Attending the 8th annual COAST/SSEW symposium

In October 2016, the PHN Program, supported by funds from the MCHB Nutrition Training Program, co-hosted a symposium on food and addiction at the UCSF Laurel Heights campus, along with the UC Office of the President (UCOP), UCSF’s Sugar, Stress, Environment, & Weight Center (SSEW), and the UCSF Nutrition & Obesity Research Center (NORC). Together, the Sugar, Stress, Environment and Weight (SSEW) Center aims to reduce the prevalence and adverse consequences of obesity, focusing on the role of social disadvantage, sugar, and stress on diet and obesity.

The symposium brought together researchers, health professionals, and influential policy makers to explore the intersections of biology, behavior, food and addiction, and how to prevent food addiction across the lifespan for individuals and communities through academically inspired activism, institutional interventions, and public policy.The symposium opening remarks will be delivered by UC President Janet Napolitano. Expert lecturers included Anisha Patel, MD; David Kessler, MD; Dean Schillinger, MD and Robert Lustig, MD of UCSF; Lorrene Ritchie, PhD, RD and Patricia Crawford DrPH, RD of UCB; Ashley Gearhardt, PhD of University of Michigan; Keri Boutelle, PhD of UCSD; Mark Gold, MD; and Michael Roberts, JD of UCLA. Students were also eligible apply to participate as an SSEW fellow to present a poster, participate in expert-led focus group discussion on collaborative inter-campus research and initiatives, and participate in an inter-campus speed networking event facilitated by the UCSF Research Development Office.

A recording from the symposium can be viewed at uctv.tv/coast.