The overall objectives of this project are to study inequality in New York City’s food environment, and more specifically, the distribution of fast food restaurants. Specifically, this project will study spatial associations between school density and fast food density, investigate environmental determinants of fast food density, and explore the circumstances in which fast food restaurateurs More
Schools that provide federally reimbursed meal programs must meet federal nutrition standards. But snacks and drinks sold outside of these programs—so-called competitive foods—do not have to meet these requirements. This brief examines the availability of competitive foods, their nutritional content, their impact on students’ food consumption and policies for improving the school food environment.
The epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States has caused considerable challenges for public health agencies and advocates. This article explores the types of public actions and policies that could be enacted to decrease obesity and improve public health. It also discusses key legal principles and issues that can potentially impede state and local More
This paper describes some of the ways that agricultural policies influence what foods (and how much of them) are produced and eaten in the United States. In doing so, the authors identify key factors that contribute to the negative trends in obesity and also offer possible strategies for revising policies to reverse these trends.
Maine’s Chapter 51 rule represents one of the strongest current state-wide school nutrition standards in the country. Study aims: 1) examine effects of Chapter 51, on high school nutrition policies, environments and revenues and on high school student dietary behaviors; and 2) examine the influence of proximity and density of non-school food venues on high More
This study will examine the legal environment facing schools as they seek to limit access to unhealthy foods and the marketing of unhealthy foods. The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) will analyze the legal determinants that affect schools and will communicate effective policy guidance to stakeholders. This policy guidance will outline schools’ legal obligations to More
Stricter school accountability standards have changed the inner workings of elementary schools in the United States, raising test scores in the process. These changes have been particularly abrupt in schools labeled as failing under their states accountability regime. This study will assess whether children in schools just below the test score cutoffs are more likely More
The present study will study the predictors, quality, and impact of Connecticut’s School Wellness Programs (SWP). The aims are to: 1) create, validate, and apply an assessment tool to measure the content and quality of all 2006-07 Connecticut SWPs; 2) view each district’s Index as an outcome variable, and test four categories of predictors; a) More
This study will provide a rare assessment of the Child Nutrition Commodity Food Program, examining the nutrition quality of the foods made available by the program, the manner in which it operates, how school districts make use of the program and how the program assists or impedes school districts in complying with USDA school meal More
The aims of the study are to: 1) Assess the impact of California’s legislated standards for competitive foods on the food and beverage environment in 50 randomly selected public high schools; 2) Describe the impact of changes in the food environment on students’ participation in school meal programs; 3) Assess the effect of legislated nutrition More
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