Establishing county-level food and beverage standards is a promising strategy for improving nutrition environments. This study will investigate the impact of nutrition standards policies on county facilities that serve foods and beverages to children from lower-income communities of color in California. The specific aims are to: 1) describe the process of developing, implementing, and monitoring county nutrition standards, best practices, and lessons learned in seven ethnically and socioeconomically diverse counties in California that have developed these policies to date; 2) examine the strength, quality, and key components of nutrition standards policies in terms of potential to increase access to healthy foods and beverages; 3) assess the extent of implementation and adherence to county nutrition standards policies; and 4) identify differences in nutrition environments between counties that have implemented nutrition standards and a matched comparison sample of counties that do not have any nutrition standards policies in place. A multi-method approach will be used including policy review, environmental assessments, key informant interviews, and an online survey.
Investigating Nutrition Standards in Seven California Counties to Inform Policy at Local, State, and Federal Levels
Related Research
April 2020
The Impact of Increasing SNAP Benefits on Stabilizing the Economy, Reducing Poverty and Food Insecurity amid COVID-19 Pandemic
With unemployment currently at a record high as a result of COVID-19, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is expected to increase significantly. Congress has already passed three COVID-19 aid bills, which include SNAP provisions such as funding for emergency benefits for SNAP households and program administrative flexibilities. … More
March 2020
Healthy Eating Research Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System
Federal food programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are the first line of defense against food insecurity in the United States. However, these benefits are often not sufficient to meet all of the food needs of … More
February 2020
Assessing Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program families' online food purchasing behaviors to inform policies targeting expansion of SNAP benefits
Online grocery services may be a promising strategy to increase food access by creating systems that increase the self-reliance of communities to meet their food needs; however, there may be unintended consequences that should be considered. Despite the potential to increase healthier choices, individuals may purchase more soft drinks and … More