About Our Lab

Students sit at a lunch table eating lunch.

The Youth & Community Nutrition Impact Research Team is currently focusing on the following research areas:

Nutrition and food security
School and community-based nutrition studies
Social networks and interpersonal relationships

Past Studies

College students sit on a picnic blanket and eat pizza.

The SPARC Study

A study on social networks and how they impact nutrition, physical activity, and weight-related outcomes among first-year college students using ecological momentary assessments.

Two preschool aged children work together to plant a seedling in a small garden.

SAGE: Partnering for PA in Early Childhood; Sustainability via Active Garden Education

A study that used gardening to promote physical activity and fruit/vegetable consumption among low-income preschool children.

Two volunteers sort food in donation boxes.

Hungry to learn: Food insecurity and brain function among college students

A study that examined how brain function differs for students with and without food security.

A group of children in aprons stands around a food prep bench with an instructor showing them different produce.

The Arizona Department of Education Team Nutrition Grant

This project examined the impact of wellness coordinators in small, medium, and large school districts and their impact on student eating behaviors, school nutrition environment, and other factors.

A student wearing a lab coat and hairnet weighs cookies on a scale in a kitchen lab.

Past Studies

The SPARC Study

SAGE: Partnering for PA in Early Childhood; Sustainability via Active Garden Education

Hungry to learn: Food insecurity and brain function among college students

The Arizona Department of Education Team Nutrition Grant

Students who are interested in our research and student lab opportunities should contact us to learn more.