Inflammatory diet linked with increased colorectal cancer risk
Inflammation-causing properties in foods such as red and processed meats, sugary beverages, and refined grains may be responsible for increasing people’s risk of colorectal cancer, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.…
Sugary beverage consumption in U.S. declining but remains high among certain groups
For immediate release: November 14, 2017 Boston, MA – Consumption of sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) fell for both children and adults between 2003 and 2014, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H.…
Philadelphia soda tax does not appear to hurt store sales
Since Philadelphia’s beverage tax became law in January 2017, soda and other sweetened beverage sales in the city have declined 57%, but overall business at chain stores in the city has not suffered, according to a team of…
Purchases under federal SNAP program show higher spending on less healthy foods
September 18, 2017 – The SNAP program—the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps—is a federal program designed to reduce food insecurity and help families obtain nutritious foods. But a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan…
Not all plant-based diets are healthy
Eating a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease—but not all vegetarian or vegan foods are beneficial for health, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Researchers followed 200,000 adults…
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…