FOOD SYSTEMS AND THE HEALTH OF THE PUBLI

The course will provide an overview of the science, policy, politics, and economics of food systems as a critical element of public health. The course will have a primary focus on the food system in the United States, but will include a global perspective.  Students will learn and apply the fundamentals of public health scientific research methods and theoretical approaches to assessing the food landscape though a public health lens. In addition, the course will cover how diet – at first glance a matter of individual choice – is determined by an interconnected system of socio-economic-environmental influences, and is influenced by a multitude of stakeholders engaged in policymaking processes.