Healthy Eating Research has commissioned a number of papers in the area of healthy eating. Introductions and links to the commissioned papers are provided below.
Are 'Competitive Foods' Sold at School Making Our Children Fat? (March 2010)
Authors: Nicole Larson, Ph.D., M.P.H, R.D. and Mary Story, Ph.D., R.D.
Competitive foods, or foods and beverages sold outside of the school lunch program, are often cited as a contributing factor to the high rates of childhood obesity in the U.S. This article reviews the current literature on the availability and nutritional content of competitive foods in schools and the effects of these foods on students’ dietary intake and risk of obesity. Read the paper.
Review of the Nutritional Implications of Farmers' Markets and Community Gardens: A Call for Evaluation and Research Efforts (March 2010)
Authors: Lacey Arneson McCormack, M.P.H., R.D.; Melissa Nelson Laska, Ph.D., R.D.; Nicole Larson, Ph.D., M.P.H, R.D.; and Mary Story, Ph.D., R.D.
While farmers' markets and community gardens are growing in popularity as strategies to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, little is known about their impact on dietary intake. This article reviews the current literature on the effect of farmers’ market programs and community gardens on nutrition-related outcomes in adults. Read the paper.
Effect of point-of-purchase calorie labeling on restaurant and cafeteria food choices (October 2008)
Authors: Lisa Harnack, Dr.P.H., R.D., M.P.H. and Simone French, Ph.D.
Eating out comprises more than half of Americans' food budget, and labeling calories in restaurants has been proposed to help consumers make healthier choices. This review article evaluates the available literature on the effects of calorie-labeling on food choices in restaurants and cafeterias. Read the paper.
The Farm Bill and Public Health: An Overview (March 2007)
Author: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
This paper was written before the passage of the 2007 Farm Bill in December 2007, but the text effectively describes how this new bill (written in anticipation of the legislation's passage) affects not only farmers and rural communities but the environment, public health, and even socioeconomic variables. In addition to presenting a background on the Farm Bill, this paper also summarizes the key issues that will shape current and future Farm Bill debates.Read the paper.
Contribution of U.S. Food and Agricultural Policy to the Obesity Epidemic (March 2007)
Authors: Mark Muller, M.S.; Heather Schoonover, M.S.; and David Wallinga, M.D., M.P.A.
This paper describes some of the ways that agricultural policies influence what foods (and how much of them) are produced and eaten in the United States. In doing so, the authors identify key factors that contribute to the negative trends in obesity and also offer possible strategies for revising policies to reverse these trends.Read the paper.
Legal Analysis of Opportunities to Address Obesity and Protect Public Health (March 2007)
Authors: Susan L. Roberts, J.D., M.S., R.D. and Neil Hamilton, J.D.
The epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States has caused considerable challenges for public health agencies and advocates. This article explores the types of public actions and policies that could be enacted to decrease obesity and improve public health. It also discusses key legal principles and issues that can potentially impede state and local obesity and health policies. Read the paper.
U.S. Agricultural Commodity Policy and its Relationship to Obesity (March 2007)
Authors: Harwood D. Schaffer, M.S.; Douglas B. Hunt, Ph.D.; and Daryll E. Ray, Ph.D.
This paper briefly describes the economic nature of crop agriculture, then presents an overview of agricultural policy before addressing whether U.S. agricultural policy truly contributes to the growing levels of obesity in this country. Read the paper.
Publications