The Sackler Research Awards Promotes Adolescent Women’s Empowerment Through Nutrition
Researchers granted $50,000 award to explore gaps in understanding of the intersection of women, jobs, and nutrition in low income countries.
Published August 22, 2017
NEW YORK, August 22, 2017 – Researchers studying ways to advance the understanding of nutrition and its effect on public health and well-being are this year’s recipients of the prestigious Sackler Science Research Award. The recipients research will focus on adolescent and young women – an often ignored demographic – for which nutrition is tremendously important for themselves and their children.
Now in its sixth year, the annual research award is given by The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences. Grants of $50,000 are given to researchers who seek to improve the collective understanding of and fill the gaps in the field of nutrition science. Besides the focus on adolescent and young women demographic, criteria for the selected projects emphasize a trans-disciplinary approach that takes into account not only nutrition, but also the economic realities of labor, the context of occupation in affecting health, and how this influences female empowerment.
The selected 2017 Sackler grantees are studying a diverse group of populations in low income countries outside of the United States. These countries include Bangladesh, Guatemala, Myanmar, Peru, and Zambia and involve populations ranging from pubescent children to adolescent girls to young garment workers. The money given to these researchers will be used to implement the projects described in their proposals. As Sackler Institute Senior Vice President, Gilles Bergeron, PhD noted, “The nutritional status of adolescent women is an emerging concern, about which little is known. We look forward to the global impact that the new knowledge funded by our research award will have on the health and nutrition of this critical population group.”
This year’s Sackler Award recipients and their research projects are:
Joaquin Barnoya, MD, MPH, Washington University in St. Louis for, “The Effect of Occupations and School Attendance on Rural Adolescent Girls' Nutritional Status in Guatemala: A Mixed Methods Study.”
Kathryn Dewey, PhD, University of California, Davis for, “Effects of a Pre- and Postnatal Nutritional Intervention among Pregnant Bangladeshi Adolescents on Growth, Development and Morbidity of their Infants During the First Two Years of Life.”
Sophie Goudet, PhD, Loughborough University for the “Impact of Garment Work on Food Security Among Young Women in Poor Urban Areas, Yangon, Myanmar.”
Paul Hewett, PhD, The Population Council for “Assessment of the Impact of Schooling, Household Work and Employment on Nutrition Outcomes of Adolescent Girls and Young Women and their Children in Zambia.”
Whitney Schott, PhD, University of Pennsylvania for, “Dietary and Weight-Related Behaviors, Overweight, and Dietary Diversity by Employment Status among Peruvian Young Women.”
Andrew Thorne-Lyman, ScD, Johns Hopkins University for, “Does Adolescent Dietary Quality Vary by Occupation and Time Use in South Asia? A study of 30,000 Pubescent Children in Rural Bangladesh.”
Note to reporters/editors, if you would like more information about individual projects or to speak with one of the Sackler Research Award winners, please contact:
Marie Gentile
The New York Academy of Sciences
Desk: 212-298-8645 Email: mgentile@nyas.org
About The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science
The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences is dedicated to advancing nutrition science research and knowledge, mobilizing communities, and translating this work into the field. The Institute is generating a coordinated network across sectors, disciplines, and geographies that promotes open communication; encourages exchange of information and resources; nurtures the next generation of scientists; and affects community intervention design and public policy changes. Visit www.nyas.org/nutrition for more information.
About The New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been driving innovative solutions to society’s challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. With more than 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org and follow us on Twitter at @NYASciences.