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Low-income Washington state households still struggling with food insecurity as pandemic protections end
February 23, 2023
Affording food is such a challenge in Washington state that residents who experience food insecurity say their grocery bills are their biggest source of financial stress, more so than paying for rent or utilities. That’s one of the findings of a food survey of Washington residents from December 2022 to January 2023, run by researchers...
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Nutritional Sciences faculty joins Washington State Food Policy Forum
January 10, 2023
Jennifer Otten, a faculty member and food systems scholar in the University of Washington School of Public Health will begin a new appointment in January 2023 as a member of the Washington State Food Policy Forum, a cross-sector group formed by the WA State Legislature in 2016 which makes recommendations for improving the food system...
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UW and partners launch project examining sustainability in animal agriculture
October 17, 2022
Researchers from the University of Washington School of Public Health (UW SPH), together with collaborators from the Washington State University (WSU) Food Systems program, the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment, and the Washington D.C.-based Agriculture & Food Systems Institute, are embarking on a multi-year interdisciplinary effort investigating the intersection of animal agriculture, environmental sustainability,...
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Introducing food system diplomacy, a method to positively influence the health of people and the planet
October 5, 2022
By Kate Stringer When the global food system is thrown into crisis — whether that’s due to a pandemic, a war, a drought — often the first concern is economic fallout. But prioritizing the needs of commerce often comes at the expense of other interests: occupational health, environmental health, and social equity. That’s why food...
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Article authored by UW professor highlights food insecurity root causes
August 12, 2022
This September, the White House will convene a conference on hunger, nutrition, and health. Leading up to the conference, the White House is organizing several listening sessions across America to hear firsthand from people impacted by food insecurity and to collect ideas about how to end hunger and hunger-related diseases and disparities. Ahead of this...
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Survey of Washington state tribal communities illustrates how pandemic has exacerbated food disparities
December 7, 2021
Project finds barriers to traditional foods access and major disparities in food insecurity among Washington state tribal communities during the COVID-19 pandemic A recent survey of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals sheds further light on the disparate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among Washington State tribal communities. The project, the WA Tribal Food Survey (WATRIBAL),...
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How a key nutritional program adapted to the pandemic
December 1, 2021
As the COVID-19 pandemic created economic hardship and food insecurity for many families, a key governmental program for nutritional support pivoted to offer remote services and more flexible food options. As a result, participation and satisfaction with the program grew, according to findings from a new study by University of Washington researchers and the program,...
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New website highlights food systems experts and educational opportunities across UW
October 28, 2021
A new Food Systems at UW website has been launched to provide a central resource hub of people, organizations, and educational opportunities related to food systems at UW. The website was initiated by the UW Food Systems Education and Research Network, and this network aims to: Bring together UW experts from multiple disciplines to address...
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WAFOOD food security survey now open to WA residents
July 15, 2021
A third wave of the WAFOOD Survey is now active, and asks all Washington State residents over the age of 18 to provide information on their household food access, economic security, and emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier findings gathered in June and July 2020, found that 30% of WA households were food insecure,...
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Reliance on food assistance programs on the rise in Washington State
May 11, 2021
Food insecurity remains high and disparities persist among Washington State households, while reliance on food assistance programs across the state have risen over the past six months, according to new data published by the University of Washington Center for Public Health Nutrition. The latest report from the WAFOOD research team compares data from two surveys,...
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