Household food insecurity remains a significant issue in the U.S., particularly among households with children, highlighting the crucial role of school meal programs in mitigating food insecurity and improving children's health and academic performance. Nutrition Policy Institute researchers explored how food security status is related to parental perceptions and student participation in school meals. The study surveyed 1,110 California parents with children in public or charter K-12 schools from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in California, a state that adopted a universal school meals policy starting in the 2022-23 school year. The study found that 38% of parents who were not income-eligible for federal free or reduced-price school meals reported experiencing household food insecurity. School breakfasts were accessed at a higher rate by families reporting food insecurity compared to those reporting food security. However, parents experiencing food insecurity had less favorable perceptions of school meals and perceived more stigma associated with eating school meals. Interestingly, parents from households of all income levels recognized school meals as beneficial in saving time and money. These findings highlight the importance of universal school meal policies in addressing food insecurity, especially among students who would be excluded from receiving school meals free of charge under the federal eligibility criteria. However, addressing concerns about stigma as well as meal quality and appeal may further ease food insecurity and improve child health. The study was published online in October 2024 in the Nutrients journal, co-authored by NPI researchers Monica Zuercher, Christina Hecht, Kenneth Hecht, Dania Orta-Aleman Dania, Wendi Gosliner and Lorrene Ritchie; Juliana Cohen and Leah Chapman with Merrimack College and Harvard; Deborah Olarte with New York University; and Margaret Read with Partnership for a Healthier America. This research was funded by California General Fund SB 170.

Nutrition Policy Institute researcher, Celeste Felix, will present evaluation findings showing reductions in solid waste when a large, urban California school district transitioned from reheated pre-packaged school meals served with single-use disposables to freshly prepared meals served with reusable trays and cutlery. Felix will be joined by project collaborators Stephanie Willits from Fremont Unified School District and Benjamin Schleifer from the Center for Environmental Health. Their talk, “Reusables in the Cafeteria: A School District's Journey to Zero Waste,” will take place on November 13, 2024 from 10-11am at the Pasadena Conference Center as part of the Green California Schools & Higher Education Summit. The evaluation results are from a multi-year project funded by the US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. The project aims to understand the impact of transitioning to freshly-prepared school meals on meal appeal, student participation, food and packaging waste, and school finances.

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension Specialist to become the next Director of the Nutrition Policy Institute. The Director leads strategic food and nutrition policy research, cultivates partnerships, identifies and secures grant funding, and provides overall leadership and operational oversight of the Nutrition Policy Institute. This position is based in Oakland, CA, and is focused on work across the state as well as nationally. The beginning salary will be in the Cooperative Extension Specialist series, Associate Step 1 $109,000 to Full Title Specialist Step VI $184,500 and commensurate with applicable experience and professional qualifications. The Cooperative Extension position is a two- or three-year renewable term appointment and is eligible for indefinite status (no end) after three terms. Application packets must be received by December 31, 2024 to assure full consideration. More information on how to apply is available online. Questions? Contact Tatiana Avoce – email: tavoce@ucanr.edu. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

A 2024 study identified Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, shopper and farmers' market staff perceptions of the California Fruit and Vegetable Electronic Benefit Transfer Pilot Project. This effort, spearheaded by the California Department of Social Services, tested a new model for the California Nutrition Incentive Program, or CNIP, California's longer-running supplemental benefit program that provides matching dollars to SNAP participants to purchase fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets. The Pilot Project differed from the traditional CNIP dollar-for-dollar incentive match model in several ways, including offering a $60 monthly supplemental benefit that could be redeemed in a single shopping trip, rather than weekly increments, and the ability to spend the supplemental benefit on any SNAP-eligible item at any retail location, rather than solely on fruits and vegetables at the farmers' market, as required by CNIP. Focus groups with 40 SNAP shoppers and 17 farmers' market staff indicated that shoppers appreciated the ability to earn the full monthly benefit during a single shopping trip and the option to spend it on any SNAP-eligible item at any retailer. Most shoppers reported spending the additional benefit at grocery stores rather than farmers' markets, validating staff concerns about SNAP shoppers not spending their supplemental benefit dollars at farmers' markets. Challenges included difficulties understanding the pilot program and longer lines at farmers' markets to access the benefits. The study, funded by the Ecology Center and the California Department of Social Services, was published October 2024 in the journal Nutrients by NPI co-authors Ron Strochlic, Sridharshi Hewawitharana and Wendi Gosliner and former NPI team member Carolyn Chelius. 

The American Public Health Association's 2024 Annual Meeting & Expo will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota from October 27-29, 2024 to gather nearly 13,000 public health professionals to connect, learn, and inspire each other. This year's conference centers on "Rebuilding Trust in Public Health and Science," focusing on the challenges posed by political polarization, underfunding, and distrust in scientific research. Nutrition Policy Institute researchers will present recent findings on school recess and physical education and universal school meal policies. A list of the live oral presentations is found below.

• Not all fun and games: Disparities in school recess persist and must be addressed
  • Authors: Hannah Thompson, Rebecca London
  • Date: Monday, October 28, 11:00 - 11:15 a.m. CDT. Oral presentation by Hannah Thompson

• Statewide universal school meals policies are associated with greater household food security
  • Authors: Dania Orta-Aleman, Monica Zuercher, Lorrene Ritchie, Juliana Cohen, Wendi Gosliner
  • Date: Tuesday, October 29, 9:10 - 9:30 a.m. CDT. Oral presentation by Dania Orta-Aleman

• Impact of a multilevel, multicomponent intervention to improve elementary school physical education on student cardiorespiratory fitness
  • Authors: Hannah Thompson, Kristine Madsen, Caroline Nguyen, Thomas McKenzie, Sally Picciotto
  • Date: Wednesday, October 30, 8:30 - 8:45 a.m. CDT. Oral presentation by Hannah Thompson

University of California's Research Consortium on Beverages and Health released a new fact sheet to help educate community members and decision-makers on added-sugar consumption in sugary drinks as a leading cause of tooth decay. The fact sheet, ‘Sugary Drinks: A Double Whammy for Teeth', explains how the acids and sugars in sugary drinks contribute to tooth decay. The Consortium previously released five other fact sheets on sugary drinks. All the Consortium fact sheets translate the science into key points, provided in language that is short and easy to read. The Consortium—comprised of faculty working across the field of sugar science from all ten UC campuses and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources—is coordinated by the Nutrition Policy Institute under the leadership of Christina Hecht, Ken Hecht, and Pat Crawford. Please contact Ken Hecht for more information about the Consortium and Christina Hecht for additional resources for community education on healthy beverage choices.

The US Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture encourage public engagement in the development of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is currently reviewing the latest nutrition science to develop a report with its recommendations for HHS and USDA. The Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California recently submitted two comments to the Committee: (1) advocating for drinking water consumption recommendations in the report and adding a water symbol to MyPlate, and (2) addressing possible modifications on recommendations to limit added sugars and saturated fat intake in the report. The Committee's scientific report will be published soon, followed by a public comment period to gather feedback. The report and public feedback will be used by HHS and USDA to inform the development of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Learn more about the process and how you can get involved.

Nutrition Policy Institute's collaborative research was featured in a Nutrients journal special issue, “School Meals and Children's Dietary Behaviour.” The special issue, coordinated by guest editor Pamela Koch from Teachers College Columbia University, highlights research reporting on novel and innovative ways for school meals to have a positive influence on children. Included is a 2023 article co-authored by NPI's Christina Hecht, Ken Hecht and collaborators, “Parent Perception of School Meals in the San Joaquin Valley during COVID-19: A Photovoice Project.” Two articles published in 2022 from NPI's School Meals for All research team are also featured, including “Implementation of Universal School Meals during COVID-19 and beyond: Challenges and Benefits for School Meals Programs in Maine” and “Providing School Meals to All Students Free of Charge during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Challenges and Benefits Reported by School Foodservice Professionals in California,” co-authored by NPI's Christina Hecht, Ken Hecht, Monica Zuercher, Wendi Gosliner, Lorrene Ritchie and collaborators. The special issue and articles are available freely online. NPI's more recent school meals for all research findings are also available online.

Nutrition Policy Institute's Kassandra Bacon will present with CACFP Roundtable's Samantha Kay-Daleiden Marshall at the 2024 Annual CACFP Conference at Universal Studios, CA. The conference focuses on the growth of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, commonly known as CACFP. On October 8, 2:30pm-3:30pm PT, a workshop, “Impacts of COVID-19 Changes to Meal and Snack Reimbursements on Family Child Care Home Providers, Children and Families” will highlight research by NPI's Kassandra Bacon, Danielle Lee, Celeste Felix, Lorrene Ritchie, UC Berkeley's Susana Matias, and CACFP Roundtable's Samantha Kay-Daleiden Marshall and Elyse Homel Vitale. Their research examines the effects of both higher CACFP reimbursement rates for family child care homes during COVID-19 and the return to lower rates post-COVID-19. They will share results from surveys and interviews with California-based providers and sponsors on the nutritional quality of meals and snacks served in child care homes, and food security for child care providers and families. The workshop will engage CACFP stakeholders to develop proposed policy solutions based on study findings.

The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, commonly known as CACFP, provides tiered reimbursements to family childcare homes to ensure children in low-income communities have access to healthy meals. To address heightened food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, tiers were eliminated and all participating family childcare home providers received increased CACFP reimbursement rates. Nutrition Policy Institute researchers examined the perceived impacts of increased reimbursements on CACFP participation and challenges anticipated with the reinstatement of tiered rates after the pandemic from surveys completed by 518 California providers. Results showed that the temporary higher reimbursement rates lowered out-of-pocket food costs, were more adequate than rates prior to COVID-19, and supported greater perceived variety, quality, and healthfulness of foods served, especially for tier 2 providers who previously received the lowest reimbursement. Removal of the tiered reimbursements may help improve child nutrition and address the rise of nutrition-related chronic conditions. The study was published in the Nutrients journal by NPI researchers Lorrene Ritchie, Kassandra Bacon, Celeste Felix, and Danielle Lee, Samantha Marshall and Elyse Homel Vitale with the CACFP Roundtable, and Susana Matias with the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at the University of California, Berkeley.