Healthy food labels tout health benefits, yet most people prioritize tastiness in the moment of food choice. In a preregistered intervention, we tested whether taste-focused labels compared with health-focused labels increased vegetable intake at five university dining halls throughout the United States. Across 137,842 diner decisions, 185 days, and 24 vegetable types, taste-focused labels increased vegetable selection by 29% compared with health-focused labels and by 14% compared with basic labels. Vegetable consumption also increased. Supplementary studies further probed the mediators, moderators, and boundaries of these effects. Increased expectations of a positive taste experience mediated the effect of taste-focused labels on vegetable selection. Moderation tests revealed greater effects in settings that served tastier vegetable recipes. Taste-focused labels outperformed labels that merely contained positive words, fancy words, or lists of ingredients. Together, these studies show that emphasizing tasty and enjoyable attributes increases vegetable intake in real-world settings in which vegetables compete with less healthy options.

Objectives. To describe food insecurity in the United States in December 2020 and examine associations with underuse of medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. We fielded a nationally representative Web-based survey in December 2020 (n = 8318). Multivariable logistic regression models and predicted probabilities were used to evaluate factors associated with food insecurity and compare the likelihood of delaying or forgoing medical care because of cost concerns by food security status. Results. In December 2020, 18.8% of US adults surveyed reported experiencing food insecurity. Elevated odds of food insecurity were observed among non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and low-income respondents. Experiencing food insecurity was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of forgoing any type of medical care as a result of cost concerns. Conclusions. Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected non-White and low-income individuals. Experiencing food insecurity was a significant risk factor for delaying or forgoing medical care, an association that could have cumulative short- and long-term health effects. Public Health Implications. Comprehensive policies that target the most at-risk groups are needed to address the high rates of food insecurity in the United States and mitigate its adverse health effects. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(5):776–785. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306724 )

Objective: Chefs have the potential to influence diet quality and food systems sustainability through their work. We aimed to assess the attitudes and perceptions of culinary students about nutrition and sustainability as part of their roles, responsibilities and future work as chefs. Design: We surveyed students attending the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in the fall of 2019 (n 546). Descriptive statistics compared food priority rankings and Likert-scale distributions of nutrition and sustainability attitudes and beliefs. Adjusted generalized linear models were used to evaluate whether there were differences in attitudes and beliefs across demographic groups. Setting: The Culinary Institute of America, a private, not-for-profit college and culinary school with US campuses in New York, California, and Texas. Subjects: Students ≥18 years old currently enrolled in any of the school’s associate’s or bachelor’s degree programs. Results: Students agreed that chefs should be knowledgeable about nutrition (96.0%) and the environmental impact of their ingredients (90.8%) but fewer considered healthfulness (57.8%) and environmental impact (60.2%) of their food to be primary considerations in their career as a chef. Taste was the primary factor influencing culinary students’ food choices but food priorities differed by race/ethnicity. Conclusions: Culinary students believe nutrition and sustainability are important. Opportunities exist to empower them with knowledge and skills for promoting public health and sustainable food systems in their future work as chefs.