State: National

Disparities in Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened and Other Beverages by Race/Ethnicity and Obesity Status Among United States Schoolchildren

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This article examines disparities in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and other beverages among U.S. schoolchildren by race/ethnicity and obesity status using national data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III). Researchers found that beverage consumption patterns did not substantially differ by obesity status, but they did differ by race/ethnicity in the More

Associations of Food Stamp Participation with Dietary Quality and Obesity in Children

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Studies suggest that participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the largest federal nutrition assistance program in the U.S.—may be associated with suboptimal dietary patterns among adults, but these associations have not been extensively examined among children. This paper discusses the results of a study that examined the overall dietary quality among a national sample More

Understanding How Food Pricing and Access Affect the Diets of Children and Their Families

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Price incentives on healthy foods, price disincentives on unhealthy foods, and greater access to healthier foods have received much attention from policy-makers and researchers as potentially effective obesity policies. The aims of this study are to: 1) estimate models to quantify the own- and cross-price elasticities (i.e., sensitivity) of processed foods, fruits and vegetables, and More

Developing a Legal Review and Toolkit for Reviewing the Health Claims for Food Marketed to Children and Their Families

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The food industry often uses health claims to promote its products to consumers, including parents seeking nutritious options for their children. Parents and children in low-income and racial/ethnic minority households at greatest risk for childhood obesity are disproportionately exposed to these claims through advertising. Regulators can pursue deceptive and/or unfair health claims, but these actions More

Reducing Calories and Added Sugars by Improving Children’s Beverage Choices

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This study used national data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III) to conduct simulation analyses to estimate changes in mean calories consumed from added sugars by switching from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and flavored milks to unflavored low-fat milk at meals and water between meals both in school and away from school. Researchers More

Assessing the Potential Effectiveness of Food and Beverage Taxes and Subsidies for Improving Public Health: A Systematic Review of Prices, Demand and Body Weight Outcomes

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Given the obesity epidemic in the United States, taxes and subsidies are increasingly being considered as potential policy instruments to incentivize consumers to improve their food and beverage consumption patterns and related health outcomes. This paper discusses the results of recent U.S. studies on the price elasticity of demand for sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, and More

What’s on the Menu? A Review of the Energy and Nutritional Content of U.S. Chain Restaurant Menus

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This paper discusses availability of nutrition information and nutritional content of menu items in the largest chain restaurants in the United States. Researchers examined the nutritional content of 30,923 menu items–including items from children’s menus–from 245 restaurants across the country. They found that while most main entrees did not exceed 667 calories, which is one-third More