UC Davis Nutrition Showcases Community-Centered Research at SNEB 2026

by Department of Nutrition
September 15, 2026

UC Davis Nutrition faculty and students recently gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 2026 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) Conference, sharing research that explored how nutrition education and behavior change intersect with culture, community, food access, systems, and policy. From culturally responsive food systems and partnerships with Native communities to evaluating school garden programs and understanding nutrition self-efficacy among college students, UC Davis researchers highlighted approaches that center communities and translate research into meaningful action.

Dr. Cassandra Nguyen led a discussion on Sustaining Multilevel Nutrition Education Programs in Unpredictable Funding Landscapes. Recent federal funding changes have had widespread impact on the implementation of nutrition education. Dr. Nguyen facilitated a panel of nutrition professionals’ discussion on how diverse organizations are adapting nutrition education programming in response to funding changes and their visions for sustainable and resilient community-based nutrition education.
Dr. Cassandra Nguyen presented new research on the changes in a Food Bank’s Member Agencies’ Orders After Implementation of Culturally Responsive Labels and Procuring Practices. Food banks are important to addressing food insecurity, but the food they provide should also feel familiar to the people receiving it by reflecting their cultures and traditions. This study found that simply labelling culturally responsive foods can help get them out to community members in need. Read more here: https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/news/supporting-community-nutrition-and-diverse-cultures
Dr. Katherine Soule presented research on Co-Capacity Building with California Native Communities: Partnering for Health. This session presented the co-capacity approach between University of California Cooperative Extension Riverside County (UCCE), CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California (CFHL, UC) and the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe to advance culturally grounded nutrition education and policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) priorities aligned with food sovereignty. The programming uses participatory practice in response to historical trauma and structural inequities shaping Native food systems. UC’s reckoning with its Morrill Act land-grant origins (“The University of California Land Grab”) frames an obligation for transparent work with tribes and action that follows Native priorities. CFHL, UC defines this as co-capacity building: elevating community knowledge while integrating direct education with PSE strategies and participatory action research.
Dr. Soule also presented research on mapping Community-Centered Systems Changes in SNAP-ED: Results of the Participatory Ripple Effect Mapping of Stories from the Field. Utilizing participatory Ripple Effect Mapping (REM) methods and a systems change framework was applied to explore deep organizational and community level impacts of enacting centering-community principles. Systems changes were identified across all six conditions. Mental-model shifts included movement toward complexity-aware, context-responsive programming and away from top-down education-only norms. Relational and power-dynamic shifts included deeper multi-sector collaboration and expanded community voice in decision-making. Practice and resource-flow changes emphasized community-based hiring and retention, equitable hiring processes, and increased compensation of community expertise. Policy/system-level examples included adapting statewide models to allow time away from direct education to do PSE work and non-traditional funder flexibility to support tribal-led, community-driven approaches.
Dr. Soule was also involved in research presented on Growing More Than Vegetables: Piloting a New Student Garden Retrospective (SGR) Survey Tool. Studies show school garden programs and nutrition education can positively impact student consumption of fruits and vegetables. There is a gap in evaluation tools that can be used by practitioners across varied sites and communities to assess garden program outcomes. The Student Garden Retrospective Survey (SGR) was designed to help practitioners evaluate garden implementation strategies and programmatic effectiveness. The survey includes items to measure program exposure, garden skill experiences, changes in students’ behaviors, preferences, and attitudes, as well as their perceptions of the program. Pilot study results indicated the SGR is suitable for implementation in school-based garden programs and solicits meaningful feedback on student outcomes, including behavior change. Practitioners can use the evaluation tool (ENG/SP) to improve garden-based education to enhance students’ nutrition and health outcomes.

Smiling man in blue polo with badge standing by a research poster in a conference hall

Graduate Group in Nutrition Biology Student Javier Sandoval, MS, RD, presented research on Nutrition Knowledge and Self-efficacy in College Students: A Cross-sectional Analysis. This study examined the relationship between nutrition knowledge and nutrition self-efficacy among college students. We found that greater nutrition knowledge was associated with higher self-efficacy, although the relationship was weak. These findings highlight that knowledge may play a small but meaningful role in increasing confidence around healthy eating, while keeping in mind that it is also important to consider additional psychosocial and environmental factors when developing health behavior interventions in college students.