income households. Caregivers with lower-income were recruited to an online shopping experiment and More

Date: September 2024

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Beverages Food Retail

Philadelphia Beverage Tax’s Impact on Beverage Ad Expenditures and Number of Ads Purchased

On January 1, 2017, Philadelphia implemented a beverage excise tax. The study’s objective was to determine whether beverage advertising expenditures and the number of beverage ads purchased changed in Philadelphia compared to Baltimore because of this tax. Monthly beverage ad expenditures and the number of beverage ads purchased by brand from January 2016 through December More

Date: August 2024

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Pricing & Economics