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United States

Members of our team have worked for decades on a wide array of nutrition research projects in the United States. Our current work focuses primarily on diet-related health disparities that can lead to higher risk of chronic diseases for some groups, including low-income, Black, and Latinx populations. We also study factors impacting child nutrition. More specifically, our U.S. research projects examine:

We have developed innovative methods and models to evaluate and inform the design of federal food assistance programs (e.g., WIC, SNAP) and nutrition policy interventions such as front-of-package labeling, food and drink taxes or subsidies, restrictions on junk food marketing, and other nutrition-related policies. These methods include pricing simulations that model the effect of different pricing policies such as taxes and subsidies on food purchases and nutritional outcomes and experimental grocery stores (both virtual and real-life). Read more about our mock stores here:

Resources

  • A prescription for healthier diets: SuperSNAP in NC

    Policy brief describing SuperSNAP, a Food is Medicine program in NC. Starting in September 2019, the SuperSNAP program enrolled individuals with diet-related health conditions receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in nine federally qualified health centers across North Carolina. SuperSNAP participants received $40 per month to spend on fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables without additives at a participating NC-based chain retailer with around 500 stores across North Carolina. This policy brief includes reflections from surveys with consumers, NC retailers, and healthcare providers on the success of the SuperSNAP program.

  • Comments for USDA Revised WIC Food Package

    The Global Food Research Program's comments submitted in response to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service's proposed updates to foods provided through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

  • WIC cash value benefit increase: A key step toward healthier families

    Thumbnail of WIC CVB PDFPolicy brief summarizing findings from a study about WIC participants' experiences with changes to the program's cash value benefit for buying fruits and vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers sought to understand WIC participant perceptions of this change and barriers and facilitators to using the CVB.

  • Nutrition-related claims on fruit drinks

    Fat sheet thumbnailFruit drinks (fruit-flavored beverages that contain added sweeteners) are the most popular sugar drink among infants and young children, despite expert recommendations that this age group should not consume any drinks with added sugar. This Fact sheet summarizes findings from three studies that examined nutrition claims made on fruit drink packages and how claims impact parents’ decisions.

Publications