Punam Ohri-Vachaspati
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Phone: 480-884-2546
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Arizona Biomedical Collaborative Building 425 N 5th Street Phoenix, AZ 85004
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Mail code: 9020Campus: Dtphx
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Punam Ohri-Vachaspati is a professor of nutrition at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University, where she leads the ASU Food Policy and Environment Research Group. Her research examines social determinants of health, specifically, in low-income, minority communities. She studies the impact of federal, state, and local policies in shaping food and physical activity environments in school settings and in communities. Her work assesses relationship of access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity with health outcomes and associated behaviors. Her work has been funded by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, among others. She has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Public Health Nutrition, and Nutrients. She teaches graduate-level courses and mentors students interested in exploring nutrition policy and public health approaches for improving healthy food access, eating behaviors, and health outcomes. She recently spent a semester at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, working with the Nutrition Division in the Action for Food Systems Unit. In 2016-17, Dr. Ohri-Vachaspati completed the RWJF Health Policy Fellowship working on healthcare and nutrition issues in Senator Gillibrand’s (D-NY) office. Dr. Ohri-Vachaspati is a registered dietitian and received her PhD degree from Tufts University School of Nutrition in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition. She completed her undergraduate education at University of Delhi, India.
- RD - Case Western Reserve University, OH
- PhD - Tufts University, MA, Applied Nutrition and Food Policy
- MS - Tufts University, MA, Applied Nutrition and Food Policy
- MS - Delhi University, Food and Nutrition
Research focus: Public Health Nutrition
- Social-ecological determinants of obesity
- Role of environments and policies in influencing behaviors and health outcomes
- Determinants of food access among disadvantaged populations
- Assessment of federal nutrition assistance programs and policies
- Assessment of food and physical activity environments
- Study of nutrition interventions in schools and community settings.
ASU Food Policy and Environment Research Group
Selected Recent Publications
- Cohen JFW, Chapman LE, Olarte DA, Hecht CA, Hecht K, Minc L, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Orta-Aleman D, Patel AI, Polacsek M, Ritchie LD, Zuercher MD, Gosliner W. Perceived Influence of a State-Level Universal Free School Meal Policy on Households With Varying Income Levels: An Analysis of Parental Perspectives. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2024 Oct 9:S2212-2672(24)00871-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2024.10.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39383945.
- Melnick EM, Acciai F, Yedidia MJ, Ohri-Vachaspati P. The relationship between community food environment around schools and student meal participation: the role of school CEP participation status. BMC Medicine. BMC Med. 2024 Jul 9;22(1):287. doi: 10.1186/s12916-024-03498-6.
- Acciai F, Uehara S, OjinnakaC, Yedidia MJ, Ohri-Vachaspati P. The association between unhealthy dietary behaviors and SNAP participation: A test of the self-selection hypothesis. Appetite. 2024 Mar 8:107302. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107302. (Acciai, Uehara joint first authors).
- Poulos, A., Wilson, K., Schulke, M., Nam, K., Bai, Y., Ohri-Vachaspati, P., Hodges Kulinna, P. The impact of recess frequency on children’s physical activity in Arizona (U.S.) public elementary schools: A pilot study. BMC Public Health. BMC Public Health. 2024 Jan 18;24(1):225. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17605-4.
- Martinelli S, Melnick EM, Acciai F, St. Thomas A, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Parent Perceptions and Opinions of Universal Free School Meals in Arizona. Nutrients. 2024; 16(2):213. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020213.
- Cantley A, Hurley JC, Todd M, McEntee M, Hooker SP, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Ainsworth B, Adams MA. Walkability around the worksite and self-reported and accelerometer-measured physical activity among adults. Health Place. 2023 Dec 5;85:103143. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103143. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38056050.
- Bui T, Melnick EM, Tong D, Acciai F, Yedidia MJ, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Emergency Free School Meal Distribution During the COVID-19 Pandemic in High-Poverty Urban Settings. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023 Nov 5:S2212-2672(23)01653-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.11.006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37935347.
- Ohri-Vachaspati P, Acciai, Melnick EM, Lloyd K, Martinelli S, DeWeese RS, DiSantis K, Tulloch D, DeLia D, Yedidia M. Food environments within and outside of schools play a critical role in curtailing the rise in obesity among school-aged children over time. J Nutr. 2023 Oct 14:S0022-3166(23)72659-X. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.09.027. Online ahead of print.PMID: 37844841.
- Hewawitharana SC, Woodward-Lopez G, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Acciai F, Thompson HR, Pugliese J, Gosliner W. Latent class analysis identifies a promising combination of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education interventions for improving student cardiorespiratory fitness. Prev Med. 2023 Aug 28;175:107687. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107687.
- Acciai F, DeWeese R, Lloyd K, Yedidia M, Kennedy M, DiSantis K, Tulloch D, Ohri-Vachaspati P. The relationship between changes in neighborhood physical environment and changes in physical activity among children: A prospective cohort study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2023 Jul 7;20(1):82. doi: 10.1186/s12966-023-01478-2.
- Martinelli S, Bui T, Acciai F, Yedidia MJ, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Improvements in School Food Offerings over Time: Variation by School Characteristics. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 13;15(8):1868. doi: 10.3390/nu15081868. PMID: 37111087; PMCID: PMC10146944.
- Colburn AT, Buman MP, Wutich A, Vega-Lopez S, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Kavouras SA. Determinants of tap water mistrust among Phoenix, Arizona Latinx adults. May 2023. J Water Health 2023267. https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2023.267
- DeWeese R, Thompson A, Acciai F, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Farm to school programs in low-income, high minority K-12 schools in New Jersey before and after implementation of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act. J Hunger Environ Nutr. 2023;18(5):651-660. doi: 10.1080/19320248.2023.2184666. Epub 2023 Feb 27. PMID: 37727805; PMCID: PMC10506843.
- Acciai F, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Yedidia M. Pandemic-EBT reaches more eligible students in schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision. Nutrients. 2022. PMID: 36432605.
- Lee RE, Suh BC, O'Neal A, Cameron C, O'Connor DP, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Todd M, Hughes RB. Association of mobile health (mHealth) use with health status and COVID-19-related concerns by people with mobility impairments. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2023 Jan 16;:1-7. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2022.2146218. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36645738.
- Melnick EM, Ganderats-Fuentes M, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Federal Food Assistance Program Participation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Participant Perspectives and Reasons for Discontinuing. Nutrients. 2022 Oct 27;14(21):4524. doi: 10.3390/nu14214524.
- Melnick E, DeWeese R, Acciai F, Yedidia M, Ohri-Vachaspati P. The role of the community food environment in the relationship between active school commuting and child obesity. Journal of Transport & Health. Volume 27, December 2022, 101516. doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2022.101516.
- Acciai F, DeWeese R, Yedidia M, Lloyd K, Tulloch D, DeLia D, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Differential associations between changes in food environment and changes in body mass index among adults living in urban, low-income communities. J Nutr. 2022 Aug 18:nxac186. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxac186.
- Harper K, Belarmino EH, Acciai F, Bertmann F, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Patterns of food assistance program participation, food insecurity, and pantry use among US households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients.2022, 14, 988. https://doi.org/10.3390/ nu14050988.
- DeWeese RS, Acciai F, Tulloch D, Lloyd K, Yedidia M, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Do children persist in active commuting to school? Prev Med Reports. 2022 Jan 29;26:101718. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101718. eCollection 2022 Apr.
Current Active Grants and Projects:
FFunding Agency: ITCA WIC / USDA Amount: $234,998
Dates: January 2025 – June 2027
Role: ASU PI ITCA WIC (PI)
Title: More WIC!
This project aims to assess the impact of outreach strategies for encouraging WIC participation among currently WIC eligible SNAP participants.
Funding Agency: Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health (Prime award: NIDDK) Amount: $54,928
Dates: December 2024 – May 2026
Role: Mentor
Title: Evaluating fruit and vegetable benefit redemption patterns among Inter Tribal Council of Arizona WIC households after recent policy changes
This project aims to assess whether WIC-participating household characteristics are associated with uptake of new policies that expand fruit and vegetable benefit redemption options.
Funding Agency: Arizona Food Bank Network Amount: $9,750
Dates: May 2024 – October 2024
Role: PI
Title: Examining the impact of eliminating reduced price meal category on school meal participation in Arizona schools.
Funding Agency: AHRQ – P30 Amount: $5,000,000
Dates: January 2024 – December 2028
Role: co-PI (15% effort) W. Riley (PI)
Title: Southwest Safety Net Embedded Scientist Training and Research (SSNE-STaR) Center
This grant will support the scientific training and professional development of Scholars embedded across Arizona Safety Net Organizations (to conduct comparative effectiveness and patient-centered outcome research (CER/PCOR) and gain proficiency in rapid-cycle implementation.
Funding Agency: National Institutes of Health (NICHD-R01) Amount: $3,852,966
Dates: September 2020 – August 2025
Role: PI P. Ohri-Vachaspati (PI)
(Dual PI with M. Yedidia September, 2020 to September, 2023)
Title: The Impact of Covid-19 Related School Closures on Children's Weight Status
This study examines the impact of the prolonged school closures mandated by COVID-19 on weight status of low-income children and the mitigating potential of emergency food programs.
Courses
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| CHS 494 | Special Topics |
| NTR 348 | Cultural Aspects of Food |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 290 | Intro Evidence-Based Research |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| CHS 494 | Special Topics |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 527 | Policies, Environment &Obesity |
| CHS 494 | Special Topics |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| CHS 494 | Special Topics |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 527 | Policies, Environment &Obesity |
| CHS 494 | Special Topics |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 527 | Policies, Environment &Obesity |
| CHS 494 | Special Topics |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 501 | Research Methods/Nutrition |
| NTR 501 | Research Methods/Nutrition |
| NTR 692 | Research |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| CHS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |
| NTR 527 | Policies, Environment &Obesity |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 501 | Research Methods/Nutrition |
| NTR 501 | Research Methods/Nutrition |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| CHS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2020 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
2020 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| NTR 692 | Research |
| NTR 792 | Research |
| NTR 799 | Dissertation |
| NTR 599 | Thesis |
| NTR 780 | Practicum |