Research

Research is a critical component of our nutrition security efforts. We are committed to ensuring all we do is driven by research, grounded in science, and informed by analysis and evaluation. This commitment is woven into our policies, informs each of our decisions, strengthens our management of federal nutrition assistance programs, and most importantly, improves every life we touch. Our work is also driven by the lived experiences – of our staff and our stakeholders.

Research Overview

We are committed to furthering our collective understanding of key issues (PDF, 792 KB) around the co-existence of food insecurity and diet-related diseases. Datasets from major USDA studies are available to the research community for public use and we continually seek and support opportunities for analysis and learning outside of USDA.

Select examples of our research, evaluation, monitoring, and surveillance assets are listed below.

• The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Human Nutrition Program conducts research on the role food plays in optimizing health.
  • ARS scientists and Texas A&M researchers work together to develop agricultural practices that advance public health and food security in the Responsive Agricultural Food Systems Research Unit.
  • The Children’s Nutrition Research Center in Houston, TX is one of six human nutrition centers funded by ARS. The center investigates rural-urban differences in and association between food security status, food availability, participation in federal nutrition assistance programs, dietary intake and obesity among children across different age groups.
  • ARS also oversees FoodData Central, an integrated data system that provides expanded nutrient profile data and links to related agricultural and experimental research, and collaborates with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the operation of several nutrition databases.

• The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) conducts economic research on numerous topics central to food and nutrition security.

  • ERS anticipates trends and emerging issues in agriculture, food, the environment and rural America and conducts high-quality, objective economic research to inform and enhance public and private decision making.
  • ERS plays a leading role in research and measurement of food security. ERS conducts and analyzes an annual, nationally representative survey on the extent and severity of food insecurity in U.S. households. The results are published in an annual report. The latest edition is Household Food Security in the United States in 2020

• The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) advances USDA’s goal to tackle food and nutrition insecurity through research, education, extension, and innovation.

  • NIFA partners with land-grant universities, government, private and non-profit organizations to support nutrition science. Their work includes identifying the underlying causes of diet-related chronic diseases, developing culturally competent nutrition education for historically underserved communities, and supporting scientists across all stages of professional development.

• The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) conducts a variety of studies, evaluations and related activities that respond to the needs of policy makers and managers and help ensure that nutrition assistance programs achieve their goals effectively. Published reports, the annual FNS Research and Evaluation Plans, and information about current data collection efforts are available online.

• The USDA Office of the Chief Scientist coordinates a food and nutrition-related research strategy across the agency in alignment and support of the Secretary’s priorities and the USDA Strategic Plan FY 22-26 (PDF, 9.6 MB), which includes tackling food and nutrition security.

Selected Research Publications, Articles and Data Collection Efforts

Meaningful Support

• Maternal and Child Outcomes Associated With the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (2022)
• Indicators of Diet Quality, Nutrition and Health for Americans by Program Participation Status, 2011–2016: WIC Report (2021)
• Indicators of Diet Quality, Nutrition, and Health for Americans by Program Participation Status, 2011–2016: SNAP Report (2021)
• USDA Summer Meals Study (2021)
• School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (2021)
• Barriers that Constrain the Adequacy of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Allotments (2021)
• Evaluation of the FY 2016 Team Nutrition Training Grants (2021)
• WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2, Fourth Year Report (2020)
• WIC Nutrition Education Study: Phase II Final Report (2018)
• WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Study: Phase II Implementation Follow Up Report (2015)
• Higher Food Prices Mean Higher Rates of Food Insecurity for SNAP Participants (2014)
• Effects of Changes in SNAP Benefits on Food Security (2013)
  • Effects of the Decline in the Real Value of SNAP Benefits From 2009 to 2011 (2013)
  • Food Security Improved Following the 2009 ARRA Increase in SNAP Benefits (2011)

Healthy Food

• State of Origin for USDA Foods (2022)
• Study of Nutrition and Activity in Childcare Settings in USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (SNACS) (2021)
• Farm to School Census and Comprehensive Review (2021)
• USDA Summer Meals Study (2021)
• Evaluation of the Implementation of Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives (FINI): Final Report (2021)
• Food Pantry Use Increased in 2020 for Most Types of U.S. Households (2021)
  • Statistical Supplement to Household Food Security in the United States in 2020 (2021)
  • The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report (2021)
• For Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Households, Fruit and Vegetable Affordability Is Partly a Question of Budgeting (2021)
• WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2, Fourth Year Report (2020)
• The Evaluation of Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives (2019)
• Nutritional Quality of Foods Acquired by Americans: Findings From USDA’s National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (2018)

Collaborative Action

• FNS-Administered School Food Authority Survey on Supply Chain Disruption (2022)
• COVID-19 Working Paper: Filling the Pandemic Meal Gap: Disruptions to Child Nutrition Programs and Expansion of Free Meal Sites in the Early Months of the Pandemic (2021)
  • Related article: Free Meal Sites Expanded Rapidly To Provide Meals to Children During the Early Months of the Pandemic
• Child Nutrition Program Operations Study II (2019)
• Successful Approaches to Reduce Sodium in School Meals Study (2019)
• The Association Between Nutrition Information Use and the Healthfulness of Food Acquisitions (2018)

Equitable Systems

• WIC Participant and Program Characteristics 2020 (2022)
• National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach in 2019 (2022)
• USDA Direct Certification with Medicaid for Free and Reduced-Price Meals Demonstration, SY 2019-20 (2022)
• Trends in USDA SNAP Participation Rates: FY 2016-2019 (2022)
• Characteristics of SNAP Households: FY 2019 (2021)
• COVID-19 Working Paper: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Redemptions during the Coronavirus Pandemic (2021)
• National Survey of WIC Participants III (2021)
• Household Food Security in the United States in 2020 and related data visualizations highlighting disparities (2021)
• USDA School Meals Support Food Security and Good Nutrition (2021)
• Data Linkages Shed Light on Older USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participants’ Health (2021)
• The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report (2021)
  • Related article: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Transformed the U.S. Federal Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape (2021)
• Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access to SNAP (2020)