Food insecurity disproportionately affects U.S. demographic groups of children and adults at greatest risk for obesity and may lead to weight gain through various pathways. This article presents a comprehensive summary of the current literature on the relationship between food insecurity and weight status, and the role federal food and nutrition assistance programs may play More
This article examines the effects of Maine’s statewide nutrition policy banning “foods of minimal nutritional value” in public high schools (Chapter 51). The food environment of public high schools participating in federally funded meal programs was evaluated. Researchers found a significant decrease in availability of soda in student vending machines post-Chapter 51. No significant changes More
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
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
This paper describes the initial influence of Local Wellness Policies (LWPs) on the school nutrition environments and policies in lower-income, rural Colorado elementary schools. Overall, the researchers found that the LWPs were weakly worded and rarely addressed energy content, but researchers observed three improvements after the LWP mandate went into effect: 1) an increase in More
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
The Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) is an online evaluation of school wellness policies that address nutrition education and promotion, physical activity/physical education, school meals and competitive foods. It is the first instrument of its kind, providing a quantitative assessment that can be used to track progress over time.
Connecticut’s Healthy Food Certification (HFC) is a voluntary program which provides monetary incentives to school districts that choose to implement state nutrition standards for all foods sold to students outside reimbursable school meals. This paper evaluates the impact of Connecticut’s HFC on the availability of competitive foods and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation. Researchers More
In the United States, nearly 15 percent of households are food insecure; they have limited or uncertain access to food. This research synthesis reviews studies that examine the relationship between food insecurity and obesity in the United States, particularly involving children and families. Because of the policy implications inherent in examining this issue, the authors More
Resulting from a detailed legal analysis of the 2008 Farm Bill, this report finds that lack of information about yields and prices for fruits and vegetables has undermined farmers’ ability to make them more widely available and accessible. The report highlights the barriers the agriculture community faces in providing access to healthy foods, and provides More
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