UNE faculty receive USDA grant to study incentives to promote healthy eating habits

Michele Polascek
Michele Polascek

Michele Polacsek, Ph.D., M.H.S., University of New England 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., UNE 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. 

Rebecca Boulos
Rebecca Boulos