The Rationale Behind Small Food Store Interventions in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods: Insights from New Orleans

This paper explores the rationale behind small store interventions by pulling together various studies in health, planning, and marketing literature and pilot work conducted in New Orleans. The authors discuss store and food availability in lower-income neighborhoods and how changing the foods available in stores can affect purchasing behavior, diet and the economics of local More

Taxing Soft Drinks and Restricting Access to Vending Machines to Curb Child Obesity

This paper focused on the impact changes in soft drink taxes and policies restricting school vending machine access had on soda consumption among children and adolescents. The researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1988-1994) and IV (1999-2006) and the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K). They concluded that More

Child Obesity: The Way Forward

Health Affairs published a special issue focusing on the childhood obesity epidemic and the local, state, and federal policy approaches that could have greatest impact for helping to reverse it. The March 2010 publication, which discusses findings from dozens of studies, includes articles from three Healthy Eating Research grantees: Claudia Probart, PhD, RD, Emma Sanchez-Vaznaugh, ScD, More

Can Soft Drink Taxes Reduce Population Weight?

This paper evaluates the impact of changes in state soft drink taxes on body mass index (BMI), obesity and overweight. Researchers found that weight responds to changes in soft drink taxes; an increase of 1% in the state soft drink tax rate leads to a decrease in BMI of 0.003 points and the influence of More

A Review of Environmental Influences on Food Choices

There is growing interest in the role of the environment in promoting or hindering healthy eating. It has been suggested that individual change is more likely to be facilitated and sustained if the environment within which choices are made supports healthful food options. While there has been a shift in attention to environmental and policy More

Food Systems and Public Health: Linkages to Achieve Healthier Diets and Healthier Communities

The Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition produced a special journal issue highlighting papers and discussions from the April 2009 conference, “Food Systems and Public Health: Linkages to Achieve Healthier Diets and Healthier Communities.” The conference convened more than 100 leading researchers and practitioners nationwide from the health, nutrition, obesity and health policy arenas, as More

Economies of Size in Production Agriculture

The concept of economies of size refers to the ability to lower cost of production by increasing production. This article discusses economies of size in production agriculture and the consequences economies of size have on food production and rural America’s future.

Testing Modifications in Child-Care Settings to Promote Nutritional Quality in the Context of Food Insecurity

The combination of obesity amidst food insecurity presents unique challenges to improving nutrition and feeding policies in institutions serving children. The aim of this study is to evaluate child care nutrition and feeding policies designed to decrease excess caloric consumption in the context of food insecurity and obesity. In this project, three intervention strategies will More

Studying the Effect of Beverage Taxes on Children’s Energy Intake and Tax Revenue

Health advocates have increasingly argued for taxes on calorically sweetened beverages. However, there is little empirical research that evaluates the public health and fiscal impacts of such taxes while simultaneously accounting for consumers’ and suppliers’ likely changes in economic behavior in response to a targeted tax. The aim of this study is to use econometric More