Healthy Eating

Nutrition Policy Institute: Collection

Research Briefs

Nutrition Policy Institute's research briefs are short, non-technical summaries of a study's key findings—designed to make complex research accessible to broader audiences like policymakers, practitioners, or the public—translating evidence into real-world application through plain language, bullet points,…
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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

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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A tray of school food including fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and an entree.
Nutrition Policy Institute: Article

Universal School Meals - A Powerful Strategy to Combat Food Insecurity

November 6, 2025
By Dania Orta-Aleman, Christina E Hecht, Kenneth Hecht, Caitlin D French, Monica D Zuercher, Samantha Sam-Chen, Hannah R Thompson, Lorrene D Ritchie, Wendi Gosliner
Research Brief • November 2025 • Download PDF (229 KB)Means-tested approaches to school meals leave hungry kids unserved. School Meals for All programs ensure no child falls through the cracks.Food Insecurity in CaliforniaNearly 1 in 6 CA households with children—over 660,000 households—are food insecure,…
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Nutrition Policy Institute News: Article

NPI job opening: Assistant Project Scientist

November 4, 2025
By Danielle Lee
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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