Community-wide effort to fight childhood obesity shows promise
For immediate release: June 27, 2017 Key Takeaways: After a two-year comprehensive effort to reduce childhood obesity in two low-income communities in Massachusetts, the prevalence of obesity decreased among some schoolchildren; some students drank less sugar-sweetened beverages and…
Soda tax in Illinois could raise millions, cut health costs
Illinois could raise $651 million a year in new revenue if it decided to levy a penny-per-ounce state tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Such a tax…
Sugary beverage consumption no longer decreasing
Americans cut back on sugary drinks for a decade starting in the early 2000s, but the rate of decline in consumption has leveled off, worrying nutritionists who warn of sugar’s link with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. A…
Nutritional quality of kids' menus not improving
For immediate release: Wednesday, January 11, 2017 Boston, MA – U.S. chain restaurants participating in a National Restaurant Association initiative to improve the nutritional quality of their children’s menus have made no significant changes compared with restaurants not participating…
Sugary drinks taxes could reduce diabetes, obesity
Taxing soda and other sugary drinks could help cities reduce diabetes and obesity and generate millions of dollars for health programs, according to a study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Researchers created a computer…
Smartphone, tablet use linked with obesity in teens
Teens who spend many hours a day on smartphones, tablets or computers may be more likely to become obese than those who don’t spend as much time on these electronic devices, according to a new study from Harvard…
The future of public health under President Trump
How might the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president impact public health over the next four years? John McDonough, professor of the practice of public health at Harvard Chan School, who worked in the Senate…
Sugary beverage taxes good for public health, reduce health care spending
Prior to a tax on sweetened beverages passing in Philadelphia over the summer, an analysis by the Childhood Obesity Intervention and Cost Effectiveness Study (CHOICES) at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health projected that the move would…
The benefits of limiting sugary beverages
About half of the added sugar Americans consume each day comes from beverages, according to Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In a video interview published by Medpage Today…
Philadelphia moves toward sugary drink tax
Philadelphia could become the first big city in the nation with a tax on sugary beverages, after its City Council voted in favor of a 1.5-cent-per-ounce tax on soda and other sugary drinks. Advocates for the move say…