Caitlin Caspi, ScD, was recently rewarded a five-year, $3.24 million grant from the National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) titled A multi-component intervention in the hunger relief network to improve diet among adults experiencing food insecurity. The project, lead by Caspi, will analyze and test strategies to improve the health of adults who are dealing with food insecurities. 

"I am thrilled to receive this grant," Caspi stated. "It's particularly exciting to have five years of support for the work that we are doing with our community partners."

The project will select 16 randomized pantries and analyze the changes in diet quality and cardiovascular disease risk over a one-year period of those using the pantries. The cultural appropriateness of foods in the pantries will also be evaluated due to higher food insecurity on minority, immigrant and refugee families and community members. Currently, there are no nutritional standards for food that is offered to the hunger relief system.

Caitlin Caspi, ScD, joined the University of Minnesota Family Medicine and Community Health research faculty in 2014. She was a fellow in the University of Minnesota Cancer-related Health Disparities Education and Career Development Program where she explored the social and physical environment as a determinant of health behaviors in low-income urban residents.