FOCUS
Hannah is committed to addressing food and nutrition insecurity in the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) by highlighting potential improvements in the local food system. Food and nutrition security in the NMI is challenged by an overwhelming amount of imported, processed foods and inadequate amounts of healthier, fresh, local foods. Hannah’s research aims to utilize baseline built food environment measures, such as food availability, affordability, advertising, and quality, to address food system issues. One of her primary research goals is to ensure that community voices are elevated through her research and to sustain important food system conversations. As such, her research will also leverage various qualitative methods to inform community context and framing efforts in food and nutrition policy solutions. As a native of the NMI, she understands the importance of community context in translating research to inform and implement solutions.
MORE ABOUT HANNAH
Hannah is a proud native of the NMI. She has experienced firsthand the benefits of reciprocity and a culture that thrives in being there for others. For that reason, Hannah is committed to ensuring the NMI is at the center of her research. She is determined to highlight the strengths of her community and promote solution- and action-based practices.
DISSERTATION GRANT AWARDEE — WINTER 2025
Exploring the Determinants of Child Beverage Consumption in the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI)
The study aims to explore the various determinants of child beverage consumption, including individual, cultural, environmental, economic, and sociopolitical. Approaches include secondary analysis of existing dietary data of NMI children, which will assess beverage consumption patterns and relationships. A cross-sectional survey will also be administered among a sample of NMI households with children to assess environmental and policy-related determinants of beverage consumption, including water security measures. Findings will be disseminated among community collaborators to inform tailored recommendations for policy, system, and environmental changes aimed to increase healthy beverage consumption.
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