Interdisciplinary food-related research and study is a growing field in academia. Each year, more uni­versities add departments, courses, majors, and minors focused on studying food and society and the complexities of growing, processing, distrib­uting, accessing, and consuming food. In this commentary, we present our exploratory findings about interdisciplinary food-related academic pro­grams, including food studies and food systems programs in the United States. This cross-sectional research developed a snapshot of the 2015 land­scape of interdisciplinary food-related academic programs, provided a preliminary examination of their educational offerings, and will inform future research opportunities. In this formative study, we found 82 interdisciplinary food-related under­graduate programs focused on food. Nineteen program majors, minors, or concentrations had a core disciplinary focus on sustainable agriculture. “Food studies” and “food systems” were the primary focus of 15 undergraduate programs. We found 58 interdisciplinary food-related graduate programs and extracted information on their course offerings. Organizing courses into nine course categories, 78 percent of the programs offered courses in two to five categories, and 22 percent offered courses in six to eight categories. Few courses integrated material from multiple disciplines into a single course, suggesting that these interdisciplinary programs stemmed from traditional academic silos. Based on this prelimi­nary work, we propose to further investigate the interdisciplinary nature of food-related academic programs, map their growth trajectory, and solicit feedback from faculty and administrators about their challenges in establishing and maintaining these programs. In future research, we are also interested in exploring job options for graduates of food-related academic programs to inform recruit­ment strategies and courses of study.

The daily intake of dietary fiber is well below the recommended levels in the US. The effect of adopting a low-fat vs. a low-carbohydrate weight loss diet on fiber intake is of interest but not well-documented, especially when both approaches promote high-quality food choices. The objective of this paper is to compare the quantity and sources of dietary fiber between a healthy low-fat (HLF) vs. healthy low-carbohydrate (HLC) diet group when consumed over 12 months in a weight loss diet study. In this secondary analysis of the Diet Intervention Examining The Factors Interacting with Treatment Success (DIETFITS) study, the amount and sources of dietary fiber were examined in generally healthy adults, 18–50 years of age, Body Mass Index (BMI) 28–40 kg/m², randomized to HLF or HLC for 12 months, who had available 24-h recalls at 0 (n = 609), 3 (n = 549), 6 (n = 491), and 12 (n = 449) months. The dietary intake was estimated by the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R). The sources of fiber were determined for the major food groups. Significantly more total dietary fiber was consumed by HLF at every post-randomization time point, and, at 12 m, was 23.04 ± 9.43 g vs. 18.61 ± 8.12 g for HLF vs. HLC, respectively, p < 0.0001. In both diet groups at 12 months, the highest amount of dietary fiber came from non-starchy vegetables (4.13 ± 3.05 g and 5.13 ± 3.59 g). The other primary sources of fiber at 12 months for the HLF group were from whole grains (3.90 ± 3.13 g) and fruits (3.40 ± 2.87 g), and, for the HLC group, were from plant protein and fat sources, such as nuts and seeds, their butters, and avocados (2.64 ± 2.64 g). In the DIETFITS study, the difference in the total fiber intake for the HLF vs. HLC groups was more modest than expected. The HLC group consumed reasonably high amounts of fiber from high-protein and high fat plant-based sources.

The Pacific Island nation of Samoa is marked by prevalent obesity and an increasing dependence on packaged foods likely to contain the endocrine disruptor bisphenol-A (BPA). We evaluated participant- and household-level characteristics associated with estimated dietary BPA exposure in Samoan mothers and their children and examined associations between dietary BPA exposure and body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference (AC). Dietary BPA exposure indices were estimated for 399 mother–child pairs by combining information from dietary questionnaires and relative concentrations of BPA measured in foods/beverages. We observed moderate to strong correlation between mother–child daily BPA indices (Spearman’s rho = 0.7, p < 0.0001). In mothers, we observed lower daily BPA indices in those who were less physically active (p = 0.0004) and living in homes with higher income (p = 0.00001). In children, we observed lower daily BPA indices in those living in homes with higher income (p = 0.0003) and following a less modern dietary pattern (p = 0.002), and higher daily BPA indices in those who were less physically active (p = 0.02). No significant associations were observed between daily BPA indices and BMI or AC. Despite this, the application of the daily BPA index identified factors associated with dietary BPA exposure and warrants further examination in Samoa and other understudied populations.

Increased urbanization, population growth, and demand for time-sensitive deliveries means increased freight movement in cities, which contributes to emissions, noise, and safety concerns. One innovative mode gaining widespread attention for urban deliveries is cargo cycles—bicycles adapted for freight delivery. Despite the recognized potential and possible success of transporting at least 25% of freight via cycle, research remains limited. This research investigates the potential of cargo cycle delivery for last mile freight in Oakland, California, with a focus on the West Oakland neighborhood. The data collection included interviews, focus groups, vehicle field observation and counts, and traffic simulation modeling. The traffic simulation examined scenarios where businesses converted different percentages of current deliveries to cargo cycles using a transfer hub as the starting point for their cargo cycle delivery. The best-case scenario—where the maximum percentage of deliveries were made with cargo cycle instead of motorized vehicles—resulted in reductions of 2600 vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per day. In that case scenario, the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction is equivalent to a reduction in emissions of PM2.5, PM10, NOx, and reactive organic gas (ROG) of taking about 1000 Class 4 box trucks off the roads of West Oakland per day. In the worst-case scenario, with a significantly smaller percentage of motorized package deliveries converted to cargo cycles, there is a reduction of 160 VMT, equivalent to the removal of approximately 80 Class 4 box trucks off the roads of West Oakland per day. This potential reduction in air pollution and traffic congestion, as well as job creation, would benefit West Oakland residents.