- (Focus Area) Food
California Senator Nancy Skinner and Assembly Member Mia Bonta honored the Nutrition Policy Institute with a joint California Legislature members resolution to honor our decade of positive impact. As highlighted in the resolution, founded on February 18, 2014, within the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, NPI's research has informed policies such as free school meals for over 6 million students and funding for school kitchen equipment. NPI's work led to increased recess for students, enhanced funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (commonly known as WIC), healthier beverage policies in childcare, and food security initiatives at UC campuses. Our efforts also expanded Farm to Corrections programs and improved CalFresh Healthy Living interventions, enhancing fitness and diet-related outcomes for children. As a trusted resource for legislative bodies, NPI provides science-based policy recommendations, contributing significantly to public health in California. Read the full resolution online.
The Nutrition Policy Institute is seeking to hire data collectors to contribute to a study in childcare centers across San Jose and Gilroy, Calif. The study consists of a multi-level intervention to promote healthy beverage intake through childcare—Healthy Drinks, Healthy Futures or Bebidas Saludables, Futuros Saludables. Data collectors will observe and measure the amount of water and food children consume in one day at child care. They will need to: have the ability to sit/stand for at least 4 hours; be patient, detail-oriented, and observant; have relevant experience in the field of nutrition and dietetics; candidates with an interest in pediatric nutrition are preferred; have the ability to use scales, calculators, and are familiar with the rigor needed to perform quality research. Opportunity to participate in further work, such as data analysis, data entry, and manuscript publication is an option. This study will begin in late August or September 2024. Data collection will occur between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a two-hour lunch break. We are seeking those available to work one to four days a week for three to four weeks. The rate of pay for a Survey Worker is around $28 per hour. Travel costs are covered. To apply, please email Reka Vasicsek at rvasicsek@ucanr.edu by September 1, 2024. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.
A 2024 article by Lela Nargi of The Guardian discussed the issue of potable water in schools and how inconsistent regulation can put children at risk for under-hydration or lead exposure. The article highlighted a 2022 study by NPI's Christina Hecht and collaborators and included quotes from Hecht, who described the development of legislation for drinking water in the federal child nutrition programs. In 2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act made free potable drinking water a requirement during meal times at all US schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and childcare facilities participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. However, states' varied implementation of the law plus a lack of funding for drinking water needs has left some schools with inadequate water sources or compromised quality. While a 2019 USDA survey of 1,257 schools indicated a 95% compliance rate with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, experts including Christina Hecht, who coordinates the National Drinking Water Alliance with the Nutrition Policy Institute, highlight how this survey did not collect adequate data to determine whether safe and appealing drinking water was truly accessible. Lead contamination is a primary concern. Hecht and partners' 2022 study found 13% to 81% of 5,688 schools in seven states with available data had tap water with lead levels above 5 parts per billion (ppb). For comparison, FDA requires that bottled water have no more than 5 ppb of lead while the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a maximum of 1 ppb for school drinking water. States have varying requirements for lead testing of school and licensed childcare drinking water and, while federal funds for testing have been available since 2016 through an EPA-administered program, it was only with the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 that federal funds were allocated to assist schools with remediation of lead in tap water.
- Author: Linda J Forbes
Entre agosto del 2023 y marzo del 2024, residentes de recursos limitados de diversos orígenes étnicos del condado de San Bernardino participaron en clases interactivas en las que expertos de Extensión Cooperativa de la Universidad de California les enseñaron sobre seguridad alimentaria, a reducir el desperdicio de comida y producir sus propios alimentos.
Las clases, son parte de un proyecto que se lleva a cabo en el condado de San Bernardino dirigido por Christine Davidson de UCCE y el Programa Ampliado de Educación sobre Alimentos y Nutrición (EFNEP, por sus siglas en inglés) que movilizó a un equipo de voluntarios de este último programa y de Maestro de Jardineros y Maestros Conservadores de Alimentos de UC para educar a familias en comunidades en desventaja a través de una serie de talleres prácticos.
Estos esfuerzos fueron financiados por el Programa de Pequeños Subsidios del Programa de Investigación y Educaciónen Agricultura Sustentable de UC, el cual apoya la creación de sistemas alimentarios sustentables en las comunidades.
Las participantes también asistieron a talleres del Programa Maestro de Jardineros para aprender a cultivar verduras en sus huertos familiares y preparar abono o composta con desperdicios de comida. El Programa Maestros Conservadores de Alimentos de UC también dijo presente en este proyecto enseñando a los participantes a preparar recetas saludables y preservar alimentos de manera segura con un enfoque en reducir el desperdicio de comida.
Por otro lado, 220 niños pertenecientes a dos escuelas asistieron a la serie de lecciones de EFNEP y un taller donde aprendieron a hacer composta con gusanos o en un frasco. “A los estudiantes le encantan las actividades prácticas y con estos conocimientos pueden participar en la producción de abono con desperdicios de comida en casa”, manifestó Davidson. “Fue especialmente satisfactorio enseñarles a los estudiantes de kinder sobre compostaje pues fue un concepto nuevo para ellos”.
El subsidio de SAREP aportó fondos para la compra de material y los kits o paquetes que padres y niños se llevaron a casa para aplicar sus nuevos conocimientos en la preparación de diferentes ensaladas y consomé de sobras de verduras, para cultivar huertos de hierbas y hacer composta en casa. Los kits son un excelente incentivo para que las personas asistan
Con una mejor planeación de comidas y el almacenamiento apropiado de alimentos, las familias pueden ahorrar comida y dinero. “Yo he empezado a guardar las sobras para preparar un consomé de verduras que uso para cocinar arroz. A mis hijos le encanta colectar las sobras y eso ahorra dinero al comprar el consomé”, dijo uno de los padres de la primaria Bradley de San Bernardino.
Además, a las familias se les educa sobre la reducción de desperdicios orgánicos requerida por el Proyecto de Ley del Senado 1383 y lo que pueden hacer para reducir el desperdicio de comida.
El producto final del proyecto financiado por SAREP será el Kit de Herramientas para el Taller para Prevenir el Desperdicio de Alimentos en español e inglés que será compartido ampliamente y entregado en los talleres de UC ANR por el personal y voluntarios en otros condados. “Nuestro objetivo más allá de proporcionar estos materiales para apoyar a nuestra comunidad es ayudar a incrementar su uso en todo UC ANR para que más familias puedan beneficiarse de ellos”, mencionó Davidson.
Subsidios pequeños, un gran impacto
Entre las prioridades de financiación del Programa de Pequeños Subsidios se incluyen a granjeros, rancheros y administradores de tierras en la adopción de prácticas regenerativas del medioambiente y asociarse con comunidades rurales, urbanas y tribales para expandir el acceso a alimentos producidos de manera saludable, sustentable y promover el bienestar de la comunidad.
“El Programa de Pequeños Subsidios es una parte importante de nuestra misión”, indicó Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, directora interina de UC SAREP, un programa de la División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de UC. “Los resultados del programa muestran que una pequeña inversión financiera puede tener un impacto grande en el mejoramiento de las vidas de los californianos”.
Este artículo es parte de una serie acerca del impacto del Programa de Pequeños Subsidios de UC SAREP. Para apoyar este programa, por favor haga sus donativos aquí. Elija el Programa de Pequeños Subsidios de SAREP para que sea asignado a este programa.
Adaptado al español por Leticia Irigoyen del artículo en inglés. Editado para su publicación por Diana Cervantes
Nutrition Policy Institute Director Dr. Lorrene Ritchie presents at the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, SNEB, 2024 international conference. This year's international conference, themed “Understanding Foodways: Learning, Growing, and Sustaining,” will highlight the reasons why we eat the foods we eat and the impacts of those choices on ourselves and our communities. The SNEB conference takes place at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and through a virtual livestream from July 29th through August 1st, 2024. Lorrene Ritchie participates in a session on August 1, 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET titled “Food Waste Reduction Efforts: The Intersection of Food Ways, Climate Change, and Human Health,” along with Sara Elkbakib and Yu Meng. Additionally, Ritchie presents a poster on July 31, 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET titled “Boosting the Benefits of WIC: Exploring Participant Perspectives from the 2023 Multi-State WIC Survey;” co-authored by NPI's Danielle Lee and Celeste Felix as well as Georgia Machell, and Loan Kim. Ritchie is one member of the team for an additional poster presentation on July 31, 4:30-5:30 p.m. EST titled “Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Reimbursement Rates and Program Participation by Family Child Care Homes in California,” presented by Susana Matias of UC Berkeley's Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology Department, and co-authored by NPI's Danielle Lee, Kassandra Bacon, and Celeste Felix, and CACFP Roundtable's Samantha Kay-Daleiden Marshall and Elyse Homel Vitale. Furthermore, Ritchie gives an oral presentation on July 31, 2:30-3:15 p.m. ET titled “Impact of Increased Child and Adult Care Food Program Reimbursement Rates for Family Child Care Home Providers in California,” co-authored by NPI's Danielle Lee, Kassandra Bacon, and Celeste Felix, CACFP Roundtable's Samantha Kay-Daleiden Marshall and Elyse Homel Vitale, and UC Berkeley's Susana Matias. Lastly, Ritchie speaks on July 31, 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET and a subsequent invited poster presentation on August 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET titled “Transition to freshly prepared school meals: impact of meal appeal student participation, intake, food and packaging waste & school finance,” co-authored by NPI's Celeste Felix, Danielle Lee, and Wendi Gosliner, as well as UC Berkeley School of Public Health's Hannah Thompson, Caroline Nguyen, and Kris Madsen.