Nutrition Policy Institute

A recent study highlights the importance of sustained investment in community nutrition programs and policies to improve healthy food access at home. Children get up to two-thirds of their food from home, making the availability of food in their household a key role in shaping their diets.

A new set of data briefs developed by the Nutrition Policy Institute showcases the impactful programming carried out by local health departments through CalFresh Healthy Living (California's SNAP-Ed program) during federal fiscal year 2024.

Nutrition Policy Institute researchers Kassandra Bacon and Ron Strochlic present with Hope Sippola of Spork Food Hub at the 2025 annual EcoFarm conference in Pacific Grove, CA.

A 2024 paper describes ongoing community-based work to promote consumption of water in place of sugar-sweetened beverages, SSBs, on Navajo Nation. The Navajo community is disproportionately affected by water insecurity with 30% of households lacking reliable drinking water access.

A 2024 study analyzing the diets of over 4,300 infants in the United States using the Infant Diet Quality Index, also known as IDQI, revealed associations between diet quality from 0-12 months and select nutrient and ultra-processed food intake later when the children were 2-5 years old.

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension Specialist to become the next Director of the Nutrition Policy Institute.

The Nutrition Policy Institute's CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation team, in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health, is thrilled to announce recognition of 129 schools, 79 early care and education programs, and 77 out-of-school time programs across California as recipients of...

A new policy brief provides evidence supporting the need for an increase in the number of reimbursable meals and snacks under the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, also known as CACFP, from three to four per child daily.

Nutrition Policy Institute researchers were awarded funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Eating Research program's 2024 call for proposals.

The Nutrition Policy Institute has launched three new Spanish-language web pages, designed to better serve our Spanish-speaking research participants and increase accessibility to and inclusion of the greater Spanish-speaking community.