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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NPI Researcher Lorrene Ritchie to Present at 2024 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior Conference
Nutrition Policy Institute Director Dr. Lorrene Ritchie presents at the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, SNEB, 2024 international conference. This year's international conference, themed “Understanding Foodways: Learning, Growing, and...
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Students perceive that Universal School Meals reduce stigma, promote food security, simplify payments and increase participation
A recently published study reveals that California students appreciate Universal School Meals, reporting that having meals free of charge for all students made school meals more accessible, reduced stigma, improved food security, and streamlined the...
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Mixed-methods analysis shows high support among Maine and California parents for School Meals for All policy
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, US Congress authorized the USDA to provide free school meals to all students regardless of family income. After the 2021-2022 school year, most states reverted to previous eligibility criteria, but California...
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Research brief: Impacts of Government Investments in School Meals for All program in California
A recent Nutrition Policy Institute research brief explores how funds from the US Department of Agriculture and the State of California may have helped schools make improvements to their meal programs. The grants were distributed after California started...
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Study supports an increase in WIC Cash Value Benefit by identifying an impact on the amount and diversity of fruits and vegetables redeemed
Children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—commonly known as WIC—are at nutritional risk and need essential nutrients from fruits and vegetables to support development. The WIC food...
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NPI is seeking a graduate student Sustainable Agriculture and Food Fellow
The Nutrition Policy Institute is seeking a University of California graduate student fellow to join our efforts to improve food and nutrition security among currently and formerly incarcerated individuals in California. This fellowship opportunity is...
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New study describes the benefits and challenges schools experienced during the first year of California’s Universal School Meal policy
California became the first state in the nation to enact a universal school meal policy in 2022. A new study published in Nutrients explores the benefits and challenges California schools experienced during the first year of implementing the new policy,...
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New research brief explores perspectives on the Child and Adult Care Food Program’s serious deficiency process
The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, commonly known as CACFP, ensures over 4.2 million children, mostly in families with low income, receive nutritious meals and snacks in childcare. However, not all qualifying childcare providers participate...
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NPI collaborates on latest USDA WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2 Report
The federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—commonly known as WIC—safeguards the health of pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and young children from low-income households who are at nutritional...
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NPI releases Federal Fiscal Year 2023 CalFresh Healthy Living data briefs
A new set of data briefs developed by the Nutrition Policy Institute showcases the impactful programming carried out by local health departments through California's SNAP-Ed program in Federal Fiscal Year 2023. FFY 2023 CalFresh Healthy Living Program...
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Policy brief shows increase in WIC cash value benefit increases redemption for fresh fruits and vegetables
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, provides nutrition assistance to low-income pregnant and postpartum women. The WIC cash value benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables was increased from $9/month...
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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...