An initiative by the Feed the Future Insect-Resistant Eggplant Partnership (IREP) is pioneering plant nurseries as a catalytic resource for food and economic security in Bangladesh, which is in turn supporting women entrepreneurs.
Tag: Food Insecurity
Study Underscores Social Factors of Low Breast Cancer Screening in the U.S.
To identify major social factors hindering breast cancer screening in U.S. women aged 40 and older, researchers focused on race/ethnicity, employment, education, food security, insurance status, housing and access to quality health care. Access to health care emerged as a statistically significant theme (61 percent) and insurance status was the most reported sub-categorical factor. Language was the third highest issue, highlighting its significance as an influential factor of screening behavior. Race/ethnicity, sex/gender and sexual orientation were additional factors reported.
White House Challenge to End Hunger approves UTHealth Houston innovative commitments to Food Is Medicine
Three commitments to improve food security, diet quality, and health outcomes for vulnerable communities, made by UTHealth Houston in partnership with local and national organizations, have been approved as part of the White House Challenge to end Hunger and Build Healthy Communities.
More Than 2 Million Additional Americans Faced Food Insufficiency Following Drawdown of Pandemic-Related SNAP Benefits, Penn Medicine Study Finds
The recent discontinuation of pandemic-related food assistance benefits, known as the Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotments, led to a substantial increase in food insufficiency in the United States, according to a new study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Bisexual Individuals Are Particularly Vulnerable to Food Insecurity
In the United States, bisexual individuals are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, defined as the lack of access to adequate food for an active, healthy life. A research study by Nasser Sharareh, PhD, at University of Utah Health reveals that…
With Support from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, East Hollywood Community Garden Kicks Off the Summer
Expanding its commitment to the health and well-being of the people in its community, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles sponsored the Summer Kickoff of the East Hollywood Community Garden, and was joined by more than 100 area residents and CHLA team members at the garden’s recent celebration.
Study suggests need for iron tests in teen girls & young women
A national study of blood ferritin and hemoglobin levels from tween, teen and young adult females suggests routine screening might be needed for iron deficiency and anemia.
U.S. Immigrants Particularly Vulnerable to Food Insecurity, Study Shows
A new study led by researchers at University of Utah Health reveals that millions of immigrant households have limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Individuals who are not U.S. citizens are more susceptible to food insecurity regardless of their income, education, and utilization of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The findings suggest that the simply being a non-citizen puts individuals at risk.
José Andrés and the George Washington University’s Groundbreaking New Institute to Lead the World in Delivering Food System Solutions
World-renowned chef, author, and humanitarian José Andrés and international research leader the George Washington University (GW) today announced their partnership to build a premier Global Food Institute at GW, an unprecedented and transformative collaboration in the heart of the nation’s capital with plans to be a world leader in food system solution delivery.
COVID expansion of SNAP benefits expires, hunger and food insecurity likely to rise, says family nutrition expert
SNAP serves as the nation’s and the state’s largest line of defense against hunger and food insecurity. SNAP, formerly called food stamps, provides cash benefits to purchase food to eligible individuals with low incomes. Elena Serrano, director of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Family Nutrition Program, says, “Ending the enhanced benefits will affect households who have the most to lose, those households that qualified for maximum benefits, who will lose an added $95 per month in benefits. On average SNAP participants will lose $82 per month.”
Rate of food insecurity skyrockets for Americans with cardiovascular disease, study finds
The number of Americans with cardiovascular disease who are food insecure – having limited or uncertain access to adequate food – has more than doubled over the last 20 years, a national study finds. Adults with cardiovascular disease were more than two times likely to be food insecure than those without the cardiovascular disease.
Rising food prices hit less-healthy older adults hardest, poll suggests
Three-quarters of people over age 50 in the United States say the rising cost of groceries has affected them somewhat or a lot, and nearly a third say they’re eating less healthily because of increased food costs, according to new poll findings. But some groups were hit much harder.
Use more than doubled at self-serve, no-questions-asked UChicago Medicine food pantries during pandemic
University of Chicago Medicine Feed1st pantries distributed more than twice as much food than normal between March 2020 and November 2021, while pantry program at a similar hospital that required patrons to provide identification to receive food saw distribution rates drop.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Completes 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment to Help Understand and Strengthen Its Neighborhood
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) completed the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), part of the hospital’s continual commitment to better understand the health of its primary “neighborhood” – Los Angeles County – and the people who live there. The CHNA takes a deep dive into the community’s health and social needs enabling the hospital to implement strategies to address the key areas of the report’s findings.
Asking About Food Insecurity at Hospital Admission Is Feasible, Effective
Hospital admission is a worthwhile time to ask patients whether they usually have sufficient food at home, then connect them to community resources if necessary. That conclusion comes from a quality improvement project by Dr. Emily Gore, a recent graduate of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and colleagues. They describe their project in The Journal for Healthcare Quality (JHQ), an official publication of the National Association for Healthcare Quality that is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
UCI study examines broad impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity among rural, Latino immigrants in California
A recent study led by Denise Diaz Payán, PhD, MPP, corresponding author and assistant professor of health, society, and behavior at the UCI Program in Public Health, examined how household food environments of rural Latino immigrants were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how access to nutritional food is complicated by barriers to government assistance programs.
Findings are published online in the journal Nutrients.
Food assistance program may help prevent child maltreatment
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that helps more than 39 million people avoid food insecurity has an unexpected benefit – it may help prevent child maltreatment.
ACP says food insecurity a threat to public health in the United States
In a new position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) says inadequate access to nutritious food negatively impacts the health of many Americans, which in turn can significantly exacerbate food and nutritional insecurity and other social factors impacting health. The paper says that more needs to be done comprehensively address food and nutrition insecurity and bolster public health.
Researchers Identify Groups Most Vulnerable to Food Insecurity During Pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic brought stay-at-home orders and increased economic hardship, food insecurity across the U.S. grew significantly. A new study shows that certain groups experienced more food insecurity during the pandemic than others.
Food Insecurity and Water Insecurity Go Hand in Hand, Study Finds
In a new 25-country study, researchers report a strong link between water insecurity—a lack of reliable access to sufficient water—and food insecurity.
Five New Studies Examine Eating Behaviors in Teens and Young Adults
The developmental changes and growing independence that characterize adolescence and young adulthood can make these stages of life both exciting and challenging. New studies at NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE shed light on the eating behaviors and diets of teens and young adults around the world.
Five New Insights into the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Effects on Eating and Health
The COVID-19 pandemic affected people at all stages of life from seniors to newborns. New studies presented at NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE examine the causes and effects of COVID-19-related food insecurity, how the pandemic affected breastfeeding practices and more.
Unhealthy diet helps explain association between food insecurity and obesity
There is a greater prevalence of obesity and higher body fat among people who face food insecurity, according to research being presented Sunday at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga.
Featured Research from NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE
Press materials are now available for NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN).
Few Digestive Disease Studies Examine Food Insecurity
A review of studies about the effect of food insecurity on digestive diseases found a dearth of information, even as diet can often be both a direct cause of and a solution for many gastrointestinal conditions.
Predicting and addressing food and nutrition security, Clemson professor offers research and insight.
Last weekend’s attack on a Buffalo, New York, supermarket has brought national attention to the issue of food deserts — areas with limited or no access to healthy, affordable food, whether through supermarkets, supercenters, or local grocery stores. In 2017,…
Diet plays key role in ADHD symptoms in children
Here’s a good reason for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to eat their fruits and vegetables: It may help reduce inattention issues, a new study suggests.
UCI-led study explores the value of cross-sector coalitions in addressing food insecurity
Cross-sector coalitions can be a powerful driver of change in low-income, urban communities of color with high rates of chronic disease and food insecurity, according to a recent study led by a researcher at the University of California, Irvine, and…
Outstanding Achievements of Distinguished Alumni Recognized with AU’s 2022 Alumni Awards
American University presented its 2022 Alumni Association Awards to five distinguished alumni — changemakers who are leaders in their communities and their fields.
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Experts Available for Comment Related to 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021.
The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health has experts available for comment and reaction to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021. These include renowned scientists with expertise on…
Memorial Hermann Joins the Healthcare Anchor Network; Increases Investment in Community to Address Housing, Employment and Other Social Determinants of Health
Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston is making a multi-million dollar investment that will focus on housing instability, food insecurity, transportation, access to health care, income, and employment in underserved neighborhoods in Southwest Houston and Greater Heights.
GREEN BRONX MACHINE’S STEPHEN RITZ TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE U.S. CONGRESS ABOUT ENDING HUNGER IN AMERICA
Stephen Ritz, acclaimed teacher, founder of Green Bronx Machine and best-selling author of The Power of a Plant: A Teacher’s Odyssey to Grow Healthy Minds and Schools, has been invited by United States Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, to testify before Congress on the role of schools in ending hunger and improving nutrition. Ritz will testify on Wednesday, September 15 at 11:00 a.m. His testimony can be viewed live at: https://youtu.be/AoB13ifdO6I.
Soul food: WVU Campus Food Garden a place to learn and grow
With funding from the West Virginia University Office of the Provost’s competitive Transform This! Challenge Grants, the WVU Campus Food Garden was installed to provide equitable access to fresh produce for those struggling with food insecurity.
Expert review: USDA Food Insecurity Report, how COVID-19 has intensified food insecurity
The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified issues for people and families experiencing food insecurity. With the USDA’s Food Insecurity report set to come out today, we’d like to make sociologist Leslie Hossfeld available to you. As dean of the College…
Food Insecurity During College Years Linked to Lower Graduation Rate
A study led by a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that food insecurity among college students is associated with lower college graduation rates and lower chances of obtaining a bachelor’s or advanced degree
SuperSNAP Helps Food Insecure Households Afford Healthy Foods
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied the effects of SuperSNAP, which is run through Reinvestment Partners out of Durham, NC, to see if the additional funds translated into the purchase of more healthful foods, setting the stage for better health outcomes.
HELPING INDIA’S SMALLHOLDER FARMERS
Instead of simply employing the practice of multiple cropping — producing crops multiple times during the year and not just in one growing season — a new study led by the University of Delaware’s Pinki Mondal shows that smallholder farmers in India should instead look toward different nutrition strategies. These strategies can be on the individual level, such as growing more diverse crops for personal consumption in their home gardens, or on a community-level, where individuals would work with their local communities and arrange to have farmers bring in different vegetables each week to the local markets.
Discrimination, Safety Concerns Are Barriers To Accessing Healthy Food for Food-Insecure Young Adults
University of Minnesota School of Public Health researchers recently completed a study to determine how food-insecure young (emerging) adults (18–29 years of age) adapted their eating and child feeding behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NO “VACATION” FOR GREEN BRONX MACHINE THIS SUMMER
For Green Bronx Machine, summer vacation is growing season – for plants, people and the organization itself. GBM spends June, July and August tending multiple community gardens and running asummer camp, as well as tackling food insecurity and promoting sustainable food systems with national and international leaders, and preparing for the return of in-person student learning this fall and all of the issues that will entail.
Arlington, Va., Named ‘Fittest City’ in 2021 American Fitness Index Ranking of Top 100
CSM and the Anthem Foundation release the 2021 American Fitness Index, ranking America’s 100 largest cities on health behaviors, chronic disease and community infrastructure indicators. Arlington, Va. earned the title of “America’s Fittest City.” Minneapolis, Minnesota; Seattle, Washington; Denver, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; Washington, D.C.; St. Paul, Minnesota; Irvine, California; Portland, Oregon; and Atlanta, Georgia; round out the top 10 fittest cities.
ACSM / Anthem American Fitness Index to Reveal 2021 Fittest City
For more than a decade, the evidence-based ACSM / Anthem American Fitness Index has recognized the critical role physical activity and city infrastructure play in a city’s overall health and fitness. ACSM and the Anthem Foundation will release the 2021 Fitness Index rankings at 7 a.m. EDT on July 13.
GREEN BRONX MACHINE NAMES THREE POWERHOUSE PLAYERS TO ITS NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Linda Femling, Director of Food Programs at Google in the Americas, Ana Cristina Garcia, Director of Government and Community Affairs at NewYork-Presbyterian, and Joel Makower, Chairman and Executive Editor of GreenBiz Group Inc., have been named the newest board members of Green Bronx Machine (GBM), the innovative national education nonprofit that effectively uses urban agriculture to transform teaching, learning and workforce development to boost student academic, health and career outcomes in underserved communities.
Bronx Educator Named National Life Group “LifeChanger of the Year” Award Winner
Stephen Ritz, founder of Green Bronx Machine and the National Health, Wellness, and Learning Center at CS 55, has been selected as a 2020-21 national LifeChanger of the Year award winner.
In quest to end hunger, Green Bronx Machine welcomes U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern to CS55
United States Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, visited Green Bronx Machine and its founder Stephen Ritz at its headquarters yesterday at the National Health, Wellness and Learning Center at CS 55 in the Bronx.
When the Economy Goes Down, So Does the Quality of Our Diets
According to a new study, adults overall ate more refined grains and solid fats and children increased their intake of added sugar during the recession. The impacts of the downturn were especially pronounced in food-insecure households, where individuals significantly reduced their intake of protein and dark green vegetables while increasing total sugars.
How a Global Pandemic Changed the Way We Eat and Shop
Studies being presented at NUTRITION 2021 LIVE ONLINE bring new insights into how people ate, shopped and felt about food as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded. Studying these trends can shed light on potential lingering health impacts of the pandemic and inform responses to future emergencies.
GREEN BRONX MACHINE’S LET’S LEARN WITH MISTER RITZ TO PREMIERE ON BRONXNET ON JUNE 1
Green Bronx Machine announced today a new partnership with BronxNet, a public affairs television station addressing the concerns, interests and cultures of the people of the Bronx, to bring episodes of Let’s Learn with Mister Ritz to its viewers starting on Tuesday, June 1.
Grocery taxes put low-income families at risk for food insecurity
Approximately one-third of all U.S. counties do not exempt grocery foods from the general sales tax, which means the lowest-income families living in those areas are most susceptible to food insecurity. New research from Cornell University finds that even a slight grocery tax-rate increase could be problematic for many.
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Reduces Food Insecurity in Local Community
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School community reduces food insecurity in Princeton area while providing healthy eating health care for the underserved.
GREEN BRONX MACHINE FOUNDER STEPHEN RITZ WINS 2021 CEA DISRUPTOR AWARD
Green Bronx Machine congratulates its founder Stephen Ritz who has received the 2021 Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Disruptor Award for the organization’s work during the pandemic.