Marlene B Schwartz
Biographic Data
| ID | 177615 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Marlene B Schwartz |
| GIVEN NAMES | Marlene B |
| FAMILY NAME | Schwartz |
| SIGNATURE | SCHWARTZ M B |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Connecticut |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8939-1954 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 50 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 66 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 50 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Universal School Meal Policies and Perceived Stigma
BACKGROUND: Universal school meals (USMs) policies, which provide free meals to all students regardless of income, have the potential to improve child nutrition and reduce stigma. Quantitative evidence on the association between USM and stigma is limited. METHODS: Leveraging a natural policy variation in state-level USM implementation, we surveyed 1066 middle and high school students from eight US states (four with USM, four without) during the 2…
Nutritional quality of foods according to the Nova food classification system after a behavioral economics intervention in food pantries
Introduction: Consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked with poor health outcomes. Using the Nova food classification system to measure the level of food processing, this study assessed whether foods selected by food pantry clients were more favorable following a behavioral economics food pantry intervention. Methods: The study analyzed secondary data from a group-randomized evaluation in 11 Minnesota food pantries. Food items selected…
The Effect of Parent-Targeted Obesity Messaging on Parental Weight Talk Intention
It is unknown if parent-targeted health messages about childhood obesity affect parental weight communication with children (e.g., encouraging a child to diet). This randomized, controlled, online experiment assessed the effects of exposure to different message frames on parental intentions to 1) engage in weight communication with their child and, 2) follow the health advice in the message. A diverse sample of U.S. parents (N = 452) were randoml…
Foodservice Directors' Perceived Barriers to Student Participation in School Meals When Meals Were Served Free of Charge During the 2021–2022 School Year
BACKGROUND: School meals were served free of charge to all public school students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some students still did not participate. METHODS: In this mixed-methods study, surveys and interviews were conducted with food service directors (FSDs) from California (n = 556 surveys; n = 29 interviews) and Maine (n = 43 surveys; n = 20 interviews) during spring 2022. Survey data was analyzed using multivariab…
Understanding Free or Reduced‐Price School Meal Stigma
BACKGROUND: Receiving free or reduced-price meals (FRPM) at school benefits resource-constrained families financially and nutritionally. However, many families in the United States do not apply for FRPM, and many eligible students do not eat school meals, possibly due to stigma. METHODS: This study is a secondary qualitative analysis derived from a mixed-methods study. Interviews were conducted with 66 parents in California and Maine during the 2…
Factors and Outcomes Associated With Using Scratch‐Cooked, Organic, and Locally Grown Foods in School Meals in California
BACKGROUND: Incorporating scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods into school meal programs can enhance meal quality and support local food systems. METHODS: 430 California school food authorities were surveyed to (1) evaluate their use of scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods in their programs; (2) identify demographic and operational characteristics related to this use; and (3) analyze the relationship between serving more o…
Impact of mealtime social experiences on student consumption of meals at school
Objective: To understand caregivers’ perceptions about their children’s mealtime social experiences at school and how they believe these social experiences impact their children’s consumption of meals at school (both meals brought from home and school meals). Design: Qualitative data were originally collected as part of a larger mixed methods study using an embedded-QUAN dominant research design. Setting: Semi-structured interviews were conducted…
Evaluating the Usability of the Wellness School Assessment Tool Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WellSAT WSCC)
BACKGROUND: Adoption of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model has been slowed by a lack of available tools to support implementation. The Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) WSCC is an online assessment tool that allows schools to evaluate the alignment of their policies with the WSCC model. This study assesses the usability of the WellSAT WSCC. METHODS: Using a convergent mixed methods design, we collected qualitative…
Participation in the US Department of Agriculture's Summer Meal Programs
BACKGROUND: The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) summer meal programs are designed to provide meals at no cost while school is out of session. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several regulatory waivers were enacted to facilitate meal distribution. The aim of this study was to assess the rates of meal distribution before and after these waivers were in effect. METHODS: Meal distribution patterns for 2019, 2020, and 2021 were examined th…
The charitable food system as a change agent
OPINION article Front. Public Health, 31 March 2023Sec. Public Health and Nutrition Volume 11 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1156501
Expanding school wellness policies to encompass the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model
Schools influence children’s developmental outcomes across multiple domains, including academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and physical. School district wellness policies are powerful mechanisms that set clear expectations for health-related practices in school buildings and the surrounding community. A current challenge is that many health-related school policies are narrow, siloed, and reactive instead of proactive. In this paper, we: (a) …
Mediation of the association between social environmental characteristics of family childcare home and weight status in children by diet quality
Children's diet quality did significantly mediate the relationship between the food served in FCCHs and children's weight status. More longitudinal studies with longer follow-up periods need to be conducted to confirm these relationships. Further, future studies need to examine the relationships between a broader spectrum of FCCH environmental characteristics and home environment with children's weight status, as well as other mediators including…
An Examination of Parental Weight Stigma and Weight Talk Among Socioeconomically and Racially/Ethnically Diverse Parents
Parental communication about body weight can influence children's emotional well-being and eating behaviors. However, little is known about the role of parental self-stigma concerning weight and social position variables (ie, race/ethnicity, income, and gender) in weight communication. This study examined how parents' self-stigmatization for their own weight (ie, weight bias internalization) and self-stigmatization for their child's weight (ie, a…
Assessing District Policy Alignment with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model in Connecticut, 2019 to 2020
BACKGROUND: The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model offers a comprehensive framework for creating safe, healthy, and supportive school environments. However, few studies to date have examined the degree to which school policies represent a comprehensive and integrated approach to this goal beyond nutrition and physical activity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide a baseline evaluation of the alignment of distr…
“The most hurtful thing I've ever experienced”
Family members are some of the most common sources of weight stigma reported by youth and adults with higher body weight; however, little is known about the ways in which weight stigma manifests from different family members. To better understand the nature of weight stigma by family members, the current study qualitatively examined women's retrospective accounts of these experiences. Participants were 410 U.S. adult women engaged in a commercial…
Race, Ethnicity, and Neighborhood Food Environment Are Associated with Adolescent Sugary Drink Consumption During a 5-Year Community Campaign
Distributing Summer Meals during a Pandemic
The USDA summer food programs provide meals for children when school is not in session. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for food distribution programs, many regulations have been waived, providing opportunities for new approaches to meal distribution. The aim of this study was to identify practices designed to increase program participation during the summer of 2021. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with food servic…
Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index
The school environment plays an important role in children’s diets and overall health, and policies for universal free school meals have the potential to contribute to positive child health outcomes. This systematic review evaluates studies examining the association between universal free school meals and students’ school meal participation rates, diets, attendance, academic performance, and Body Mass Index (BMI), as well as school finances. The …
Food pantries select healthier foods after nutrition information is available on their food bank’s ordering platform
Objective: In the USA, community-based food pantries provide free groceries to people struggling with food insecurity. Many pantries obtain food from regional food banks using an online shopping platform. A food bank introduced a visible nutrition rank (i.e. green, yellow or red) onto its platform. The hypothesis was that pantry orders would increase for the healthiest options (green) and decrease for the least healthy options (red). Design: Inte…
The Relationship between Written District Policies and School Practices among High‐Need Districts in New York State
BACKGROUND: This study tested the hypothesis that written district wellness policies are associated with higher rates of implementation of nutrition and physical activity practices. METHODS: Written wellness policies and building level practices were assessed for schools (N = 295) within high-need districts (N = 70) in New York State. The relationship between policies and practices was measured using multi-level mixed-effects logistic regressions…
Development of a Comprehensive Tool for School Health Policy Evaluation
BACKGROUND: Stakeholders increasingly recognize the role of policy in implementing Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) frameworks in schools; however, few tools are currently available to assess alignment between district policies and WSCC concepts. The purpose of this study was to expand the Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) for evaluation of policies related to all 10 domains of the WSCC model. METHODS: Developing the Well…
Food and beverage marketing in schools
Objective: Children are surrounded by ubiquitous forms of unhealthy food marketing at home and in schools. The US Department of Agriculture now restricts food and beverage marketing that does not meet Smart Snacks in School standards. School superintendents, as districts’ top administrators, play a critical role in ensuring marketing policies are implemented and adhered to; however, there is limited research involving this stakeholder group. The …
Removing competitive foods v . nudging and marketing school meals
Both strategies - removing competitive foods and marketing and nudging - may increase school meal participation. There was no evidence that promoting school meals decreased competitive food sales
Ingredient bundles and recipe tastings in food pantries
Objective The present study examined the effect of ingredient bundles (i.e. measured ingredients with recipes) and recipe tastings as a strategy to increase the selection of healthy, target foods (kale, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta). Design Each of the three conditions was tested once per week for three weeks. The conditions were: Treatment 1 (T1), recipe tastings only; Treatment 2 (T2), ingredient bundle plus recipe tastings; and Control, no…
Primer on US Food and Nutrition Policy and Public Health
The Effects of a High-carbohydrate, High-protein or Balanced Lunch upon Later Food Intake and Hunger Ratings
This study compared the satiating properties of three liquid lunches (450 kcal each), one dominant in protein (71.5% of energy), a second in carbohydrates (99% of energy) and a third containing an equal mixture of the first two formulations, in a within-subjects, repeated measures design. At an ad libitum dinner meal, 12 women consumed 31% more kilocalories in the high-carbohydrate lunch condition than in the high-protein lunch condition and 20% …
Impact of nutrition messages on children's food choice
The application of defaults to optimize parents' health-based choices for children
A qualitative investigation into the U.S. Department of Agriculture 18‐item Household Food Security Survey Module
Food insecurity, or limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways, affects more than 10% of Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 18‐item Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) is the most common measure used in the United States to assess food insecurity. This measure is to be completed by one adult who reports on…
Piloting an online grocery store simulation to assess children's food choices
Sweet promises
Primer on US Food and Nutrition Policy and Public Health
"Primer on US Food and Nutrition Policy and Public Health: Protect School Nutrition Standards." , 109(7), pp. 990–991
The Effects of a High-carbohydrate, High-protein or Balanced Lunch upon Later Food Intake and Hunger Ratings
This study compared the satiating properties of three liquid lunches (450 kcal each), one dominant in protein (71.5% of energy), a second in carbohydrates (99% of energy) and a third containing an equal mixture of the first two formulations, in a within-subjects, repeated measures design. At an ad libitum dinner meal, 12 women consumed 31% more kilocalories in the high-carbohydrate lunch condition than in the high-protein lunch condition and 20% …
Weight Bias among Health Professionals Specializing in Obesity
Purpose : To determine the level of anti‐fat bias in health professionals specializing in obesity and identify personal characteristics that correlate with both implicit and explicit bias. Research Methods and Procedures : The Implicit Associations Test (IAT) and a self‐report questionnaire assessing explicit attitudes, personal experiences with obesity, and demographic characteristics was administered to clinicians and researchers attending the …
Obesity and body image
The Influence of One's Own Body Weight on Implicit and Explicit Anti‐fat Bias
Objective : This study examined the influence of one's own body weight on the strength of implicit and explicit anti‐fat bias. Research Methods and Procedure : Implicit and explicit anti‐fat attitudes and obesity stereotypes were assessed among a large online sample ( N = 4283) that included representation from across the weight spectrum (from underweight to extremely obese). Respondents also indicated their willingness to make a range of persona…
Impact of nutrition messages on children's food choice
Weight stigmatization and bias reduction
This study employed qualitative methods with a sample of overweight and obese adults to identify and describe their subjective experiences of weight bias. Participants (274 females and 44 males) completed an online battery of self-report questionnaires, including several open-ended questions about weight stigmatization. These questions asked them to describe their worst experiences of weight stigmatization, their perceptions of common weight-base…
Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health
In a meta-analysis of 88 studies, we examined the association between soft drink consumption and nutrition and health outcomes. We found clear associations of soft drink intake with increased energy intake and body weight. Soft drink intake also was associated with lower intakes of milk, calcium, and other nutrients and with an increased risk of several medical problems (e.g., diabetes). Study design significantly influenced results: larger effec…
Schools and Obesity Prevention
Context: Research consistently shows that the majority of American children do not consume diets that meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nor do they achieve adequate levels of daily physical activity. As a result, more children are overweight today than at any other time in U.S. history. Schools offer many opportunities to develop strategies to prevent obesity by creating environments in which children eat healthful…
Personal Responsibility And Obesity
The concept of personal responsibility has been central to social, legal, and political approaches to obesity. It evokes language of blame, weakness, and vice and is a leading basis for inadequate government efforts, given the importance of environmental conditions in explaining high rates of obesity. These environmental conditions can override individual physical and psychological regulatory systems that might otherwise stand in the way of weigh…
Marketing foods to children and adolescents
Objective To analyse cross-promotions targeted to children and adolescents on packaging in the supermarket. Design On three occasions from 2006 to 2008, researchers purchased all foods in a large supermarket that included a cross-promotion on the package. A total of 397 products were categorized by promotional partner, food category, targeted age group, promotion type, product nutrition, and company policies on marketing to children. Results The …
Nutrition-related claims on children's cereals
Objective To examine parents’ beliefs about the meaning of common front-of-package nutrition-related claims on children's cereals and determine whether the claims would make them more willing to buy the cereals. Design Parents viewed images of box fronts for children's cereals of below-average nutritional quality, as assessed by a validated nutrient profiling model. These boxes featured various nutrition-related claims including ‘supports your ch…
Food retailer practices, attitudes and beliefs about the supply of healthy foods
Objective Non-supermarket food retailers can be a promising channel for increasing the availability of healthy foods in underserved communities. The present paper reports on retailer practices, attitudes and beliefs about the supply of healthy foods before and after the introduction of new subsidies for healthy foods by the US Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in October 2009. Design We designed and con…
US Food Company Branded Advergames on the Internet
Public health researchers express concern about branded computer games on food company websites (i.e. advergames) that enable marketers to engage children for unlimited lengths of time to promote calorie-dense nutrient-poor foods. Study 1 examines children's exposure to US food company websites with advergames: 1.2 million children visit these sites every month and spend up to 1 hour per month on some. They primarily promote candy, high-sugar cer…
Purchases of ready-to-eat cereals vary across US household sociodemographic categories according to nutritional value and advertising targets
Objective To describe ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal purchases in 2008 in the USA according to cereal nutritional quality and marketing strategy and household sociodemographic characteristics. Design Cross-sectional study of purchases in one year. Each type of cereal was assigned to one of four nutrition quality categories (based on Nutrient Profile Index, NPI) and one of four advertising categories based on television exposure and analysis of packagi…
The science on front-of-package food labels
Objective The US Food and Drug Administration and Institute of Medicine are currently investigating front-of-package (FOP) food labelling systems to provide science-based guidance to the food industry. The present paper reviews the literature on FOP labelling and supermarket shelf-labelling systems published or under review by February 2011 to inform current investigations and identify areas of future research. Design A structured search was unde…
Encouraging big food to do the right thing for children’s health
Addressing concerns about unhealthy food marketing to children, food companies pledge to advertise only ‘healthier dietary choices’ in ‘child-directed media’. However, public health advocates question whether the food industry will voluntarily improve their child-targeted marketing practices in a meaningful way. In this paper, we evaluate progress made by manufacturers of one food category – ready-to-eat breakfast cereals – in promoting nutritiou…
Sweet promises
Parents’ beliefs about the healthfulness of sugary drink options
Objective To assess potential misperceptions among parents regarding the healthfulness of sugary drinks for their children. Design Online survey of parents. Participants identified the categories and specific brands of sugary drinks they provided for their children. They also indicated their perceptions of sugary drink categories and brands as healthy options for children, perceived importance of on-package claims in purchase decisions and their …
Piloting an online grocery store simulation to assess children's food choices
Food Swamps Predict Obesity Rates Better Than Food Deserts in the United States
This paper investigates the effect of food environments, characterized as food swamps, on adult obesity rates. Food swamps have been described as areas with a high-density of establishments selling high-calorie fast food and junk food, relative to healthier food options. This study examines multiple ways of categorizing food environments as food swamps and food deserts, including alternate versions of the Retail Food Environment Index. We merged …
The application of defaults to optimize parents' health-based choices for children
Effect of default menus on food selection and consumption in a college dining hall simulation study
Objective To test an obesity prevention strategy derived from behavioural economics (optimal defaults plus delay), focused on changing the college dining hall service method. Design After a uniform pre-load, participants attended an experimental lunch in groups randomized to one of three conditions: a nutrient-dense, lower-fat/energy lunch as an optimal default (OD); a less-nutrient-dense, higher-fat/energy lunch as a suboptimal default (SD); or …
A qualitative investigation into the U.S. Department of Agriculture 18‐item Household Food Security Survey Module
Food insecurity, or limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways, affects more than 10% of Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 18‐item Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) is the most common measure used in the United States to assess food insecurity. This measure is to be completed by one adult who reports on…
Removing competitive foods v . nudging and marketing school meals
Both strategies - removing competitive foods and marketing and nudging - may increase school meal participation. There was no evidence that promoting school meals decreased competitive food sales
Ingredient bundles and recipe tastings in food pantries
Objective The present study examined the effect of ingredient bundles (i.e. measured ingredients with recipes) and recipe tastings as a strategy to increase the selection of healthy, target foods (kale, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta). Design Each of the three conditions was tested once per week for three weeks. The conditions were: Treatment 1 (T1), recipe tastings only; Treatment 2 (T2), ingredient bundle plus recipe tastings; and Control, no…
Medicine (42 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (31 works) · Psychology (29 works) · Environmental health (24 works) · Business (19 works) · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations (15 works) · Food Science (14 works) · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling (12 works) · Marketing (12 works) · Obesity and Health Practices (11 works)