Nutrition

commentary

Why Are U.S. Veterans at Heightened Risk of Food Insecurity?

U.S. veterans are at great risk of food insecurity, but there is limited understanding of exactly how many veterans lack resources to attain adequate and nutritious food and why. If resources are to be directed more effectively, the United States needs better clarity into the magnitude of the problem.

Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz, Andrea Richardson @ASRichardson3

commentary

The Biden Administration's Chance to Improve SNAP and Nutrition Support

If policymakers were to make permanent the relaxed rules forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, it could be a start to increased racial equity in SNAP. Given broad public support for SNAP, making benefits easier to access, particularly for those already eligible, could be a bipartisan priority.

Sameer M. Siddiqi

blog

L.A.'s High Unemployment, RAND's New Research Center, Twitter: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on unemployment in the Los Angeles area, the new RAND Center to Advance Racial Equity Policy, food consumption in the UK, and more.

commentary

We Are What We Eat: Understanding Food Consumption for Healthier and More Sustainable Diets

Despite a rise in ethical and sustainable eating, most people still make their food choices based on price, convenience, and taste. What policies can help support more healthy decisionmaking?

Camilla d'Angelo

commentary

Food Access: Challenges and Solutions Brought on by COVID-19

For the 14.3 million American households already experiencing food insecurity before the pandemic, shutdowns and restrictions have created new layers of hardship. Tremendous efforts are already underway to help. But the weeks to come will surely demand more creative solutions from the public and private sectors.

Sameer M. Siddiqi, Jonathan H. Cantor, et al.

commentary

Pittsburgh's Hill District Is Losing More Than a Supermarket

When the Shop 'n Save in Pittsburgh's Hill District closed its doors for good, residents lost the ability to go to a supermarket near their homes. But they also lost something less tangible: a symbol of hope, opportunity, and change for their neighborhood.

Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz, La'Vette Wagner

essay

Faith-Based Organizations Promote Well-Being in Underserved Communities

Kathryn Derose, a senior policy researcher at RAND and an Episcopal deacon, works with Latino and African-American churches to address health issues in their communities. Her research has shown the power of the pulpit to fight health disparities, counter stigma, and encourage healthy living.

commentary

A New Way to Reduce Sugary Beverage Consumption

Where items are placed and promoted in stores is the most important predictor of what people buy. If stores restricted sugary beverages to a single out-of-the-way area, people who really wanted to buy them could, but would have to intentionally seek them out. Others might be less likely to buy a sweetened drink on impulse.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

Why 'Guilt-Free' Lanes at the Supermarket Could Help Fight Obesity

The United Kingdom is banishing so-called “guilt lanes,” supermarket cash register aisles permeated by junk food. This is a necessary step in the nation's fight against obesity. But what's really needed is a comprehensive approach.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

Junk-Food Havens: Vending Machines Don't Belong in the Workplace

In the middle of a nationwide obesity epidemic, a handy device dripping with temptation often lurks around the workplace corner—the vending machine. Decreasing the ubiquity and availability of low-nutrient junk food could go a long way toward addressing obesity in the United States.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

Why Obesity Rates Continue to Climb—and What Can Be Done to Stop It

Too many Americans are being harmed by a food environment that lacks the necessary standards to make it easier for people to maintain a healthy weight. Policies aimed at portion control and cleaning up the food swamp could make a difference.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

Fighting Obesity: Why Chile Should Continue Placing 'Stop Signs' on Unhealthy Foods

By instituting its innovative food warning label policies, Chile has become a beacon of light to countries around the world. The new government would do well to consider why it should maintain these policies, which in the long run will benefit business and the country as a whole.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

What the World Can Learn from Chile's Obesity-Control Strategies

Nearly 30 years into the ongoing global epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases, Chile has taken the lead in identifying and implementing obesity-control strategies that could prove to be the beginning of the end of the epidemic. The country's success on this front can serve as a lesson plan other countries could follow.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

Fixing America's Food Deserts Alone Won't Fix Our Terrible Diets

It's clearly hard to make healthy food choices if you can't get to a store that offers them. But what matters most is what you put in your cart once you get there.

Christine Anne Vaughan, Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz

commentary

Candy Out of Sight, Out of Mind

CVS is cutting back on candy at the cash register, making junk food less visible and "healthier" snacks easier to find. Any move that nudges consumers toward healthier choices should be applauded, but CVS could take the lead as a retailer and do away with junk food displays by the cash register altogether.

Deborah A. Cohen