Stories

UW and WSU collaborate to advance food systems education in Washington
October 7, 2020
The University of Washington and Washington State University are embarking together on a project to strengthen and transform food systems education in Washington State. The two institutions have been jointly awarded a Higher Education Challenge planning grant by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)....
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Food insecurity in Washington State highest among low-income groups and persons of color
September 24, 2020
Food insecurity has spiked post Covid-19, affecting an estimated 30% of households in WA State and bringing many pre-existing social inequities to light. Highest rates were observed among households below the poverty line (58%), with some college education or less (44%), and for persons of color (42%). Households with children were also affected. Of the...
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Faculty and students present at Nutrition Live Online 2020
June 1, 2020
Four members from the Nutritional Sciences Program will present this week at a free online event this week called Nutrition Live Online 2020, an event sponsored by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). Adam Drewnowski, director for Nutritional Sciences and the Center for Public Health Nutrition will participate in a panel on sustainable food systems,...
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New study to evaluate COVID-19 impacts on Washington State food security
May 4, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, how and to what extent households are able to access food continues to change in the U.S. and across the globe. What are the impacts to our food supply and food security in Washington state? A new UW study funded by the University of Washington Population Health Initiative and the...
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Jennifer Otten joins national committee that will examine food waste in the U.S.
August 2, 2019
Jennifer Otten, an associate professor in environmental and occupational health sciences and nutritional sciences in the UW School of Public Health has joined a new committee formed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), which will conduct a systematic review of consumer food waste and reduction efforts in the United States, and...
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Are minimum wage policies likely to affect the food purchases of low-wage workers?
July 23, 2019
A new study from the University of Washington School of Public Health explores how workers in low-wage jobs connect food and diet to perceptions of health and well-being, and whether a wage increase might influence how they acquire food or the types of food they might purchase. Although many low-wage workers would like to use...
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Getting fish to the table
June 6, 2019 | By Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
A UW study maps West Coast hot spots where surplus fish could help meet nutrition needs in vulnerable communities As a philosophy-student-turned-fishmonger, Zach Koehn often heard his customers talking about how healthy fish is—and how expensive it can be. Yet Koehn knew cheap fish were available. Some groups, including the Monterey, CA, fish company where...
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King County small and mid-sized farms could benefit with direct marketing support, according to report
May 16, 2019
King County farmers who sell direct to consumers, restaurants, and institutions could benefit by receiving support for direct marketing resources, according to a new report last week by the University of Washington Center for Public Health Nutrition (CPHN). The study was sponsored by King Conservation District (KCD), a natural resources assistance agency authorized by Washington...
Read moreSo long, sodium: Researchers work with local school districts to prevent heart disease
March 20, 2019 | By Ashlie Chandler
The hallways and classrooms of Auburn Riverside High School may have been deserted on March 11, but the kitchen was abuzz as more than two dozen food service managers learned fresh approaches to creating healthy meals for students. With kids out of school for a staff development day, cooks from across the school district in...
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Spot urine sodium-to-potassium ratio predicts stroke risk
February 20, 2019
In an analysis of data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), UW researchers found that individuals with a urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio greater than 1 was associated with a significant 47% increased risk of stroke. A urine sodium-to-potassium ratio less than 1 may be related to a clinically relevant reduction in stroke risk and is...
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