Nutrition Policy Institute

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Article

New study on California school meals shows that scratch-cooking and the use of organic and locally grown foods may reduce barriers to student meal participation

March 25th, 2025
By Jean Aquino, Danielle Lee, Monica D Zuercher, Wendi Gosliner
A 2025 California study surveying 430 California school food authorities, SFAs, evaluated the use of scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods in school meals. For many U.S. children, school meals contribute a significant portion of their diet and offer an opportunity to improve diet quality amid…
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Article

NPI paper on association between food acquisition, diet, and body weight during COVID-19 nominated for Nutrients Best Paper Award

March 21st, 2025
By Reka Vasicsek, Summer J Cortez, Miranda W Brown
A new Nutrition Policy Institute research brief summarizes findings from a 2023 study—currently a candidate for Nutrients' Best Paper of 2023—titled “Associations between Changes in Food Acquisition Behaviors, Dietary Intake, and Body Weight during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Low-Income Parents in California…
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Article

New NPI research brief highlights importance of store participation in SNAP and WIC for healthy food retail environment

March 20th, 2025
By Reka Vasicsek, Summer J Cortez, Richard Pulvera, Wendi Gosliner
A new research brief from the Nutrition Policy Institute highlights the role of federal and state programs in promoting healthy and equitable food retail environments. The study, “Availability and Quality of Healthy Foods Vary by Store Participation in SNAP and WIC in Low-Income California Neighborhoods,”…
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Article

Study on Navajo Nation identifies community involvement and cultural traditions as crucial in promoting drinking water access and reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in young children

January 21st, 2025
By Jean Aquino
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.
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Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources logo

Research for healthy food, people and places

The Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) envisions a world in which healthy food, beverages and opportunities for physical activity are accessible, affordable, equitable and sustainable for everyone.

Nutrition Policy Institute video image

NPI's mission is to conduct and translate policy-relevant research to transform environments for healthy children, families and communities.

Read more about our vision and mission, and learn about our impact.

Watch our video in English and Spanish!

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Please see additional news items on our Nutrition Policy Institute News blog.

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Office Locations

Nutrition Policy Institute

University of California Office of the President
1111 Franklin St.
Oakland, CA 94607
United States

Personnel

Brianna Aguayo Villalon

Student Communications Fellow
Affiliated Organization

Jean Aquino

SURVEY WORKER

Kassandra A Bacon

Kassandra A. Bacon
Project Policy Analyst III
PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Ramsha Baig

Ramsha Baig
Research Data Analyst 3
RSCH DATA ANL 3

Sibani Michael Bose

Sibani Michael Bose
Chief Business Officer
ADMIN OFCR 4

Miranda W Brown

Miranda Westfall Brown
Academic Coordinator
ACADEMIC COORD III-FY

Kiana Coleman

SURVEY WORKER

Summer J Cortez

Summer J. Cortez
CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation Unit Manager, NPI
PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Patricia A Crawford

Patricia A. Crawford
Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist - Emeritus
NON-SENATE ACAD EMERITUS(WOS)

Sydney Dougan

SURVEY WORKER

Elsa M Esparza

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Celeste Felix

RSCH DATA ANL 3

KC Fiedler

KC Fiedler
Project Policy Analyst III
PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Caitlin D French

Assistant Project Scientist
ASST PROJ SCIENTIST-FY

Amy Garfinkel

STDT 4 ANR

Wendi Gosliner

Project scientist
PROJ SCIENTIST-FY NON REP

Christina E Hecht

Christina E. Hecht
UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute Academic Coordinator
ACADEMIC COORD III-FY NEX

Kenneth Hecht

UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute Coordinator
PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Sridharshi C Hewawitharana

Research Data Analyst
RSCH DATA ANL 3

Janice Kao

Academic Coordinator II
PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Danielle Lee

Danielle Lee
Director of Communications & Research Engagement
PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Meirong M Liao

Procurement Officer
ADMIN OFCR 2 CX

Amanda M Linares

Amanda M. Linares
Senior Program Evaluator
ACADEMIC COORD II-FY

John E Miller

SURVEY WORKER

Alan Nguyen

SURVEY WORKER

Julia Nguyen

ADMIN OFCR 2 CX

Dania Orta-Aleman

Assistant Project Scientist
ASST PROJ SCIENTIST-FY

Ana Ortiz Ramos

SURVEY WORKER

Hailey Powell

STDT 4 ANR

Richard Pulvera

Richard Pulvera
Research Data Analyst
RSCH DATA ANL 3

Jessica L Rangel

STDT 4 ANR

Suzanne M Rauzon

Suzanne M. Rauzon
Director of Community Health, Emeritus
RECALL NON-FACULTY ACAD NEX

Carolyn D Rider

Carolyn Dawn Rider
Senior Program Evaluator
ACADEMIC COORD II-FY

Lorrene D Ritchie

Lorrene D. Ritchie
Director of the Nutrition Policy Institute and Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist
SPECIALIST COOP EXT

Samantha Sam-Chen

Samantha Sam-Chen
Project Policy Analyst
PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Molly Shea

SURVEY WORKER

Michael Sheng

Survey Worker
SURVEY WORKER

Ron Strochlic

Academic Coordinator
ACADEMIC COORD II-FY NEX

Evan Talmage

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Hannah R Thompson

Hannah R. Thompson
Asst Research Professor
PROJ SCIENTIST-FY

Reka Vasicsek

Project Policy Analyst
PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Nicole Vital

Nicole Vital
SRA 2 NEX
SRA 3

Karen L Webb

NON-SENATE ACAD EMERITUS(WOS)

Ryan Williams

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Gail M Woodward-Lopez

RECALL NON-FACULTY ACAD NEX

Kayla Y Yang

STDT 3 ANR

Monica D Zuercher

Monica Daniela Zuercher
Assistant Project Scientist
ASST PROJ SCIENTIST-FY

Mission Statement

The Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) conducts research for healthy food, people and places. NPI envisions a world in which healthy food, beverages and opportunities for physical activity are accessible, affordable, equitable and sustainable for everyone. NPI's mission is to conduct and translate policy-relevant research to transform environments for healthy children, families and communities.