Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

Interview: Lead author Saira Sarwar, MA, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, discusses a cross-sectional study that shows how home food availability significantly influences adolescent diet quality and contributes to healthier eating habits. The study's implications suggest that interventions focusing on enhancing home availability of healthier foods may be more effective than those solely addressing neighborhood food options like fast-food and convenience stores in shaping dietary behaviors among adolescents, offering valuable insights for addressing adolescent obesity. Future research is needed to confirm these results and explore how these environments can be modified to combat adolescent obesity.

Interview: Lead investigator Megan P. Mueller, PhD, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, discusses a new study examining how food choice values of parents impact their children's eating behaviors in restaurants. Focused on low-income families who are regular restaurant-goers, the study provides important insights into how family dining choices are shaped by parental food values, with convenience and taste often influencing decisions over nutrition. Implications for public health interventions are explored.

Interview: Albert Pan, BSPH, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discusses a new study that revealed significant gaps and disparities in school meal charge policies across the US that negatively impact children and families struggling to pay. Equity in nutrition access is needed. Providing no-cost school meals to all students has numerous benefits beyond preventing student meal debt, such as improved food security, diet quality, academic performance, and attendance.

Interview: Sarah A. Stotz, PhD, RDN, CDCES, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, presents the results of a new study assessing the risk of gestational diabetes in Native adolescent and young adult females due to food insecurity. Reducing gestational diabetes through a culturally informed approach to care and health education is essential for fostering healthy eating habits.

Interview: Alexandra L. MacMillan Uribe, PhD, RDN, Texas A&M Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, highlights a new study that found meals from a community café had significantly higher diet quality than meals eaten elsewhere, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index. Investigations like these are crucial for developing effective strategies to promote healthier eating habits in vulnerable populations through community-based food programs like community cafés.

Interview: Lead author Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, RDN, Georgetown University, discusses the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior position paper that proposes a multifaceted approach to enhance emergency-related food and nutrition education across all phases of disaster management. These recommendations collectively aim to bolster disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts by embedding food and nutrition considerations within research, policy, and practice before, during, and after the event.

Interview: Noelene K. Jeffers, PhD, CNM, IBCLC, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, highlights the need for inclusive care to support and educate parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities with infant feeding through WIC. Dr. Jeffers discusses a new study that found that WIC can address disparities by offering inclusive and accessible support and counseling. Formally educating and training WIC staff to offer care that is respectful and responsive to the needs of disabled parents is crucial.

Interview: A survey of close to 500 US firefighters collected qualitative and quantitative data on their cancer history and perceptions of nutrition's role in cancer prevention. Led by Ashlea Braun, PhD, RD, TSET Health Promotion Research Center, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, the study showed that firefighters want individualized support to address their specific risks and help implement changes with the most significant potential to lower that risk.

Interview: A survey of 1,110 parents, guardians and caregivers led by Monica D. Zuercher, PhD, MS, Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California, found that more positive parental perceptions about school meals and their benefits to families were associated with greater student meal participation. Working to ensure parents are familiar with the healthfulness and quality of school meals and the efforts schools are making to provide high-quality, appealing meals may be critical for increasing school meal participation rates.

Interview: Suzanna M. Martinez, PhD, MS, University of California San Francisco, highlights a new study that illustrates how challenging SNAP rules are for college students and those involved in their implementation. The research supports simplifying the student SNAP process to increase participation for eligible students, especially for historically minoritized racial and ethnic groups and low-income students for whom equitable access to SNAP benefits is critical.