A collection of expert commentaries about the impact of policies and programs, interviews with researchers about data releases, and stories of communities taking action to help children grow up healthy and at a healthy weight.
Healthy Climate
Re-envisioning our Food System for Healthier Kids & a Healthier Climate
Climate change affects more than just the weather. Research shows it's impacting our health, food supply, personal safety, housing and more. Climate change impacts our food systems and threatens our ability to grow food through droughts, floods and heat.
Community Story
Local Perspectives: Community Leaders Call For School Meals For All At No Charge
Read excerpts from three opinion-editorials authored by state community leaders who explain the importance of state policymakers taking action to support school meals for all at no charge.
Community Story
Nutrition Directors Make the Case: School Meals for All!
Universal school meals have been key to supporting nutrition service directors’ efforts to feed families facing food insecurity. If the USDA waivers that allow for school meals free of charge end, there could be a devastating rise in school lunch debt.
How to Help States Administer SNAP: Short Term and Beyond
For the state staff who administer SNAP, the pandemic has created a host of new challenges. From online access barriers to surges in enrollment, states pivoted again and again to meet the needs of participating families.
Community Story
A Malawian Farmer’s Inspiring Lessons on Climate Change, Food Justice and Gender Equity
The Ants and the Grasshopper film explores solutions to end child hunger and issues on climate change and gender equity. Learn from Malawian farmers about how to build a healthier, more equitable future.
Six Tips to Help Advocate for School Meals for All in Your State
Almost 60% of public school students in California are from families with low income, and research shows nutritious school meals are essential for students' health and learning. Ensuring kids have consistent access to healthy meals at school is a critical strategy for alleviating hunger.
Expert Perspective
Fighting Back Against Companies’ Behind-the-Scenes Tactics to Market Sugary Drinks to Kids
Matthew Myers and Kelly Brownell discuss how sugary drinks advocates are fighting back against the beverage companies unfair marketing tactics to kids.
Expert Perspective
Sugary Drinks and Tobacco—Different Industries, Same Playbook
Matthew Myers and Kelly Brownell discuss how marketing tactics for sugary drink ads and tobacco ads have the same strategy. Target kids and get them hooked.
Expert Perspective
Bold Solutions for Healthier Kids and a Healthier Planet
Working towards a healthier planet and healthier kids means addressing obesity, hunger, and climate change. They are all connected.
Expert Perspective
Fighting for Food Justice
Detroit is working towards ending food insecurity, especially for the Black community, starting with adjusting food production and sales.
Expert Perspective
In Mexico, Healthy Food Is a Child’s Right
Mexican states are working to protect children's rights, by limiting donations, sales, or supplies of sugary drinks, soda, chips, and candy to children
Community Story
Our People Will Walk With Good Health
The “Bountiful Backpacks” program on the Rosebud Indian Reservation is a smart, scalable approach to combating child poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.
Expert Perspective
Why Drinking Water Quality Matters
In recognition of Water Quality Month, we spoke with two experts on the importance of water quality and access to clean water in the U.S.
Community Story
Playing the “long game of child nutrition” in North Sacramento, California
In North Sacramento, California, the Natomas Unified School District has served more than a million meals since the pandemic started--in great part due to USDA-issued COVID-19 waivers that allowed the district the flexibility to serve more meals to more kids.
Community Story
Summer Meals Help Students Eat Healthy in Burke County, Georgia
Burke County Public Schools in Waynesboro, Georgia is committed to combatting food insecurity during the summer months by feeding kids healthy meals when school is not in session.
Community Story
Baltimore Public Schools Keep Innovating to Serve Millions of Kids Across the City
Nearly a quarter of Baltimore’s young residents struggle with food insecurity. Since the pandemic started, Baltimore City Public Schools have made it their mission to ensure that local families across the city never have to worry about a lapse in access to food.
Expert Perspective
Confronting the Challenges of Transforming Public Health
Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, discuss SNAP, and the country's plan to improve food access for the future.
Report
Protecting Kids from Harmful Food and Beverage Advertising
We spoke with the lead authors of a new report "Big Food, Big Tech, and the Global Childhood Obesity Pandemic" about how food and beverage companies have seized on the pandemic as an opportunity to promote their unhealthy products to children and teens.
Community Story
WIC Gives Families a Sense of Relief Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented increases in unemployment and hunger, underscoring how vital the WIC program is for families and provides various supports to mothers and their children. Hear from families how WIC gave them relief during uncertain times.
Community Story
How School Meals Help Families Impacted by the Pandemic
School meals are a lifeline to tens of millions of families across the country. Learn about new research on how healthy meals benefit kids—and why school meal programs must be supported, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community Story
Seattle Nonprofit Alleviates Hunger with Funding from Sugary Drink Tax
Seattle's sugary drink tax helps expand programming that increases access to healthy food and supports early youth health. Tilth Alliance is one of the many non-profit and community-based organizations that receives funding through the City of Seattle and sugary drink tax revenue.
Q&A
Impact‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌COVID-19 Pandemic‌ ‌on‌ ‌Childhood‌ ‌Obesity‌ ‌
COVID-19, and the economic consequences of the pandemic, may be increasing the risk for childhood obesity. Experts speak about how COVID-19 might influence childhood obesity rates in the future.
Community Story
New Data Compares Latest Child Obesity Rates By Age, Gender, and Race
Nearly one in five young people in the United States has obesity. Data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) shows the drastic differences in child obesity rates across age, gender, and racial and ethnic groups.
Community Story
Home Visits May Help Prevent Obesity Among Young Native American Children
Native American children suffer from high rates of obesity which puts them at greater risk for severe consequences from COVID-19. A study found that nutrition-focused home-visiting intervention programs have an impact on infant's health and decreases risk of early childhood obesity.
Expert Perspective
Innovative Heroes, Ensuring No Child or Family Goes Hungry During COVID-19
When COVID-19 hit, these school nutrition professionals showed up strong to help provide healthy foods to children and families. Read their inspirational stories.
Expert Perspective
Building Community Power to Limit Marketing of Sugary Drinks
Taking on the beverage industry’s marketing of sugary drinks to kids is one of Xavier’ Morales' passions. Learn more about his work to help communities create policies that prioritize health and equity.
Expert Perspective
How WIC Has Changed During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Brian Dittmeier and Georgia Machell of the National WIC Association explain how WIC is adapting in response to the COVID-19 crisis and changes that are needed going forward.
Community Story
Berkeley Residents Fund Healthy Programs with Soda Tax Revenues
The city of Berkeley, CA, uses revenue collected by a tax on sugary drinks to fund programs that teach children and families healthy habits and the health harms of consuming sugary beverages.
Community Story
School Meals Are a Lifeline for America’s Kids and Families
Families across America rely on school meals and millions were left without a regular source of nutrition when COVID-19 forced schools closed. Read their stories.
Expert Perspective
Policy Changes Can Prevent Kids from Consuming Sugary Drinks
Dr. Sara Bleich, obesity prevention researcher, shares insights from her research related to kids' consumption of sugary drinks.
Expert Perspective
Preventing Childhood Obesity: What Will it Take?
Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Jamie Bussel, senior program officer, discuss COVID-19, childhood obesity, and how the country needs to address these challenges.
New Data Compares Adult Obesity Rates Across States
Adult obesity rates vary significantly across states, according to data published today in the State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, a new report from Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).
Community Story
Seattle’s Sugary Drink Tax Helps Feed Local Families Hit Hardest by COVID-19
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle’s sugary drink tax has put $5 million worth of grocery vouchers into the hands of those who need them most.
Community Story
WIC: Virtual Services and Partnerships Address Nutrition Needs and More
The St. Joseph’s WIC program in Paterson, New Jersey innovates new methods to help participants receive health referral and healthy food services amid the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to their need to live a healthy life.
Q&A
Infant and Toddler Milk Companies Spend Millions Targeting Caregivers With Dubious Nutritional Claims—and it’s Working
Companies widely market unhealthy drinks for young children, but upcoming dietary guidelines will for the first time include nutrition recommendations for children under age 2.
To Help Recover from COVID-19, We Need Universal Free School Meals
Free school meals for every student would reduce uncertainty for families and ease burdens on schools.
Sugary Drink Marketing Targets Youth at Greatest Risk for Obesity
New priority issue page highlights the latest research on sugary drink marketing, how it targets youth who are at risk for obesity and policy options for reducing consumption.
Supporting Child Nutrition During the Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many families have been struggling to find ways to feed their children healthy, affordable foods. Changes to several federal nutrition programs could better support families during this ongoing crisis.
Q&A
Supporting a Healthy Early Childhood During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has made administering nutrition programs like WIC more challenging. We spoke to the National WIC Association and Food Research & Action Center to better understand how WIC is responding to the pandemic.
Coronavirus and Nutrition: Feeding Children During the Pandemic
Two new research briefs offer recommendations for prioritizing specific changes to SNAP in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent media briefing explored how best to feed children during the pandemic.
Food Banks Respond to Surge in Demand
During the uncertain times of the coronavirus pandemic, families are enduring serious hardships of job and childcare lose, and even hunger. There is a growing number of people who are unable to afford food. Food banks have become an essential resource, on the front lines daily providing support to families across the country.
Community Story
Serving School Meals in Challenging Times
Schools across the country are working to serve healthy meals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about some of the strategies school leaders are using.
Q&A
The Impact of Changing SNAP and School Meals During COVID-19
A discussion with Giridhar Mallya of RWJF to better understand how recent coronavirus relief legislation impacts SNAP and school meals, as well as some of the longer-term proposals in both areas.
New Adult Obesity Rate Data
New data show that the adult obesity rate in the United States is 42.4%, and that disparities persist across race and ethnicity.
Community Story
Eastern Washington Schools Make Meals Healthier
Eastern Washington School Districts and Chef LJ Klinkenberg have made it their mission to get healthy and tasty food meals served in schools. Since starting their work, obesity rates have dropped.
Q&A
A Closer Look at Food Insecurity
An estimated 40 million Americans - including 12.5 million children- are living in food shortage areas. We sat down with Elaine Waxman, senior fellow at the Urban Institute about their new interactive tool mapping food insecurity across the countru.
Q&A
Unhealthy Drinks Dominate Children’s Drink Sales
It's hard to tell healthy and unhealthy children's drinks apart, so it is important to have the facts to make the healthiest decision possible. This interview with the Rudd Center shares findings from a recent report on the nutrition content of and marketing behind children's drinks.
New Year, New Nutrition Facts Label
On January 1, an updated Nutrition Facts label took effect covering all food and beverage products from manufacturers with more than $10 million in sales. Read a post from Jamie Bussel of RWJF about the change and what it means for families.
Local Farmers Pick-to-Order for Spokane’s Youngest Kids
No matter where you go in Spokane, you’ll find a well-connected community that cares deeply about children’s health. Growing a local “farm-to-ECE” movement is one way this community is helping its kids grow up at a healthy weight.
Q&A
Healthy Drinks Matter for Healthy Kids
Megan Lott, deputy director of Healthy Eating Research and lead author of the Healthy Beverage Consumption in Early Childhood report shares recommendations about which drinks are best for infants and young kids to drink, as well as which ones to avoid.
Q&A
Increasing Healthy Food Options in Vending Machines
There are nearly 4 million vending machines in U.S. schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, and other places where kids spend time. Thanks to a new public health commitment, beginning January 1, 2020, they will include “better for you” products.
Washington State Prioritizes Healthier Standards in Early Learning Settings
Washington state's Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition helps early care and education providers serve healthy meals statewide by advocating for strong nutrition requirements.
Expert Perspective
Building a More Equitable San Antonio
Mayor Ron Nirenberg and his team are committed to finding policy solutions to build a more inclusive and equitable San Antonio, Texas.
Expert Perspective
The Power of Community Partnerships
Pediatrician and epidemiologist Renee Boynton-Jarrett shares that addressing childhood obesity simply can't happen only in a clinical environment. Solutions to the epidemic need to be accessible in all of the places where children live, learn, and play.
Community Story
A Community Chooses Water First for Thirst
In the capital city of Columbus, where about 1 in 4 kids who enter kindergarten are overweight or have obesity, advocates and organizations have been working together to provide kids with the earliest possible opportunities to develop healthy habits. That means focusing on kids from birth to age 5.
Letter
A Letter From Dr. Rich Besser
Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, shares the Foundation's commitment to reducing rates of childhood obesity.
Q&A
How Childhood Obesity Rates Have Changed Over Time
Childhood obesity rates have risen a lot in 40 years, but in the last decade, they've been leveling off. In this interview, Diane Schazenbach shares new insights about how rates have changed over time among different children.
Q&A
Boosting Physical Activity in Rural Communities with Play Streets
Physical activity is important for our health—especially for children. But in rural communities—where there may be fewer resources, sidewalks, playgrounds, and parks—there often are fewer opportunities for kids to engage in the kind of physical activity that keeps them healthy and happy. Play Streets is one solution.
Q&A
How WIC Gives Children a Healthy Start, Preventing Obesity in Early Childhood
New data show obesity rates among 2- to 4-year-olds enrolled in WIC continue to decline. We sat down with Georgia Machell of the National WIC Association and Jim Weill of FRAC for their insights about the new data and the value of WIC.
School Meals Are Essential to Kids’ Health
Federal nutrition programs help ensure that children and families nationwide, especially those in low-income communities, have greater access to healthy foods and enough to eat. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Jamie Bussel explains how programs like WIC and school meals are essential to kids’ health.