August 2023: Center Representation
August 2023:
Center Representation
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“ISBNPA 2023
Executive Director Amy Yaroch, Associate Director Leah Carpenter, Principal Research Scientist Carmen Byker Shanks and Research Scientist Bailey Houghtaling attended the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) 22nd annual meeting from June 14–17 in Uppsala, Sweden. Houghtaling gave two presentations on the barriers to delivering and scaling healthy eating and active living policy, systems and environmental (PSE) interventions in rural areas, and Yaroch presented Senior Research Scientist Eric Calloway’s poster on the added benefits of screening for nutrition security alongside food security screening. Yaroch also moderated the highly anticipated debate, BMI or not to BMI?, in which Byker Shanks and Meg Bruening, head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State University, discussed how BMI is used in public health research, monitoring and surveillance, the benefits and challenges of BMI as a universal tool to track body mass, and concrete strategies to implement or de-implement BMI as a measure of health. Yaroch also attended the ISBNPA Executive Committee meeting and concluded her second 3-year term as Member-At-Large and as Chair of the ISBNPA Finance Committee. Our team was honored to have the opportunity to present this year in Sweden and promote ISBNPA 2024 in Omaha, Nebraska.Pictured above (left to right): Research Scientist Bailey Houghtaling, Principal Research Scientist Carmen Byker Shanks, Executive Director Amy Yaroch and Associate Director Leah Carpenter exploring Uppsala, Sweden.
Pictured above (from left to right): Principal Research Scientist Carmen Byker Shanks, Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State University Meg Bruening and Executive Director Amy Yaroch facilitating the 2023 annual ISBNPA debate, BMI or not to BMI?
Pictured above (left to right): Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Research Associate and Physical Activity Specialist Jessica Stroope, Baylor University Associate Dean for Research Renée Umstattd Meyer, Research Scientist Bailey Houghtaling and Baylor University Postdoctoral Researcher Marilyn Wende at ISBPNA 2023.
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“ICDAM 2023
Executive Director Amy Yaroch, Principal Research Scientist Carmen Byker Shanks and Senior Research Scientist Eric Calloway attended the International Conference on Diet and Activity Methods (ICDAM) 2023 from June 26–29 in Limerick, Ireland. This annual convening provides an opportunity for public health experts to discuss high-quality, novel research and advance methods for assessing dietary and physical activity exposures and outcomes. Yaroch, Byker Shanks and Calloway led a 3-hour Nutrition Security Workshop which focused identifying methods and measurement tools to monitor nutrition security and discerning challenges and solutions for nutrition security methods and measures. Additionally, Calloway gave two presentations during the Food security, combining environmental indicators and hierarchal food structures oral session. The first presentation focused on the benefits of screening for nutrition security alongside food security screening while the second presentation highlighted the Walmart Foundation-funded food insecurity related measures project and “other” three pillars of food security (availability, utilization and stability).Pictured above (left to right): Principal Research Scientist Carmen Byker Shanks, Executive Director Amy Yaroch and Senior Research Scientist Eric Calloway leading the Nutrition Security Workshop.
Pictured above: Senior Research Scientist Eric Calloway highlighting how social determinants of health impact health and well-being during his Added Benefits of Screening for Nutrition Security Alongside Food Security Screening presentation.
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“2023 SNEB Conference
Postdoctoral Fellow Whitney Fung Uy, Adjunct Research Scientist Sarah Stotz and Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Centers Program (NTAE) Consultant Program Advisor Kelli Wilson Begay attended the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) international annual conference from July 20–23 in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme, Re-connect, Re-nourish, Re-inspire, highlighted meaningful ways to empower food citizens to shape a brighter food future and transform nutrition and food systems through research, policy and practice. Organized by Stotz, Fung Uy moderated the USDA GusNIP Nutrition Incentive and Produce Prescription Programs Role in Strengthening Community-based Food Systems session which highlighted GusNIP-funded nutrition incentive (NI) and produce prescription (PPR) projects. The NI and PPR programs have multiple components, including nutrition education, to increase healthy food access across different settings. This session advanced the field of nutrition education by providing resources to integrate food systems in practice, insight on expanding educational outreach to various farm direct settings like farmers markets, NI/PPR projects through community-supported agriculture and youth farms, and other ways to engage in the community-based food system.Pictured above (left to right): Postdoctoral Fellow Whitney Fung Uy, Adjunct Research Scientist Sarah Stotz, USDA NIFA Biological Science Program Specialist Ryan Kornegay, La Semilla Food Center Community Education Program Director Marlene Yanez and GusNIP NTAE Consultant Program Advisor Kelli Wilson Begay at the 2023 SNEB conference in Washington, D.C.
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“ASN 2023 Conference
Project Coordinator for Communications and Outreach Ruth Quattro and Research Associate James Marriott attended the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) 2023 conference from July 22–25 in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed to ignite new perspectives and connections, this year’s conference offered an exciting lineup of scientific symposia, educational sessions, hot topic discussions and award lectures covering the latest in nutrition science. Quattro and Marriott’s poster focused on using geographic information systems (GIS) maps to determine the reach of Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) projects. They demonstrated how GIS maps can show where nutrition incentive and produce prescription projects are located and whether they serve communities with more limited incomes. Additionally, GIS maps can inform future project outreach and development to support targeted project expansion, particularly in areas with spatial gaps and low levels of economic stability.Pictured above (left to right): Project Coordinator for Communication and Outreach Ruth Quattro and Research Associate James Marriott presenting a poster at ASN 2023 Nutrition conference in Boston, MA.
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“New Jersey Meetings
Senior Research Scientist Eric Calloway, Project Manager Katie Nelson, Senior Research Associate Clare Milburn and Research Associate Grace Stott travelled to Princeton, New Jersey from August 1–3 to meet with Learning Design Collaborative (LDC) team members and partners for the New Jersey Food Security Initiative (NJFSI) project and lead the kick-off meeting with New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (NJOFSA). While in New Jersey, the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact (formerly the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition) team also conducted a site visit to Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) grantee City Green and met with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Senior Program Officer Dr. Christine Fu to discuss the NJFSI project.Pictured above (left to right): LDC member and resident with lived experience Christina Coates, Alliance for a Healthier Generation Senior Director of Evaluation and Data Sonia Kim, Rutgers University Associate Extension Specialist and Associate Professor Cara Cuite, Trenton Health Team Senior Program Manager Matthew Broad, Senior Research Scientist Eric Calloway, NJ OFSA Research and Evaluation Strategy Manager Jennifer Schrum, LDC member and resident with lived experience Wandalynn Miftahi, New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) Senior Program Coordinator Supervisor Joan Healy, City Green Director of Food Access and Grant Writer Lisa Martin, City Green Director of Community Engagement and Advocacy Jasmine Moreano, Research Associate Grace Stott, RWJF Senior Program Officer Marco Navarro and Rutgers University Department of Nutritional Sciences Graduate Student Sreekanth Polkampally.
Pictured above (left to right): Senior Research Associate Clare Milburn, Research Associate Grace Stott and Project Manager Katie Nelson visiting with the chickens on City Green’s Learning Farm in Clifton, NJ.
Pictured above (left to right): ALTA Impact Partners Founder Valeria Galarza, Senior Research Associate Clare Milburn, Research Associate Grace Stott, Project Manager Katie Nelson, Senior Research Scientist Eric Calloway and NJ OFSA Research and Evaluation Strategy Manager Jennifer Schrum.
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“IPAN Food Insecurity Webinar
Executive Director Amy Yaroch presented at the Beyond food relief - ensuring food security for all. Evidence from the USA and Australia virtual webinar on August 1. Hosted by the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, this webinar showcased the latest research and perspectives on approaches to addressing low food security, including American and Australian expertise. In her presentation on policies and programs promoting food and nutrition security in the U.S., Yaroch provided an overview of the U.S. context by describing the themes from the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health (held in September 2022), as well as by sharing the results for Year 3 of the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) and potential applications in Australia. The webinar had approximately 200 participants. ”
“Empowering Eaters: Access, Affordability, and Healthy Choices Summit
Executive Director Amy Yaroch and Fair Food Network Chief Strategy and Program Officer, Holly Parker, attended the Empowering Eaters: Access, Affordability, and Healthy Choices Summit in Chicago, Illinois. In partnership with the White House, Farmers Fridge and the United Nations Global Compact Local Network Initiative on Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems, Food Tank hosted a summit to support the implementation of the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Thought leaders in food and nutrition security, food access and food justice focused on the National Strategy’s Pillar 1, Improve Food Access and Affordability, and Pillar 3, Empower All Consumer to Make and Have Access to Healthy Choices. The event included a lineup of more than 40 speakers, breakout sessions and private meetings with senior White House officials.”