Estimating Young Children's Exposure to Food and Beverage Marketing on Mobile Devices.

Background: Food and beverage marketing drives poor diet quality and obesity risk among children. However, it is unknown how much young children are exposed to digital food and beverage marketing on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate how frequently young children, who are particularly vulnerable to advertising, view food and beverage marketing while using mobile devices.

School-based nutrition education programs alone are not cost effective for preventing childhood obesity: a microsimulation study.

Background: Although interventions to change nutrition policies, systems, and environments (PSE) for children are generally cost effective for preventing childhood obesity, existing evidence suggests that nutrition education curricula, without accompanying PSE changes, are more commonly implemented.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the societal costs and potential for cost-effectiveness of 3 nutrition education curricula frequently implemented in United States public schools for childhood obesity prevention.

Methods: In 2021, we searched for nutrition education curricula in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-Ed Toolkit, a catalog of interventions for obesity prevention coordinated by the federal government.

Trends in Toddler Diet Quality in the United States: 1999 to 2018.

Background And Objectives: Diet quality has improved over time for US adults and youth aged ≥2 years. Trends over time and disparities in the diet quality of toddlers 12 through 23 months old have not been documented. Our objective was to investigate the direction and magnitude of toddler diet quality trends from 1999 to 2018 overall and by household socioeconomic status.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program issuance timing is associated with sugar-sweetened beverage marketing in the USA.

Objective: Prior research has shown that there are more supermarket displays of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) during times when Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are distributed ('issuance periods'). This may contribute to inequitable purchasing and consumption. This study examines whether SSB marketing in weekly supermarket circulars, which retailers use to advertise products, is more prevalent during issuance periods compared to non-issuance periods.

Prevalence and Implementation Characteristics of Weekend Food Assistance Programs in U.S. Schools.

Introduction: Amid national efforts to align priorities for nutrition and food assistance programs, little is known about the implementation of community-led efforts for children. This study aimed to estimate U.S.

Philadelphia Beverage Tax's Impact on Beverage Ad Expenditures and Number of Ads Purchased.

Introduction: On January 1, 2017, Philadelphia implemented a beverage excise tax. The study's objective was to determine whether beverage advertising expenditures and the number of beverage ads purchased changed in Philadelphia compared to Baltimore because of this tax.

Methods: Monthly beverage ad expenditures and the number of beverage ads purchased by brand from January 2016 through December 2019 were obtained.

Cost-effectiveness of Improved WIC Food Package for Preventing Childhood Obesity.

Background And Objectives: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) prevents food insecurity and supports nutrition for more than 3 million low-income young children. Our objectives were to determine the cost-effectiveness of changes to WIC's nutrition standards in 2009 for preventing obesity and to estimate impacts on socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequities.

Methods: We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to estimate impacts from 2010 through 2019 of the 2009 WIC food package change on obesity risk for children aged 2 to 4 years participating in WIC.

A Narrative Review of Public Health Interventions for Childhood Obesity.

Purpose Of Review: Public health interventions that intervene on macrolevel systems hold the promise of reducing childhood obesity at the population level through prevention. The purpose of this review is to highlight some of the recent and best scientific evidence related to public health interventions for the prevention of childhood obesity. We provide a narrative review of scientific evidence for six categories of public health interventions and their impact on childhood obesity: federal nutrition assistance programs, programs implemented in early care and education centers, interventions to support healthy nutrition and physical activity in schools, community-based programs and policies, labeling policies and marketing to children, and taxes on sugar sweetened beverages (SSB).

How policy implementation shapes the impact of U.S. food assistance policies: the case study of the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Much of the chronic disease burden in the U.S. population can be traced to poor diet.

State Agency Perspectives on Successes and Challenges of Administering the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) improves nutrition and reduces food insecurity for young children while helping cover food costs for care providers and families. Despite its important benefits, the program is underutilized. This report uses qualitative interviews with state CACFP administrators representing 28 states to explore federal and state policies and practices that support or discourage CACFP participation among licensed child care centers.

Advertising and Stocking at Small Retailers: A Sweetened Beverage Excise Tax in Philadelphia.

Introduction: In 2017, Philadelphia enacted a $0.015 per ounce excise tax on SBs that covered both sugar-sweetened beverages and artificially-sweetened beverages, which reduced purchasing and consumption. This study assessed whether the tax also changed beverage advertising or stocking practices that could influence consumer behavior among stores in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Philadelphia-adjacent counties not subject to the tax.

Federal Nutrition Assistance for Young Children: Underutilized and Unequally Accessed.

Introduction: The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) improves nutrition and reduces food insecurity among young children by helping cover the food costs for child care providers and families. This nationwide study evaluated the extent and predictors of the CACFP's utilization among licensed child care centers to identify opportunities for expanding CACFP nutrition support.

Methods: Administrative data from the CACFP and child care licensing agencies in 47 states and District of Columbia were compiled and geocoded for 93,227 licensed child care centers.

Cost Effectiveness of Calorie Labeling at Large Fast-Food Chains Across the U.S.

Introduction: Calorie labeling of standard menu items has been implemented at large restaurant chains across the U.S. since 2018.

A Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Excise Tax in California: Projected Benefits for Population Obesity and Health Equity.

Introduction: Amid the successes of local sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes, interest in state-wide policies has grown. This study evaluated the cost effectiveness of a hypothetical 2-cent-per-ounce excise tax in California and its implications for population health and health equity.

Methods: Using the Childhood Obesity Intervention Cost-Effectiveness Study microsimulation model, tax impacts on health, health equity, and cost effectiveness over 10 years in California were projected, both overall and stratified by race/ethnicity and income.

Philadelphia Beverage Tax and Association With Prices, Purchasing, and Individual-Level Substitution in a National Pharmacy Chain.

Importance: Taxes on sweetened beverages are being implemented around the globe; an understanding of these taxes on individual-level behavior is necessary.

Objective: To evaluate the degree to which the sweetened beverage tax in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was associated with changes in beverage prices and individual-level purchasing over time at a national pharmacy chain in Philadelphia compared with Baltimore, Maryland.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Using a difference-in-differences approach and generalized linear mixed models, this cohort study examined beverage purchases made by loyalty cardholders at a national chain pharmacy retailer with stores in Philadelphia and Baltimore (control city) from before tax to after tax.

The societal costs and health impacts on obesity of BMI report cards in US schools.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the 10-year cost-effectiveness of school-based BMI report cards, a commonly implemented program for childhood obesity prevention in the US where student BMI is reported to parents/guardians by letter with nutrition and physical activity resources, for students in grades 3 to 7.

Methods: A microsimulation model, using data inputs from evidence reviews on health impacts and costs, estimated: how many students would be reached if the 15 states currently measuring student BMI (but not reporting to parents/guardians) implemented BMI report cards from 2023 to 2032; how many cases of childhood obesity would be prevented; expected changes in childhood obesity prevalence; and costs to society.

Results: BMI report cards were projected to reach 8.

Weight-based discrimination and disordered eating behaviors in a cohort of U.S. sexual minority young adults.

Objective: Though prevalent, weight-based discrimination is understudied and has been linked to disordered eating behaviors (DEB) among adolescents and adults. Sexual minority populations experience elevated risk of DEB, but little is known about the role of weight discrimination in this elevated risk.

Methods: Participants were 1257 sexual minority women and men (ages 18-31 years) in the US Growing Up Today Study cohort.

De-implementing public health policies: a qualitative study of the process of implementing and then removing body mass index (BMI) report cards in Massachusetts public schools.

Background: This study explored reasons for the adoption of a policy to distribute report cards to parents about children's weight status ("BMI report cards") in Massachusetts (MA) public schools in 2009 and the contextual factors influencing the policy removal in 2013.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with 15 key decision-makers and practitioners involved with implementing and de-implementing the MA BMI report card policy. We analyzed interview data using a thematic analytic approach guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) 2.

Comparison of foods and beverages served and consumed in Child and Adult Care Food Program-participating childcare centres to national guidelines.

Objective: The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sets minimum nutrition and portion size standards for meals served in participating childcare programs. CACFP has been associated with more nutritious meals served. It is unclear, however, whether CACFP results in children's dietary intake being aligned with national recommendations.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program and young children's health: a systematic review.

Context: The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal nutrition program that supports young children's nutrition. Its potential impacts on child well-being have not been summarized.

Objective: The objective of this review was to summarize the evidence for the impact of CACFP on children's diet quality, weight status, food insecurity, and cognitive development.

Naming Matters: Prompting Smaller Portions in an Online RCT.

Introduction: Large portions, which can lead people to eat more, are becoming increasingly common in U.S. restaurants.

Food insecurity and the role of food assistance programs in supporting diet quality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts.

Background: Economic and supply chain shocks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to substantial increases in the numbers of individuals experiencing food-related hardship in the US, with programs aimed at addressing food insecurity like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and food pantries seeing significant upticks in utilization. While these programs have improved food access overall, the extent to which diet quality changed, and whether they helped mitigate diet quality disruptions, is not well understood.

Objective: To evaluate food insecurity, food pantry and/or SNAP participation associations with both diet quality as well as perceived disruptions in diet during the COVID-19 pandemic among Massachusetts adults with lower incomes.