Kandrack research honored among ‘best of’ AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting
June 17, 2021 Recent health policy and management alumnus Dr. Ryan Kandrack has been selected to present an abstract of his research as part of AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting (ARM) “Best of ARM” session.
Study reveals $17.5 billion business of underage drinking
June 10, 2021 A new study has found that underage drinkers consumed $17.5 billion worth of alcoholic drinks sold in 2016. Public health experts, including Dr. Pamela Trangenstein at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, say alcohol company revenues could be used to help curb underage drinking
Ancestral diversity affects biomarkers of kidney function, study finds
June 3, 2021 DNA methylation (DNAm) is known to be linked with kidney function, but earlier research had not revealed whether human diversity affects this association. Now, a study has reported several new trans-ethnic and ethnic-specific DNAm associations with kidney function. This is an important finding for public health because it informs future steps to understand and address epigenomic diversity.
COVID-19 simulation shows importance of continued safety efforts during vaccine distribution
June 2, 2021 A team of researchers, led by a Gillings School alumnus, has produced a mathematical simulation that evaluates how many COVID-19 cases could be avoided in North Carolina if more people get vaccinated and follow mask and physical distancing guidelines.
At inaugural symposium, UNC experts seek to improve research on causes of obesity
June 1, 2021 To understand and improve the science used to develop multi-faceted treatment strategies for obesity, experts at UNC convened the first annual Interdisciplinary Nutrition Sciences Symposium in 2019. They have recently published their findings from this conference in Advances in Nutrition.
In South Africa, a tax on unhealthy beverages is changing what people drink
May 27, 2021 A UNC-Chapel Hill study of beverage consumption in a South African township shows that a country-wide tax on sugary beverages has worked to influence more healthy personal choices, with individuals reporting a reduction in the amount of sugar they drink.
For Black Americans, strong family bonds are instrumental to increasing breastfeeding rates
May 20, 2021 To improve breastfeeding rates among Black Americans, Dr. Alexis Woods Barr and graduate student Jacquana Smith have co-authored studies examining the role intergenerational family support networks have in infant feeding practices. This understanding can help shape more empathetic and culturally mindful approaches to public health messaging.
Taking more steps daily may lead to a longer life
May 20, 2021 Taking more steps per day, either all at once or in shorter spurts, may help you live longer, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Conference 2021.
Could nutrient cocktails play a role in diminishing addiction, reducing adverse effects of substance abuse?
May 19, 2021 Using illicit drugs can disrupt a person’s metabolism and impact neurological and behavioral function. Experts at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute have shed new light on this link, and the biological clues they’ve uncovered could lead to the development of nutrition therapies that could diminish addiction and reduce the harmful effects of substance abuse.
Predicting potential pitfalls of battery-driven power systems
May 14, 2021 Batteries could be critical in the transition to clean energy, but the same characteristics that make them attractive could enable users to exploit the electric power system for private profit while increasing overall costs and making grid management more difficult.
