Nutrition Policy Institute

Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

New case study outlines a five-step process for engaging pediatricians on submitting public comments to shape child health and nutrition policy

December 3, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Christina E Hecht, Danielle Lee

Pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists—medical practitioners who provide comprehensive care for children, including those with specific medical conditions or developmental needs—are uniquely positioned to advocate for children’s health by contributing their clinical expertise to inform public policy. The…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Family childcare home providers recommend higher reimbursements from the Child and Adult Care Food Program to support healthier foods for young children

December 1, 2025

By Danielle Lee, Kassandra A Bacon, Lorrene D Ritchie

The Child and Adult Care Food Program, or CACFP, is the largest federal nutrition program for childcare, providing nutritious foods and beverages to over 4.5 million children nationally. Nutrition Policy Institute researchers interviewed family childcare home provider CACFP participants, their sponsors and…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Study highlights barriers to accessing poverty alleviation benefits through the Earned Income Tax Credit

November 25, 2025

By Danielle Lee, Wendi Gosliner

The Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, is the largest U.S. poverty alleviation program for families with children—providing over $60 billion annually in tax refunds to over 25 million families. This tax refund can improve low-income families' health by increasing resources for food and housing, however, over…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

New publication shows how Fermi estimates can help fill data gaps in needs assessments

November 24, 2025

By Summer J Cortez, Carolyn D Rider, Miranda W Brown

Nutrition Policy Institute's latest peer-reviewed publication, "Using Fermi Estimates within Needs Assessments: An Extension Professional’s Guide,” authored by Emma Lonstrup, Carolyn Rider, and Miranda Westfall Brown was published in the Journal of Extension. The publication explores a common challenge…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Recruiting participants for study on toddlers who drink cow's milk—receive free milk for one year and up to $275 by participating

November 21, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Do you have a toddler who is currently drinking cow’s milk? Do you live in California? You are invited to participate in a 1-year study regarding child milk intake. The purpose of this study is to see how the type of milk—whole fat vs low-fat 1%—consumed between the ages of 2-3 years old affects the health,…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

New study finds deimplementing Universal Free School Meals adversely affects students and school food authorities

November 17, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Monica D Zuercher, Wendi Gosliner

The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program play a crucial role in ensuring access to nutritious meals for children in the US. During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal waivers allowed all schools to offer Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) from 2020 to 2022, but when these waivers expired,…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

NPI job opening: Assistant Project Scientist

November 4, 2025

The Nutrition Policy Institute is seeking to hire a post-doctoral researcher as an Assistant Project Scientist to work on studies related to youth cardiometabolic health, school physical activity and nutrition programs (recess, PE, school meals), and nutrition and physical activity policy implementation…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Nutrition Policy Institute researchers to present at the American Public Health Association’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo

October 30, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee

The American Public Health Association hosts an Annual Meeting and Expo, bringing together over 12,000 public health professionals from around the world to collaborate, share research findings, and expand the field. The event will take place in Washington, D.C., from November 2 to 5, 2025. This year’s…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

New research brief highlights barriers and opportunities for serving minimally processed foods in California schools

October 29, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Lorrene D Ritchie, Monica D Zuercher, Wendi Gosliner

A new Child Nourish Lab research brief examines how often California schools serve scratch-cooked, quick-preparation, and convenience foods. School meals provide a major source of daily nutrition for children and have become healthier since the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

NPI welcomes UC Berkeley graduate student Char Potes as UC Bonnie Reiss Sustainable Agriculture and Food Fellow

October 28, 2025

By Danielle Lee, Kassandra A Bacon

Char Potes joined the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California in September 2025 as our 2025-2026 UC Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellowship, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Fellow. Potes is a graduate student at UC Berkeley School of Public Health, where he is interested in nutrition,…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Student and school characteristics influence the impact of SNAP-Ed interventions

October 27, 2025

By Summer J Cortez

The Nutrition Policy Institute's latest peer-reviewed publication, "Student and school characteristics modify the impact of SNAP-Ed on student dietary and physical activity outcomes," was published in the journal Public Health Nutrition. This study examines how CalFresh Healthy Living, California’s SNAP-Ed…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Nutrition Policy to Present at annual CalFresh Forum on expanding food access and supporting California families

October 24, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee

The annual CalFresh Forum brings together people from across California to discuss ways to strengthen CalFresh, known nationally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and expand food access. Nutrition Policy Institute’s policy team, Christina Hecht and Ken Hecht, guided a breakout session on…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Nutrition Policy Institute launches new logo as part of a UCANR rebrand

October 23, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee

The Nutrition Policy Institute is proud to officially launch its new logo as part of the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources organization-wide rebrand. This modern, unified design strengthens UC ANR’s identity across its programs and institutes. NPI’s new logo was designed to…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

NPI presents at 34th Annual CACFP Conference

October 13, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Nutrition Policy Institute researchers will attend and present at the 34th Annual CACFP Conference, Oct. 20-22, 2025 in Monterey, Calif. The conference brings together over 400 stakeholders and community members of the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. NPI's longtime CACFP researcher, Lorrene…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Qualitative study explored California families’ experiences with pandemic safety net expansions and retractions

October 10, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Wendi Gosliner

During the COVID-19 pandemic, US social safety net programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, Pandemic-EBT, and the Child Tax Credit, were temporarily expanded or created to combat rising food, housing, and economic insecurity among families. A recent study…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Hannah Thompson speaks with ABC 10 about California bill that would require healthy restaurant kids’ meals

October 2, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Hannah Thompson, director of the University of California's Nutrition Policy Institute, spoke with ABC 10 reporter Jackson Ellison about a new California bill that would require a healthy meal on kids’ menus at chain restaurants. California Senate Bill 764 would mandate chain restaurants, with 20 or more…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

New study examines predictors of diet quality and weight status in early childhood

October 1, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Lorrene D Ritchie

Socioeconomic status strongly influences children's nutrition and health, as low-income families often face barriers in meeting basic needs. To help address these challenges and reduce health disparities, safety net programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Special…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Nutrition Policy Institute welcomes Hannah R. Thompson as new director

September 25, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Hannah R. Thompson began her role as the new director of the Nutrition Policy Institute beginning September 1, 2025. Thompson has served as NPI’s senior epidemiologist since 2020 while also working as an assistant research professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. She…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Parents and staff are highly supportive of freshly prepared school meals but raise concerns about food waste

September 22, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, KC Fiedler, Lorrene D Ritchie

A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explored the perceptions of elementary school parents and staff in a large, urban California school district that recently introduced more freshly-prepared school lunches. Based on interviews and focus groups conducted from May…

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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

Combining school environment changes with SNAP-Ed lessons improves student diets

September 11, 2025

By Summer J Cortez, Reka Vasicsek, Amanda M Linares, Miranda W Brown

The Nutrition Policy Institute is excited to share our latest peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Community Health, “Dietary Effects of School-Based SNAP-Ed Education with and without Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Strategies.” This study examines how Supplemental Nutrition Assistance…

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Research for healthy food, people and places

The Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) envisions a world in which healthy food, beverages and opportunities for physical activity are accessible, affordable, equitable and sustainable for everyone.

NPI's mission is to conduct and translate policy-relevant research to transform environments for healthy children, families and communities.

Read more about our vision and mission, and learn about our impact.

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Sign up to receive Research to Action, the Nutrition Policy Institute's quarterly news brief providing information on research, policy, news, announcements, events, articles and action items focused on nutrition and healthy communities.

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Office Locations

Nutrition Policy Institute

University of California Office of the President
1111 Franklin St.
Oakland, CA 94607
United States

Personnel

Brianna Aguayo Villalon

Student Communications Fellow

Kassandra A Bacon

Project Policy Analyst III

Ramsha Baig

Research Data Analyst 3

Sibani Michael Bose

Chief Business Officer

Miranda W Brown

Academic Coordinator

Summer J Cortez

CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation Unit Manager, NPI

Patricia A Crawford

Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist - Emeritus

Celeste Felix

KC Fiedler

Project Policy Analyst III

Caitlin D French

Assistant Project Scientist

Amy Garfinkel

Wendi Gosliner

Project scientist

Christina E Hecht

UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute Academic Coordinator

Kenneth Hecht

UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute Coordinator

Sridharshi C Hewawitharana

Research Data Analyst

Janice Kao

Senior Program Evaluator

Danielle Lee

Director of Communications & Research Engagement

Meirong M Liao

Procurement Officer

Amanda M Linares

Senior Program Evaluator

John E Miller

Julia Nguyen

Dania Orta-Aleman

Assistant Project Scientist

Richard Pulvera

Research Data Analyst

Suzanne M Rauzon

Director of Community Health, Emeritus

Carolyn D Rider

Senior Program Evaluator

Lorrene D Ritchie

Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist - Emeritus

Samantha Sam-Chen

Project Policy Analyst

Molly Shea

Ron Strochlic

Academic Coordinator

Evan Talmage

Hannah R Thompson

Director, Nutrition Policy Institute

Reka Vasicsek

Project Policy Analyst

Nicole Vital

SRA 2 NEX

Karen L Webb

Ryan Williams

Gail M Woodward-Lopez

Monica D Zuercher

Assistant Project Scientist

Mission Statement

The Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) conducts research for healthy food, people and places. NPI envisions a world in which healthy food, beverages and opportunities for physical activity are accessible, affordable, equitable and sustainable for everyone. NPI's mission is to conduct and translate policy-relevant research to transform environments for healthy children, families and communities.