In 2019, we documented lunchtime in three different schools. These kids taught us an important lesson: school food programs work better when they actively nurture care and connection. Click here to read the article in The Conversation.
How do you save more than four million Canadians from hunger? For food and health researchers Jennifer Brady, Elaine Power and Jennifer Black, the solution goes beyond food banks. Click here to read the article from SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council).
Members of the PHUN research team with Sinikka Elliott from UBC Sociology have compiled an extensive report highlighting preliminary insights learned about school lunch experiences from three schools with pre-existing lunch programs during their 2019 transition to a new school meal program in BC. Download the report summary or read the full report here: BC School […]
COVID-19 is revealing critical weaknesses in how we care for each other. Jennifer Black and collaborators discuss why more than food banks are needed to feed the hungry during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Click here to read the article in The Conversation.
About Us
The Public Health and Urban Nutrition (PHUN) research group is directed by Dr. Jennifer Black and is housed in the Food, Nutrition and Health Program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
Our research aims to improve understanding of the complex social and contextual factors that shape the health of individuals, communities and of the environment. Using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, we pursue research that focuses on neighborhood food environments, school health and food systems research and understanding the impact of community food programs. We collaborate with community organizations, government partners and local health authorities to make sure our research is informing and is informed by priority questions and challenges facing North American cities.
Our team includes researchers and trainees with diverse educational backgrounds and specialized training in the areas of nutrition and dietetics, epidemiology, economics, geography, and public health.