Research to Action News Brief
Research to Action, the Nutrition Policy Institute's quarterly news brief, provides information on research, policy, news, announcements, events, articles and action items focused on nutrition and healthy communities.
View previous issues below and sign up to be added to the mailing list.
2024
- Volume 8, Number 2: Celebrating a decade of high-impact research for healthy food, people and places
- Volume 8, Number 1: School Recess: A Chance to Address Health Inequity Across California
2023
- Volume 7, Number 4: Improving Access to Fresh, Local Produce for Incarcerated Californians
- Volume 7, Number 3: Join UC Experts in Working to Curb Sugary Drinks
- Volume 7, Number 2: Low Receipt of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Among Eligible Families
- Volume 7, Number 1: The Nutrition Policy Institute’s Innovating Approach to Evaluating SNAP-Ed
2022
- Volume 6, Number 4: A multi-pronged approach to improve college students' food security
- Volume 6, Number 3: Support universal school meals
- Volume 6, Number 2: Healthy-by-Default beverage laws for kids' meals
- Volume 6, Number 1: Policy recommendations to strengthen WIC
2021
- Volume 5, Number 3: 2021: Nutrition Policy Institute research highlights
- Volume 5, Number 2: Healthy school meals for all
- Volume 5, Number 1: Supporting improved food security during the pandemic
2020
- Volume 4, Number 4: University students struggle with basic needs
- Volume 4, Number 3: Implementing healthy vending guidelines for college campuses
- Volume 4, Number 2: Nutrition and physical activity resources during emergency times
- Volume 4, Number 1: Promising approaches for healthy food retail interventions
2019
- Volume 3, Number 4: SNAP is under attack: our largest food assistance program needs your help
- Volume 3, Number 3: The science behind sugar sweetened beverages
- Volume 3, Number 2: Turn to the tap!
- Volume 3, Number 1: Ten-year study reveals that what communities do impacts child health
2018
- Volume 2, Number 4: Improving access to nutritious food in early care and education settings
- Volume 2, Number 3: Support school nutrition programs
- Volume 2, Number 2: Improving community health, one neighborhood at a time
- Volume 2, Number 1: Prevent food waste
2017
- Volume 1, Number 4: Support rural food banks
- Volume 1, Number 3: Medical and dental providers join forces to limit children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages
- Volume 1, Number 2: Protect WIC from budget cuts and block granting
- Volume 1, Number 1: Improve access to safe drinking water in California
NPI News Blog
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Outside interviews NPI’s Hannah Thompson on why cardiovascular fitness is a better predictor of children’s future health than body mass index
Outside interviewed Nutrition Policy Institute researcher and physical activity expert Hannah Thompson for a March 31, 2024 article, “School Fitness Testing Is a Nightmare. Should We Get Rid of It?” In the article, Thompson addresses why...
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New study explores Maine and California's experiences successfully passing School Meals for All policy
During the first two years of the pandemic, the federal government enacted waivers to allow school meals to be offered to all students at no cost to families. In July 2021, California and Maine became the first states to authorize permanent universal...
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NPR features Nutrition Policy Institute’s collaborative research on letters home from school on childhood obesity
National Public Radio's Shots health news interviewed Nutrition Policy Institute's Hannah Thompson on a 2022 study that showed that letters home from school on childhood obesity had no effect on student weight. The interview was featured in an April 9,...
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Research Brief: School-based physical activity interventions that include policy changes together with improving physical activity opportunities may be the most effective approach for improving student fitness
A new research brief developed by the Nutrition Policy Institute highlights promising school-based CalFresh Healthy Living—California's SNAP-Ed program—physical activity interventions. The study used latent class analysis to describe the...
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NPI partners to develop and evaluate a marketing campaign to increase school meal participation
Increasing participation in school meal programs can improve dietary quality and reduce nutrition insecurity. School food service directors have indicated an urgent need for marketing materials encouraging school meal participation. Nutrition Policy...
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New Spanish podcast highlight’s NPI’s 10-year anniversary and Student Fellowship program
The Nutrition Policy Institute, founded in 2014, is celebrating a decade of impactful research. The latest episode of the Spanish-language podcast, Charla y Café al mediodía, features NPI senior researcher Ron Strochlic discussing the...
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Study reveals parent perceptions of school meals associated with student participation in school meals
School meals have been shown to be the healthiest source of food for US students on average and have been associated with multiple benefits to students. However, not all students eat school meals, even if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals...
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New video in Spanish celebrates NPI’s ten-year anniversary
The Nutrition Policy Institute, founded in 2014, is celebrating ten years of high-impact research. A new video in Spanish highlight's NPI's accomplishments and contributions to public health in California related to universal...
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NPI welcomes Elsa Esparza as new project policy analyst
Elsa Esparza joined the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources on March 18, 2024 as a part-time project policy analyst. Elsa is a registered dietitian and received her master's degree in public...
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NPI celebrates a decade of high-impact research
The Nutrition Policy Institute was established 10 years ago to address the growing nutrition problems in the U.S., where 1 in 6 families lack consistent access to food and more suffer from a nutrition-related chronic condition than do not. Our...
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NPI partners with Mathematica on USDA WIC and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program modernization evaluation
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children—commonly known as WIC—is celebrating 50 years of improving the health of participants, including those who are pregnant, new parents, infants, and children under...
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New infographics share culturally relevant information on school meals for Spanish-speaking California families
Nutrition Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Cultiva La Salud, and Stanford Pediatrics, released three infographics with information on school meal programs. The cartoon-style one-pagers were developed after a...
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New study highlights impact of increased WIC benefits for fruits and vegetables among ethnic and racial groups
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, offers nutrition support to diverse populations. The Cash Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables, is a key component of the WIC food packages that...
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California Bountiful Magazine features Nutrition Policy Institute’s collaborative Farm to Correction project
A recent Spring 2024 issue of the California Bountiful magazine, features Nutrition Policy Institute's collaborative research with Impact Justice and ChangeLab Solutions on their Farm to Corrections California project. The article titled,...
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New report shares perspectives from over 38,000 WIC participants in 21 states
Over 38,000 participants in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, commonly known as WIC, completed a satisfaction survey in summer of 2023. Conducted across 21 participating WIC state agencies in all US...
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Study examines sociodemographic factors in multi-program take-up of safety net programs among California families
US safety net programs provide aid to low-income households through cash and in-kind assistance, such as food and healthcare benefits. Using data from the Assessing California Communities' Experiences with Safety Net Supports ACCESS,study researchers...
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High support exists among parents of all income levels for School Meals for All in California
In a recent research brief, Nutrition Policy Institute researchers highlight the benefits of California's School Meals for All program which offers breakfast and lunch to all K-12 students at public and charter schools every instructional day, at no...
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NPI welcomes KC Whitsett as new project policy analyst
KC Whitsett joined the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources on March 25, 2024, as a project policy analyst. Originally from Virginia, KC earned a BS in Kinesiology and Health Sciences from the...
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NPI receives funding to conduct a research project on milk-fat content effects on toddler health
Milk provides various nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamin D, which are essential for health and brain development. In the US, it is advised that children switch from the recommended whole cow's milk from ages 1-2 to low-fat or non-fat milk...
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Research brief examines benefits of Massachusetts’ Healthy School Meals for All policy on families
A recent research brief from researchers at Merrimack College and the Nutrition Policy Institute highlights the impact of the Massachusetts Healthy School Meals for All policy on families. The policy was implemented in 2022, aiming to alleviate...