UNE’s Michele Polacsek co-authors article, presents at national summit

UNE's Michele Polacsek poses for a photo at her home

Michele Polacsek recently co-authored a study examining parent perceptions of universal free school meals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she presented research with Margaret Gamble on a nutrition education program for low-income older adults in rural Maine.

Michele Polacsek, Ph.D., M.H.S., a professor of public health and director of the University of New England’s Center for Excellence in Public Health, co-authored an article published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in early May.

The article, “Universal School Meals During the Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Parent Perceptions from California and Maine,” aimed to understand parent perceptions of school meal policies in California and Maine, including any challenges and benefits to students and households.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Congress authorized the USDA to waive a variety of school meal regulations and funded school meals daily for all students at no charge, regardless of family income. Since the federal Universal Free School Meals Act of 2021 (UFSM) ended with the 2021-22 school year, several states, including California and Maine, adopted state-level UFSM policies.

The study found that parents perceived that the school meals and UFSM saved families money and time, as they had fewer meals to purchase and prepare for their children. UFSM also reduced parents’ stress and stigma for children and parents, who described feelings of embarrassment when previously filling out paperwork for free or reduced-price meals.

“The study supports the continuation of universal meals and can help policymakers in states that are considering continuation of this policy,” Polacsek said.

In addition to the recent journal article, Polacsek, along with Margaret Gamble, B.A., research assistant and UNE Master of Social Work student, presented their research, “A University-low-income-housing Partnership to Support Food Security, Healthy Shopping, Eating, Health and Wellness Among Older Adults in Rural Maine,” at the 2024 Innovations in Nutrition Synergy Summit held May 15-17 in Des Moines, Iowa.

The research project, supported by a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living, was a collaboration between the UNE Centers for Excellence in Public Health and Aging and Health as well as the Westbrook Housing Authority and Southern Maine Agency on Aging.

The research team implemented and evaluated the impact of an innovative, pandemic-responsive nutrition education program, Enhanced-10 Tips for Adults on food security, socialization, and perceived health and wellbeing of residents in a rural low-income senior housing setting in Maine, a three-year project.

Michele Polacsek and Margaret Gamble stand in front of people presenting research

Michele Polacek (left) and Margaret Gamble

Return to all news

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest private 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.