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A new research brief developed by the Nutrition Policy Institute highlights promising school-based CalFresh Healthy Living—California's SNAP-Ed program—physical activity interventions. The study used latent class analysis to describe the predominant combinations of CFHL physical activity interventions implemented in California public schools in partnership with local health departments. Using Fitnessgram data from over 440,000 students in nearly 4,300 schools, the researchers assessed whether intervention combinations were associated with student cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by V02 max. The study found that students in schools with CFHL interventions focused on establishing or improving wellness policies and increasing opportunities for physical activity had better cardiorespiratory fitness than students in schools without CFHL interventions or in schools with other types of CFHL intervention combinations. The peer-reviewed study was authored by Sridharshi Hewawitharana, Gail Woodward-Lopez, and Wendi Gosliner from the Nutrition Policy Institute, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati and Francesco Acciai from Arizona State University, and John Pugliese from the California Department of Public Health. The research brief was created by NPI's CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation Unit, including: Summer Cortez, Reka Vasicsek, Miranda Westfall, and Sridharshi Hewawitharana.
- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
UC ANR employees at UC Office of the President in Oakland participated in Take Our Kids to Work Day on April 24.
Take Our Kids to Work Day is a national movement that allows children to explore career possibilities while learning more about their parents' work and organization.
“We did our session with the 6th graders,” said Summer Cortez, manager of the Nutrition Policy Institute's CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation Unit.
Cortez and Ryan Williams, NPI project policy analyst and registered dietitian, explained to the visiting children that the Nutrition Policy Institute is a group of public health researchers. The group discussed what public health is and some of the different projects NPI is working on currently.
“We then introduced two public-health topics that NPI engages with through our research projects: sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods. Each topic was paired with a hands-on activity,” Cortez said.
For sugar-sweetened beverages, the kids made fruit-infused water in reusable water bottles. using their own mix fruits and herbs. One child exclaimed, “This is really good! I want to make more at home for my siblings.”
For processed foods, they played a game to get familiar with the terms “unprocessed,” “minimally processed” and “ultra-processed foods.” Cortez and Williams showed the kids images of fresh produce, freeze-dried fruit and frozen pizza rolls and other foods, and quizzed them on whether they were “unprocessed,” “minimally processed” or “ultra-processed.”
Next, they led the kids in making a healthy breakfast recipe – overnight oats in a Mason jar. “?They picked mix-ins like sunflower seed butter, coconut flakes, cinnamon, dried fruits, pumpkin seeds, etc.,” Cortez said. “They were instructed to add milk at home, of course!”
“Between topics, we did a movement break – yoga! Ryan led the kids in a sun salutation and discussed ?how yoga is an activity that encourages both mental and physical wellness.”
The kids took home their goodies in a fun fruit bag, along with recipe cards and a guide to doing a sun salutation at home.
Overnight Oats
Makes 1 Serving. 1 mason jar per serving
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons nut or seed butter
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- ½ Cup rolled or old-fashioned oats
- ½ Cup of milk (add any kind of milk you use at home!)
- 2 Oz fresh, frozen, or dried fruits
- Drizzle of honey (optional)
Preparation
- Fill jar with nut/seed butter, pumpkin seeds, and oats (in that order)
- Next, you would normally pour in milk. Do this when you get home! Milk should just barely cover oats
- Top with fruit and honey
- Put lid on jar and refrigerate overnight, up to 5 days
- Shake before opening or stir to mix and enjoy!
A new research brief developed by the Nutrition Policy Institute outlines the results and implications of the 2023 study: “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education reductions during COVID-19 may have exacerbated health inequities.” The study examined changes in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education programming by California's local health departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, when schools and other institutions closed their doors in response to the COVID-19 emergency, the impact on public health programs like SNAP-Ed was immediate and large. As the pandemic continued, California's local health departments reported numerous challenges, including the diversion of staff, funding and other resources from programs like SNAP-Ed to emergency response. NPI researchers documented dramatic reductions in the reach and dose of local health department SNAP-Ed programming during the early stages of the pandemic. Reductions disproportionately impacted disadvantaged communities, including those with higher poverty, higher proportions of Black and Latino residents and less healthy neighborhood conditions. Disproportionately reduced access to important health programs may have worsened health disparities in diet and physical activity-related chronic diseases, as well as increasing susceptibility to COVID-19. This study demonstrates the importance of an equity-centered approach to promoting healthy eating and active living, even—or perhaps especially—during public health emergencies. The peer-reviewed study was authored by NPI researchers Gail Woodward-Lopez, Erin Esaryk, Sridharshi Hewawitharana, Janice Kao, Evan Talmage and Carolyn Rider. The research brief was created by NPI's CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation Unit, including: Carolyn Rider, Miranda Westfall, Reka Vasicsek and Summer Cortez.
Summer Cortez joined the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources on April 26, 2023 as a project policy analyst. She will serve as the new CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation Unit manager, to support evaluation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education in partnership with the California Department of Public Health and local health departments. Summer received a master's degree in community development from UC Davis, where she focused her studies on strategies to enhance regional food system resilience in the face of disasters. Her professional background is in program management, and she has spent the last seven years leading community education projects in land stewardship, nutrition and food literacy.