NOURISH Lab

NOURISH Lab (Nutrition Opportunities to Understand Reforms Involving Student Health) evaluates novel interventions and policies to address diet-related health disparities in children. 

About NOURISH

Based in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Merrimack College, NOURISH focuses on school nutrition, fast food, nutrition policy, and cognition and academic performance. NOURISH examines innovative interventions and policies in schools aimed at improving children’s selection and consumption of school meals.

The NOURISH team includes Merrimack professors Juliana Cohen (director of NOURISH), Janet Blum, Eleanor Shonkoff and Laura Kurdziel.

Media Coverage

The Lab’s findings have been featured in media outlets including the Boston Globe, New York Times, Washington Post, and on Good Morning America.

Dr. Juliana Cohen’s research was highlighted recently on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. During the episode,
John Oliver highlighted Dr. Cohen’s research as well as the  NOURISH Lab, part of Merrimack College’s Center for Health Inclusion, Research and Practice.

Recent News

Recently, NOURISH collaborated with the Boston Public Schools and Anchorage Public Schools to evaluate and identify ways to improve how lunch is delivered to school children.

Collaborators in the Center for Health Inclusion and Research Practice (CHIRP)recently received the largest federal award in Merrimack’s history. Team members from the NOURISH and THRIVE labs, as well as faculty across the College have been awarded $2.5 million to continue nutrition studies in Anchorage, AK.

Awards

Juliana Cohen received a prestigious APHA award recognizing her work in nutrition policy and presented an oral session on the “Impact of a state-level free universal free school meal policy on households with varying income levels” during the APHA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Conference Presentations

Leah Chapman presented a scientific poster on a study looking at the “Impact of a school-based cafeteria scratch-cooking intervention on students’ lunch consumption” and an oral session on “Prevalence of caffeinated beverages in a national sample of U.S. middle and high schools” at the APHA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.