Nutrition
Distributional Changes in U.S. Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Purchases, 2002–2014
U.S. policy actions focus on reducing sugar-sweetened beverage purchases. Yet, there are no studies on trends in overall purchase distribution and how it has changed by key subpopulations. This study examined changes in distributions of total sugar-sweetened beverage purchases and its major subtypes (regular carbonated soft drinks and fruit/sports/energy drinks) in 2002–2014 and distinguished among low, moderate, and high purchasers.Recent Trends in Junk Food Intake in U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2003–2016
In the U.S., there is no consensus of how to define junk food. Strict regulations on what constitutes junk food denoted by front-of-package labels can serve as the basis for statutory actions. Chile was the first country to adopt this approach, and several countries have followed suit. This study examined the proportion of calories and nutrients of concern consumed by U.S. children and adolescents defined as junk food using the Chilean label criteria and the changes between 2003 and 2016.The Challenge in Improving the Diets of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients: A Historical Commentary
This paper provides a historical background for the current nutrition issues faced by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Food Stamp Program evolved into SNAP during a period when U.S. diets, particularly those of the poor, became less healthful. During the 1960s, the U.S. (Kennedy–Johnson era) addressed malnutrition first with a pilot project focused on retail sales and cash food stamps, which showed that low-income consumers purchased relatively healthy foods for a fairly high-quality diet.Beyond Supermarkets: Food Outlet Location Selection in Four U.S. Cities Over Time
Understanding what influences where food outlets locate is important for mitigating disparities in access to healthy food outlets. However, few studies have examined how neighborhood characteristics influence the neighborhood food environment over time, and whether these relationships differ by neighborhood-level income.Walmart and Other Food Retail Chains: Trends and Disparities in the Nutritional Profile of Packaged Food Purchases
Proliferation of food retail chains has created an environment in which a few food retailers account for the majority of U.S. packaged food purchases (PFPs). Despite the major potential for these food retail chains (FRCs) to impact what U.S. consumers buy and eat, little is known about the nutritional profile of PFPs from these retailers, particularly PFPs from Walmart, the largest U.S. grocer.The Nutrient Content of U.S. Household Food Purchases by Store Type
Little is known about where households shop for packaged foods, what foods and beverages they purchase, and the nutrient content of these purchases. This study describes volume trends and nutrient content (nutrient profiles, food and beverage groups) of household packaged foods purchases (PFPs) by store type.Solid Fat and Added Sugar Intake Among U.S. Children: The Role of Stores, Schools, and Fast Food, 1994–2010
Little is known about the role of location in U.S. children’s excess intake of energy from solid fat and added sugar, collectively referred to as SoFAS.Foods and Beverages Associated with Higher Intake of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Although consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with higher caloric intakes, the amount SSBs contribute to higher intakes has not been addressed.Food Companies' Calorie-Reduction Pledges to Improve U.S. Diet
Heretofore, corporate voluntary pledges to improve the health of Americans have been linked neither to explicit measurable commitments nor to a framework for an independent evaluation. The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), whose members include 16 of the nation's leading consumer packaged goods food and beverage manufacturers, voluntarily pledged to collectively remove 1 trillion calories from their products by 2012 (against a 2007 baseline), and 1.5 trillion calories by 2015. The pledge is designed to reduce the calorie gap commensurate with the HWCF companies' role in the U.S.Causes of Increased Energy Intake Among Children in the U.S., 1977–2010
Changes in total energy intake have been reported among children and adolescents, but the extent to which the components of total energy—energy density; portion size; and the number of eating/drinking occasions (EO)—drive these changes is unknown.The Public Health Implications of Fast-Food Menu Labeling
Excessive fast-food intake and the entire fast-food industry have been the source of strong criticism for pricing policies that enhance the purchases of large portion sizes; promotion of unhealthful foods high in sodium, saturated fats, and calories and depleted of many important minerals and vitamins; and seductive marketing that brings young children into fast-food–dependent diets at an early age.1–7 Indeed, cultural anthropologists studying the impact of McDonald's introduction into Asia note the profound effects of fast-food company practices and policies on the entire culture of eating.
