Nutrition-related policy and environmental strategies to prevent obesity in rural communities: a systematic review of the literature, 2002-2013.

Introduction: Residents of rural communities in the United States are at higher risk for obesity than their urban and suburban counterparts. Policy and environmental-change strategies supporting healthier dietary intake can prevent obesity and promote health equity. Evidence in support of these strategies is based largely on urban and suburban studies; little is known about use of these strategies in rural communities.

Food assistance programs for children afford mixed dietary quality based on HEI-2010.

Backpack programs across the United States distribute easy-to-prepare foods in a backpack to potentially food-insecure students on Fridays to help reduce weekend hunger. This study used Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI-2010) to assess foods provided in Montana backpack programs. Healthy Eating Index 2010 measures compliance with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and is a tool to assess the diet quality of foods provided in supplemental food assistance programs.

Recent population adherence to and knowledge of United States federal nutrition guides, 1992-2013: a systematic review.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans dictates the federal nutrition programs, policies, and recommendations of the United States. Corresponding nutrition guides have been established to help educate the public about the dietary intake patterns recommended in these guidelines as well as to ameliorate the US obesity epidemic and its health-related outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize population adherence to and knowledge of these guiding US nutrition guides issued since 1992, including the Food Guide Pyramid, MyPyramid, and MyPlate.

Developing an agenda for research about policies to improve access to healthy foods in rural communities: a concept mapping study.

Background: Policies that improve access to healthy, affordable foods may improve population health and reduce health disparities. In the United States most food access policy research focuses on urban communities even though residents of rural communities face disproportionately higher risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases compared to residents of urban communities. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the factors associated with access to healthy, affordable food in rural communities in the United States; and (2) prioritize a meaningful and feasible rural food policy research agenda.

Food waste in a school nutrition program after implementation of new lunch program guidelines.

Objective: To assess the amount of food waste by meal components according to the new National School Lunch Program guidelines among pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students.

Methods: For 5 consecutive school days in 1 elementary school, the research team collected school lunch trays and separated meal components into bins relative to each food or beverage appearing on the school's daily menu. Bins were weighed in grams and converted to ounces and cups at the end of each lunch period.

New NSLP guidelines: challenges and opportunities for nutrition education practitioners and researchers.

The recent revisions of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) requirements are designed to align with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The introduction and implementation of the new NSLP has been received with positive and negative reactions from school food professionals, students, parents, and teachers. To promote student health, this is an important time for policy makers, practitioners, and researchers to implement and evaluate strategies to support the new NSLP guidelines.