Nutrition Policy Institute News

A recent study highlights the importance of sustained investment in community nutrition programs and policies to improve healthy food access at home. Children get up to two-thirds of their food from home, making the availability of food in their household a key role in shaping their diets.

A new set of data briefs developed by the Nutrition Policy Institute showcases the impactful programming carried out by local health departments through CalFresh Healthy Living (California's SNAP-Ed program) during federal fiscal year 2024.

Nutrition Policy Institute researchers Kassandra Bacon and Ron Strochlic present with Hope Sippola of Spork Food Hub at the 2025 annual EcoFarm conference in Pacific Grove, CA.

A 2024 paper describes ongoing community-based work to promote consumption of water in place of sugar-sweetened beverages, SSBs, on Navajo Nation. The Navajo community is disproportionately affected by water insecurity with 30% of households lacking reliable drinking water access.

A 2024 study analyzing the diets of over 4,300 infants in the United States using the Infant Diet Quality Index, also known as IDQI, revealed associations between diet quality from 0-12 months and select nutrient and ultra-processed food intake later when the children were 2-5 years old.