Nutrition Policy Institute researchers will present their collaborative research findings at the American Society for Nutrition, Nutrition 2023 annual conference in-person in Boston, Mass. Alana Chaney, a University of California, Davis graduate student, will present a poster on July 22, 10:05 to 10:09 a.m ET titled “Newly Developed Infant Diet Quality Index (IDQI) Predicts Nutrient Outcomes in Young Children ages 2-5" as part of a Poster Theater Flash Session - Innovations in Infant, Pediatric, and Pregnancy Nutrition Research: New Tools and Methodologies. The poster is co-authored by NPI-affiliated researcher Lauren Au and Charles Arnold from UC Davis, Lorrene Ritchie from NPI, and Edward Frongillo from the University of South Carolina. Lauren Au will present a poster on July 23, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. ET titled “Differences in infant diet quality by race and ethnicity predict differences in later diet quality.” The poster is co-authored by Charles Arnold and Sarina Lin from UC Davis, Lorrene Ritchie and Edward Frongillo. NPI's Sridharshi Hewawitharana will present a poster on July 24, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. titled, "Student and School Characteristics Modify the Impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education on Student Dietary Outcomes.” The poster is co-authored by NPI's Kaela Plank, Amanda Linares and Gail Woodward-Lopez.
/span>A recent study conducted in California examined the impact of increased cash value benefits to purchase fruits and vegetables in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, which focused on 1,700 families with low-income who had children aged 1-4, found that the increased benefits improved household food security, increased child fruit and vegetable consumption among children with inadequate intakes, and enhanced satisfaction with the cash value benefit amount. Before the pandemic, WIC families received only $9 to purchase fruits and vegetables for children, which provided less than one-fifth of the recommended amounts for this age group. The cash value benefit for children was temporarily increased to $35 per month from May to September 2021 and to $24 per month starting in October 2021. The study findings support continuation of the increased cash value benefit to support the nutrition and health of vulnerable young children. The study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Authors include Shannon E. Whaley, Christopher Anderson and Catherine Yepez from the Public Health Foundation Enterprises-WIC, Marisa Tsai and Lorrene Ritchie from the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Lauren Au from UC Davis Department of Nutrition. The research was funded by Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
- Author: Katherine Lanca
- Editor: Danielle L. Lee
- Editor: Lorrene Ritchie
The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources is calling academics, UC ANR staff, and students to attend the kickoff of their 2025-2040 strategic visioning process at the UC ANR Statewide Conference on April 24-27, 2023 in Fresno, California. Topics of the conference include: healthy food systems, healthy environments, healthy communities, and healthy Californians. Nutrition Policy Institute researchers will attend the conference to share current challenges, best practices, and future opportunities pertaining to healthy food access and nutrition policy in California and nationally. NPI team members will also lead sessions on professional development and best research practices. In addition to presenting, NPI will have an interactive table in the UC ANR Resources Room where NPI team members can answer attendees' questions about NPI and the CalFresh Health Living Evaluation Unit. A list of the poster presentations and sessions led by NPI researchers is found below.
Community Nutrition
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Sharing Successes and Collaborations in Community Nutrition and Health
Session: Measuring outcomes of CalFresh Healthy Living: Collaborating to enhance evaluation rigor and apply an equity framework
Presenters: Kaela Plank, Miranda Westfall, and Barbara MkNelly
Monday, April 24, 2023, 11:00 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Drinking Water
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Enabling Consumption of Water: the Example of Schools
Session: What's New in the World of Water?
Presenter: Christina Hecht
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Nutrition Security
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Research to Inform Policy: Nutrition Security and Health Equity
Session: Food Systems: Healthy Planet, Healthy People
Presenter: Lorrene Ritchie
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 8:00 a.m.- 10:00 a.m.
Professional Development and Research Skills
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Wheel of your Career
Session: Food Systems: Healthy Planet, Healthy People
Presenter: Danielle Lee
Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
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From Science to Action: Tools and Techniques for Fact-Based Civic Engagement
Session: Strengthening Participatory Extension Approaches
Presenter: Christina Hecht
Thursday, April 27, 2023, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
School Food
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Universal School Meals in California: Challenges and Benefits Reported by Foodservice Directors and Parents
Poster: M-55
Presenter: Lorrene Ritchie
Monday, April 24, 2023, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
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Method for Evaluating Food Packaging Waste in Schools: Waste Audit for Sustainable Transitions and Evaluations (WASTE)
Poster: T-30
Presenter: Danielle Lee
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
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Highlighting the impact of multi-state research-to-policy efforts during COVID-19: understanding perspectives and utilization of WIC adaptations in California and beyond
Poster: M-64
Presenter: Lorrene Ritchie, Danielle Lee, and Marisa Tsai
Monday, April 24, 2023, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
- Author: Katherine Lanca
- Editor: Danielle L. Lee
- Editor: Lorrene Ritchie
- Editor: Lauren Au Brinkmeyer
The first years of life present an optimal window to establish healthy eating behaviors and support childhood development. However, there are limited measurement tools to assess diet quality during infancy. Researchers at UC Davis and the Nutrition Policy Institute, created a novel Infant Diet Quality Index (IDQI) to assess diet quality using data on 2,858 infants from birth up to 12 months old from the WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study. The IDQI consists of 16 components related to infant feeding, including, but not limited to: breastfeeding, age of first introduction of solids, and frequency of consuming fruit and vegetables. IDQI scores were predictive of diet quality and weight outcomes in U.S. children 2-4 years of age of low-income.The study published in The Journal of Nutrition, was authored by Dr. Lauren Au and Charles Arnold of the University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition, Dr. Lorrene Ritchie of the Nutrition Policy Institute, and Dr. Edward Frongillo from the University of South Carolina, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior. Research was supported by the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R03HL154986 and the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project #CA-D-NTR-2689-H.
- Author: Katherine Lanca
- Editor: Danielle L. Lee
- Editor: Lorrene Ritchie
The USDA recently proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages, which includes a permanent increase to the cash value benefit (CVB) for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables. In response, the Nutrition Policy Institute submitted a public comment to the Federal Register in strong support of this revision. The comment focuses on NPI-led research that highlights benefits associated with an increase to the CVB– including reduced food insecurity and improved dietary intake. Most notable is a large study of nearly 8,000 WIC participants from several states, who shared the desire for a greater variety of WIC food options, particularly more fruits, vegetables, and dairy alternatives. Additional research on WIC participants' perspectives of the program suggested that increases to the CVB were well received by WIC participants, and support participant retention and satisfaction with WIC. As the USDA reassesses the WIC food package, the research provided in NPI's public comment illustrates the benefits stemming from temporary changes to WIC. The public comment period was open from November 21, 2022 to February 21, 2023. All submitted comments are available online on Regulations.gov.