Podcast Topic: Childhood Obesity
The Leading Voices in Food
Podcast Topic: Childhood Obesity
E134: How Big Data is Fueling Youth Obesity
July 13, 2021
America’s children and teenagers spend tremendous amount of time on the internet and never more than during the Coronavirus pandemic, with families at home so much, people ordered food, got news and engaged with family and friends online. Youngsters whose schools closed relied on YouTube for educational videos, attended virtual classes on Zoom and to Google Classroom and flocked to TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram for entertainment and social interaction. The cost of digital immersion has a serious health downside however, because the nation’s youth have been exposed to a steady flow of marketing for fast foods, soft drinks, and other unhealthy products. Today we’ll be discussing a new report from the Center For Digital Democracy entitled, “Big Food, Big Tech, and the Global Childhood Obesity Pandemic.”
Related podcasts: Advocacy & Food | Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Diet & Nutrition | Food Policy |
E114: Why Nutrition is So Important In the First 1000 Days of Life
February 16, 2021
At a conference on early child development and nutrition – comprised of leading experts on brain development, child development and public policy – one of the most memorable things said, in my mind, was that “poor nutrition early in life confers a life sentence.” Those striking words were issued by today’s guest, Dr. Michael Georgieff the Executive Vice Chair of Pediatrics and head of the Neonatology Division at the University of Minnesota.
Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Insecurity | Food Policy | Obesity |
E113: The Power of Policy and Parents in School Meals
February 11, 2021
It wasn’t that long ago that there was a nutrition free-for-all in schools where sugary beverages, high calorie snack foods, and even things like pizzas and cheeseburgers direct from fast food chains were part of the food landscape in schools. What do you think the situation is today? Has it deteriorated even further? Has it improved or stayed about the same? Today’s guest, Dr. Marlene Schwartz, is a champion for improved nutrition and physical activity in schools and one of the leading experts in the field. Schwartz is director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Connecticut. She’s an expert on nutrition and physical activity policies in schools and preschools nationwide, and has collaborated in particular with the Connecticut Department of Education on their policies.
Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | Diet & Nutrition | Food Insecurity | Food Policy | School Meals | Social Safety Net & Food |
E111: Teaching Responsive Feeding to Parents Create Lifelong Healthy Habits in Children
February 4, 2021
There is very interesting work going on the topic of responsive feeding. Our guest today, Dr. Rafael Perez-Escamilla published commentary with several colleagues on feeding practices in the context of nurturing young children. And they began the paper with this statement: “Dietary guidelines provide advice on what to eat “to different subsets of the population, but often do not take into account the how to eat. It turns out that the how is pretty darn important.”
Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | Diet & Nutrition |
E110: Policy and Medical Practice Need to Better Support Breastfeeding
February 2, 2021
Breastfeeding is front and center in discussions of maternal and child health. But optimizing breastfeeding practices is anything but simple. There’s no person better suited to discuss the challenges and opportunities in this area than our guest, Dr. Rafael Perez-Escamilla. Perez-Escamilla is director of the Office of Public Health Practice, and professor of epidemiology and public health at the Yale University School of Public Health.
Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | Diet & Nutrition | Food Policy | Social Safety Net & Food |
E99: How Soda Taxes Can Drive Equity and Community Wellbeing
November 17, 2020
Soda taxes now exist in about 50 countries around the world and in a number of US cities. They raise lots and lots of money. How would you suggest that the revenues be used? This podcast focuses on the connection between sugar-sweetened beverage taxes and racial and social equity. We’re speaking today with a champion of community-driven approaches to health equity and environmental justice. My guest is Xavier Morales, the executive director of The Praxis Project, the national organization headquartered in Oakland and dedicated to supporting communities, building power for health.
Related podcasts: Addiction & Food | Childhood Obesity | Food Policy | Obesity | Soda Taxes |
E88: How to Sugarproof Your Kids
September 18, 2020
This is the second of two podcasts with the authors of the new book Sugarproof, The Hidden Dangers of Sugar that are Putting Your Child at Risk and What You Can Do. Our first podcast offered a fascinating view of the effects of sugar on children and this podcast will discuss what might be done. University of Southern California’s Michael Goran leads the program in Diabetes and Obesity at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, his co-author Emily Ventura is a nutrition educator, public health advocate, writer and cook.
Related podcasts: Addiction & Food | Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | Diet & Nutrition | Food Policy | Ultra-processed Food & Additives |
E87: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar for your Kids
This is the first of two podcasts with the authors of a new book entitled, Sugarproof: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar that are Putting Your Child’s Health at Risk and What You Can Do. This podcast will cover the wide-ranging effects of sugar on children, and the second podcast will address what can be done in the home and with policy. University of Southern California, Michael Goran, leads the program in diabetes and obesity at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. His co-author, Dr. Emily Ventura, is a nutrition educator, public health advocate, writer and cook.
Related podcasts: Addiction & Food | Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | Diet & Nutrition | Microbiome | Ultra-processed Food & Additives |
E81: Time for Universal Free School Meals
July 28, 2020
This podcast is part of series focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our food system. When the pandemic forced schools to close, school districts and states scrambled to keep a nutritional safety net working for vulnerable students. Millions of US students rely on school meals and summer feeding programs to get food each day. I am delighted to welcome Janet Poppendieck from the City University of New York Urban Food Policy Institute to this podcast. She is the author of “Free for All: Fixing School Lunch in America.”
Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Food | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Insecurity | Food Policy | School Meals |
E78: How NC School Nutrition Programs are Grappling with Covid
June 16, 2020
On March 14th of this year when Governor Cooper issued his Executive Order and closed North Carolina public schools statewide, the first challenge was how do we continue to offer this essential service and feed our students? This podcast is part of a series focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our food system. Today we’re looking at how North Carolina’s School Meal Programs have adapted during the pandemic and how some school children are continuing to get the nutrition that they need.
Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Food | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Policy | North Carolina | School Meals |

E134: How Big Data is Fueling Youth Obesity
E114: Why Nutrition is So Important In the First 1000 Days of Life
E113: The Power of Policy and Parents in School Meals
E111: Teaching Responsive Feeding to Parents Create Lifelong Healthy Habits in Children
E110: Policy and Medical Practice Need to Better Support Breastfeeding
E99: How Soda Taxes Can Drive Equity and Community Wellbeing
E88: How to Sugarproof Your Kids
E87: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar for your Kids
E81: Time for Universal Free School Meals
E78: How NC School Nutrition Programs are Grappling with Covid