Previous Grant Projects
The Long Run Effects of Exposure to Universal Free Meals in the Early Childhood Grades
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is the country's second-largest food assistance program, serving free or reduced-price meals to 30 million students daily.
A growing number of schools and districts offer Universal Free Meals (UFM), which provides free meals to all students regardless of income. This project examined how exposure to UFM in kindergarten influenced attendance and weight outcomes among NYC students from grades K-3.
Results showed that children who received free meals through UFM in kindergarten had better school attendance than those who do not. In addition, there was no evidence that receipt of free meals in kindergarten affected weight outcomes.
Read more about this study in this Lerner Center research brief.
PI: Amy Schwartz
How Did COVID-19 School Closures Affect Adolescents with ADHD
COVID-19 school closures drastically affected school-aged youth and their parents, with greater challenges among youth with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
This study examined the risks, protective factors, and family processes that shaped well-being among adolescents during COVID-19-related school closures.
Findings show that adolescents with ADHD were more likely to experience negative consequences from school closures, including difficulty adjusting to online learning, reduced socialization, and increased mental distress. However, youth and families also experienced some benefits, including increased family reconnection and reduced school-related anxiety.
Read more about this study in this Lerner Center research brief.
PIs: Kevin Antshel and Andrew London
Cardiovascular Age in the Community Post-COVID-19: We are Only as Old as our Arteries
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) was a prominent risk factor for severe outcomes from coronavirus. African Americans have higher CVD risk factor burden and as such experienced higher mortality rates from coronavirus.
This study a) developed a new metric of CVD risk (related to artery age) that can be easily assessed in community-based (non-clinic) settings without need for advanced equipment or technical expertise and b) examined changes in blood pressure among U.S. adults in fall 2020 and spring 2021.
The team found that poor sleep quality and poor mental health were associated with less desirable blood pressure patterns. The results indicate a need for healthcare providers to consider sleep quality and mental health when assessing patients for cardiovascular disease.
Read more about these findings in a peer-reviewed paper and Lerner research brief stemming from these studies.
PI: Kevin Heffernan
Impact of Gardening on Refugee Mental Health, Community Building, and Economic Well-being in Central New York
Home and community gardening is emerging as a beneficial intervention for resettled refugee populations. This project used surveys and semi-structured interviews to examine whether gardening influences mental health, food security, and economic well-being among resettled refugees.
Findings showed gardeners reporting fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma, and less food insecurity than non-gardeners, and similar indicators of economic well-being. In interviews, gardeners reported improved mental health, closer family, social relationships and connections with culture, and more access to fresh and organic food.
The multiple, simultaneous benefits of gardening provide strong support for building community-based health promotion programs to assist refugee integration, including long after arrival. The study further highlights the importance of examining the interrelated factors of mental health, food security, and economic well-being.
Read more in the peer-reviewed article stemming from this study.
PIs: Rashmi Gangamma, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, and Bhavneet Walia
Nudging Physical Activity in Early Adolescents with ADHD
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that represents a significant public health problem among adolescents.
Physical activity (PA) holds promise as a potentially effective, broadly health-promoting, and accessible intervention for adolescents with ADHD. Drawing on behavioral economics principles, this project evaluated the feasibility of using motivational interviewing and contingency management/external reinforcers as a way to increase physical activity among 11-16 year old adolescents with ADHD.
It also examined the impact of the PA intervention on ADHD symptom severity. Forty adolescents randomly assigned to three treatment groups and a control group completed the pilot study. Results are consistent with hypotheses and will be used as a preliminary study for a grant application for an expanded trial in the future.
PIs: Kevin Antshel, Andrew London, and Scott Landes
Contact
Shannon Monnat
Professor, Sociology Department
Lerner Chair in Public Health Promotion and Population Health
426 Eggers Hall
315.443.2692 | smmonnat@syr.edu