Food, Rest, Exercise & Student Health (FRESH) Study
The FRESH Study is a two-year longitudinal observational cohort study with 2nd-year undergraduate students at UC Santa Cruz. Our goal is to gain a better understanding of student nutrition and factors related to cardiovascular and metabolic health as defined by the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™.
What is Life’s Essential 8™?
The American Heart Association has identified 8 factors referred to as Life’s Essential 8™ that are important for ideal cardiovascular and cardiometabolic health. These factors include sleep, diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and weight status.
Why is this study important?
This is the first study in the United States to examine nutritional status in relation to Life’s Essential 8™ factors in college students. Findings from this study could have important policy implications for higher education.
Who else is part of the FRESH team?
Heather E. Bullock(PhD) is a Co-Principal Investigator on the FRESH Study. She is the Director of the Center for Economic Justice and Action (CEJA), co-director of Research and Evaluation on UC Essential Needs, and professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz. Her research examines women’s pathways in and out of poverty and homelessness, women’s experiences with public assistance programs, and how classism, racism, and sexism influence policy attitudes and the treatment of low-income women and their families.
Gwen Chodur (PhD, MSPH, RDN) is a postdoctoral scholar working on the FRESH Study. Her research focus is in understanding the mechanisms linking social exposures such as food insecurity and stress to chronic disease development and more importantly, how to effectively interrupt increased chronic disease risk trajectories. Gwen is a first-generation college student who completed a PhD in Nutritional Biology at UC Davis. She also holds a MSPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and earned a BS from the Pennsylvania State University.
How is this study funded?
This study is supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (R01HL164727).
UC Student CalFresh Study
The UC Student CalFresh Study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the college student experience in accessing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as well as their food security status. The study includes graduate and undergraduate students at six UC campuses (UCD, UCM, UCR, UCSC, UCSD, and UCSF). The study aims to improve understanding of the student SNAP application process and identify facilitators and challenges in maintaining SNAP benefits.
Why is this study important?
Food insecurity remains a problem for college students, which is associated with poor health, poor mental health, lower academic performance, and lower graduation rates. Over the past decade, improving SNAP access for college students has been identified as a long-term solution to address food insecurity in higher education. Yet, strict student eligibility criteria, such as the work for food rule (working at least 20 hours to be SNAP-eligible), have posed barriers for many students. While the Student Rules are outdated, there has been little research regarding the challenges that students face in applying for SNAP and maintaining their benefits.
How is this study funded?
This study is supported by the Center for Economic Justice and Action: UC Essential Needs Research Program at UC Santa Cruz.
Study of Life Course Food Insecurity & Dementia Risk
The Life Course Food Insecurity and Dementia Risk Study uses secondary data analysis to examine whether markers of food insecurity, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility, across the life course are prospectively related to dementia risk and cognitive decline. This study leverages data from two nationally representative data sets—the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, 1979 cohort (NLSY79).
Why is this study important?
Dementia is a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. Food insecurity is common among U.S. children and adults, which could influence Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Related Dementias (ADRD) via multiple mechanisms. Yet, food insecurity is a modifiable target that could aid in ADRD prevention.
How is this study funded?
This study is supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01AG079202).
