91AV faculty receive USDA grant to study incentives to promote healthy eating habits
Michele Polacsek, Ph.D., M.H.S., 91AV associate professor, is the principal investigator of a newly awarded $797, 995 grant titled, “Supermarket Science: Multipronged Approaches to Increasing Fresh, Frozen and Canned Fruit and Vegetable Purchases.” The four-year grant is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture with Rebecca Boulos, Ph.D. M.P.H., 91AV assistant clinical professor, also implementing the research as co-principal investigator.
The project aims to test a double value fruit and vegetable incentive combined with an in-store point of purchase “Cooking Matters at the Store” education program to promote fruit and vegetable purchases and consumption among low-income shoppers in a supermarket store in the Portland area. Findings will be used to create and disseminate educational materials for nutrition advocates, retailers, public health and nutrition researchers and professionals.
Project Partners include a northeast supermarket chain, the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, the University of Southern Maine Cooperative Extension, and the Food Trust of Pennsylvania.
