Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health

Research & Practice


August 12, 2022

Article authored by UW professor highlights food insecurity root causes

Adam Drewnowski

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…


July 8, 2022

Sweetened beverage taxes produce net economic benefits for lower-income communities

Sugary cola drink over ice in a glass

New study from University of Washington Center for Public Health Nutrition examines the economic equity impacts of sweetened beverage taxes in three cities: Seattle, San Francisco and Philadelphia. Jessica Jones-Smith was co-prinicipal investigator and Lina Pinero Walkinshaw was a co-author on the study.


July 7, 2022

Nutrition as Intervention in Genetic Disease

Assisted in research being conducted between PXE (pseudoxanthoma elasticum), a rare genetic condition, and diet. Created clear and simple graphic materials that were distributed to study participants that offered information about how they could improve the nutritional quality of their diets by designing new meal plans. Continued research provided a more comprehensive understanding of the long-term…


January 20, 2022

Survey shows disproportionate food insecurities in Washington tribal communities

Hands holding red berriers

Highlights findings from a recent study, WATRIBAL, which shows the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food disparities and food sovereignty among American Indian/Alaska Native communities in Washington State.


January 11, 2022

New Evidence Suggests That Seattle’s Soda Tax Is Working — and It’s Working Well

top of soda cans

A study in Baltimore which uses grocery store sales data bolsters early evidence published by UW Center for Public Health Nutrition, supporting the that the Seattle soda tax is working. Jessica Jones-Smith, lead researcher involved in the UW research is quoted.


December 14, 2021

Washington state food assessment report: How the pandemic has affected food access

Close up of hands picking blueberries

New UW study commissioned by the Washington State Department of Agriculture shows the pandemic’s strain on Washington’s food access and food production systems. This DEOHS blog post highlights the team’s findings.


December 7, 2021

Survey of Washington state tribal communities illustrates how pandemic has exacerbated food disparities

Hands holding berries

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),…


December 2, 2021

How a key nutritional program adapted to the pandemic

Photo of young family preparing meal

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,…


June 27, 2021

For many King County families, food aid ‘not nearly enough’ as need spikes in pandemic

Photo of client at Auburn Food Bank

Food bank staff and public health officials predict it will take households several years to recover from food insecurity made worse by the economic instability of the pandemic. Ongoing research led by the UW Center for Public Health Nutrition in partnership with Washington State University and Tacoma Community College is highlighted.


May 11, 2021

Reliance on food assistance programs on the rise in Washington State

Food Insecurity and Food Assistance During COVID-19: Follow-up Survey of Wa State

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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