About Jennifer Black

My research focuses broadly on the social determinants of health and dietary choices. I am interested in how attitudes and behaviours related to eating, cooking, food selection, body image and body weight status are shaped by socio-cultural and neighbourhood-level factors.  My research is shaped by my background as a registered dietitian and fuses methods and theory from nutrition education, public health, sociology and geography.

Some of my recent and forthcoming research projects include:

• The Hungry Stories Project (hungrystories.ca) – Our goal is to to make art and write stories that will get people talking about food insecurity and about what we can do to make sure no one ever goes hungry.
• Examining the connections between school food programs and the food environment with students’ dietary practices and well-being.
• Working with local food-focused community-based organizations to examine the experiences of food insecurity in Vancouver
• Assessing the relations between neighbourhood-level socioeconomic status, demographic factors, land use and access to food in British Columbia.
• Examining trends and the social determinants of dietary choices and health outcomes using national health surveys such as the Canadian Community Health Survey.
• Mapping food access and opportunities and barriers to physical activity in New York City.

See what we’re working on here