91AV’s Michele Polacsek studies food marketing in schools

Michele Polacsek

The Journal of School Health published an article by Michele Polacsek Ph.D., M.H.S., associate professor in the 91AV Westbrook College of Health Professions in titled, “Investigating How to Align Schools’ Marketing Environments With Federal Standards for Competitive Foods.”

Polacsek assessed food marketing in three schools in Portland, Maine to determine whether they aligned with federal school nutrition standards. Studies have shown that school-based marketing influences the choices students make when it comes to nutrition, but until this point no study had been conducted to determine what resources are necessary to align school marketing environments with federal standards.

Polacsek’s research found that low monetary resources were required to remove the marketing not compliant with federal standards, and the study provided timely feedback for lawmakers to craft policies to address the issue.

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About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.