141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

290055
City university of New York's system-wide campaign for healthy food policies

Monday, November 4, 2013 : 1:06 PM - 1:18 PM

Kimberly Libman, MPH, PhD , Hunter School of Public Health, City University of New York, New York, NY
Nicholas Freudenberg, DrPH , School of Public Health, City University of New York, Hunter College, New York, NY
Luis Manzo, PhD , Central Office of Student Affairs, City University of New York, New York, NY
Patricia Lamberson, MPH, MCHES , School of Public Health and Central Office of Student Affairs, City University of New York, New York, NY
Stephanie Kneeshaw-Price, MS, PhD , School of Public Health, City University of New York, New York, NY
Background: Growing rates of obesity and diet-related diseases require effective strategies to lower this burden on our health and economy. Scientific evidence suggests that the most effective and economical approach is to create environments and policies that make it easier for individuals to make healthier choices. Purpose: Describe CUNY Campaign for Healthy Food (CHeF), a multi-level campaign to improve food policies and environments at City University of New York (CUNY), the nation's largest urban public university. Examine students' support for enacting policies of healthier foods on-campus. Analyze facilitators and obstacles to changing CUNY food environments. Significance: Urban universities provide a setting for enacting healthy food policies that can improve diets of racially and income diverse young adults. Methodology: CHeF assessed and reported current snack and beverage choices available on CUNY campuses in vending machines and at meetings and events. Using cross-sectional data from a representative sample, we also assessed urban university students' support for on-campus food policies. Findings: Based on these campus assessments, CHeF drafted food and beverage policy recommendations for CUNY and proposed standards for vending and meeting food. These recommendations are now in various stages of implementation. Student support of four proposed healthy food policies on-campus ranged from 53.0-89.5%. Conclusions: A majority of undergraduate students support campus policy change to incorporate healthier food options, including nutrition and calorie labeling. University-wide campaigns can contribute to making changes in collegiate food environments that most students support.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe ways universities can change food environments to support nutrition. Identify strategies by which student support for changes in food environments can contribute to changes in university food policies. Analyze the strengths and challenges of collaborative approaches to university food policy recommendations and changes.

Keywords: College Students, Food and Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I participated on the committee that conceptualized the Campaign for Healthy Food (CHeF) Policy. I am also a member of the Healthy CUNY Initiative leadership team.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.