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Portland

Research article co-authored by Michele Polacsek published in peer-reviewed journal

Michele Polacsek
Michele Polacsek, Ph.D., M.P.H.

A research article co-authored by Michele Polacsek, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor of public health and director of UNE’s Center for Excellence in Public Health, was recently published in Nutrients, a peer-reviewed journal of human nutrition.

The article, “Implementation of Universal School Meals during COVID-19 and Beyond: Challenges and Benefits for School Meals Programs in Maine,” is one of the first studies to examine the impact of pandemic-related universal school meals (USM) on schools that had not previously participated in USM within the United States.

Study findings suggest there are multiple important benefits of USM to schools not previously eligible to provide free school meals to all students. In particular, the report cites increases in meal participation and reductions in stigma that may help to promote nutrition equity among students.

Schools have faced many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it is anticipated that school meal program challenges will continue without state and national support for USM.

The study is featured in Nutrients special issue: School Meals and Children’s Dietary Behavior.

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The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.