Current research and community-engaged projects
NIH NHLBI K01 Career Development Award
Capacity-oriented approaches to food security, diet quality, and cardiovascular disease risk among Hispanics/Latinos
New York Regional Center for Diabetes Translational Research Pilot & Feasibility Award
The role of neighborhood and household food environments and food shopping behaviors in shaping diet quality and glucose metabolism among Hispanic/Latino youth and their caregivers
USDA-Tufts 25 years of Food Security Measurement Award
Measuring food insecurity in Latinx families: expanding understanding of their experiences through exploratory interviewing and cognitive testing
Food security among San Diego State University students
Exploring the causes and consequences of food insecurity, and strategies to mitigate food insecurity, among full-time undergraduates at an Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Island Serving Institution
Project New Village
Grassroots, resident-led nonprofit improving fresh food access in Southeastern San Diego
Our research team
Primary Investigator
Amanda C. McClain, PhD, MS
Associate Professor
San Diego State University
Current Students and Researchers
Past Students and Researchers
Primary investigator
AMANDA C. MCCLAIN, PHD, MS
Dr. McClain earned her PhD in 2016 from the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University and then completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health before joining SDSU as faculty in 2018.
Current students and trainees
Kari Barajas, BS
Volunteer research assistant
Yesenia Ceja Zamorano, BS
Volunteer
Ashley Diaz Mendez
Ashley Diaz Mendez
BS in Foods and Nutrition
Victoria Evans, BS
Ruth Grant-Williams, MS
Ashley Diaz Mendez
Volunteer
Ruth Grant-Williams, MS
Ruth Grant-Williams, MS
Ruth Grant-Williams, MS
Volunteer research assistant
Kelly Gray, BS
Ruth Grant-Williams, MS
Ruth Grant-Williams, MS
Volunteer
Sydney Jones, BS
Claudia Lopez, BS
Sydney Jones, BS
Volunteer research assistant
Celeste Lineiro
Claudia Lopez, BS
Sydney Jones, BS
BS in Kinesiology
Claudia Lopez, BS
Claudia Lopez, BS
Claudia Lopez, BS
MS in Nutritional Sciences
Griselda Luna, MS
Griselda Luna, MS
Claudia Lopez, BS
Volunteer research assistant
Hailey Nelson, BS
Griselda Luna, MS
Hailey Nelson, BS
Volunteer research assistant
Belen Ochoa
Griselda Luna, MS
Hailey Nelson, BS
BS in Foods and Nutrition
Katy Rodriguez, BS
Concurrent MS in Exercise Physiology, Nutritional Sciences
Erika Romero, MPH
Volunteer/Research Specialist II
Past MPH mentee
Past students and trainees
Jillian Arizcuren, BS, RDN
Jillian Arizcuren, BS, RDN
Jillian Arizcuren, BS, RDN
Registered Dietitian, Kaiser Permanente
Lucia Canul, MS, RDN
Jillian Arizcuren, BS, RDN
Jillian Arizcuren, BS, RDN
PhD Candidate in SDSU-UCSD Public Health, Global Health
Robert Castro, MS
Jillian Arizcuren, BS, RDN
Robert Castro, MS
PhD Student in Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah
Cynthia Chow, MPH
Edgar Doolan, MS, RDN
Robert Castro, MS
Epidemiology Analyst, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Edgar Doolan, MS, RDN
Edgar Doolan, MS, RDN
Edgar Doolan, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian, Rady Children's Hospital
Katia Enns, MS, RDN
Edgar Doolan, MS, RDN
Edgar Doolan, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian
Jonnatan Fajardo, MS, RDN
Jonnatan Fajardo, MS, RDN
Jonnatan Fajardo, MS, RDN
PhD Candidate in Nutritional Biology, UC Davis
Brianna Flores, BS
Jonnatan Fajardo, MS, RDN
Jonnatan Fajardo, MS, RDN
Student, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Program
Pedro Guzman, MS, RDN
Jonnatan Fajardo, MS, RDN
Jacqueline Ibarra, MPH, RDN
Registered Dietitian, Community Medical Centers
Jacqueline Ibarra, MPH, RDN
Jacqueline Ibarra, MPH, RDN
Jacqueline Ibarra, MPH, RDN
Registered Dietitian, San Ysidro Health PACE program
Krisztina Kemenes, BS
Jacqueline Ibarra, MPH, RDN
Krisztina Kemenes, BS
MS student, Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University
Nyla McGlory, BS
Jacqueline Ibarra, MPH, RDN
Krisztina Kemenes, BS
Housing Specialist, Community Research Foundation
Andrea Meza, BS
Jayden Montejano, MS, RDN
Trisha Molina, MS, RDN
Student, Physician Assistant Program, University of Southern California
Trisha Molina, MS, RDN
Jayden Montejano, MS, RDN
Trisha Molina, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian
Jayden Montejano, MS, RDN
Jayden Montejano, MS, RDN
Jayden Montejano, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian, NationsBenefits
Lani Morales, MS, RDN
Courtney Smith, MS, RDN, CPT, CLC
Jayden Montejano, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian, Kaiser Permanente
Courtney Smith, MS, RDN, CPT, CLC
Courtney Smith, MS, RDN, CPT, CLC
Courtney Smith, MS, RDN, CPT, CLC
Registered Dietitian, Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health
Capacity-oriented approaches to food security & healthy diet
San Diego Community Stakeholder Study
This qualitative study aims to understand the experiences and perspectives of key informants from diverse food- and nutrition-related stakeholder agencies regarding existing multi-level capacities to address food insecurity in San Diego County, CA. We also explore COVID-19 pandemic-specific experiences of these agencies as well as their approaches to working with Hispanic/Latino communities.
Morales, L.*, Yowell, L.*, Molina, T.*, Smith, C.*, Arizcuren, J.*, McClain A.C.† (2023). Across-agency partnerships and within-agency capacities facilitate holistic, tailored approaches to addressing food insecurity: a qualitative study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 123(12), 1749-1762.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.07.024
*student mentee, † senior author
Check out a summary of findings!
Smith, C.E.*, Enns, K.*, Molina, T.*, Doolan, E.*, & McClain, A.C. † (2025). “We didn’t turn away people”: perspectives of key informants at stakeholder agencies in San Diego County, CA in meeting the food insecurity demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 15(1), ibaf016. DOI: 10.1093/tbm/ibaf016.
*student mentee, † senior author
Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos
This cross-sectional quantitative study uses cohort data from the multi-site Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos to identify existing human, social, material, and cultural capital promoting food security, healthy diets, and favorable cardiometabolic risk profiles among U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults.
Intervention Development
We are currently conducting focus groups with Hispanic/Latino adult patients at San Ysidro Health to inform development of a capacity-oriented behavior change intervention. These focus groups were informed by our findings from the San Diego Community Stakeholder Study and the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.
Food security 25: Proyecto MESA
MESA: Mejorando la Esperanza en Seguridad Alimentaria
MESA: Mejorando la Esperanza en Seguridad Alimentaria
MESA: Mejorando la Esperanza en Seguridad Alimentaria
Project MESA, or Improving Hope for Food Security, uses cognitive interviewing to understand how well items from the USDA 18-item Household Food Security Module reflect the experiences of Latino/a caregivers and how they understand, interpret, and perceive the items and response options.
Funding
MESA: Mejorando la Esperanza en Seguridad Alimentaria
MESA: Mejorando la Esperanza en Seguridad Alimentaria
To mark the 25th anniversary of the U.S. household food security measurement, the USDA provided competitive grant funding to further food security measurement. Proyecto MESA was one of 6 projects selected for funding.
Publications
Media Coverage
Media Coverage
McClain, A.C., †† Johnson, C.M., ††DiRado-Owens, C., & Dickin, K.L. (In press). How do Latina/o/x parents interpret and respond to the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module? A qualitative cognitive interviewing study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
††shared first authorship
Media Coverage
Media Coverage
Media Coverage
The Conversation: "US food insecurity surveys aren’t getting accurate data regarding Latino families"
Cornell: "Are we tracking food insecurity correctly? Study takes a closer look"
Houston Chronicle: "Food insecurity surveys get inaccurate data on Latino families, report finds"
KQED Forum with Mina Kim: "More Californians struggling with food insecurity"
Food insecurity among SDSU students
Full-time undergraduate students
Using data from the National Collegiate Health Assessment III, we documented the association of food security status with psychological distress and loneliness among full-time undergraduate students.
Guzman, P.G.*,Lange, J.E., & McClain, A.C.† (2022). The association between food security status and psychological distress and loneliness among full-time undergraduate students at a minority-serving institution. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), 15245. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215245
*student mentee, † senior author
Division 1 student-athletes
Student athletes at a minority-serving institution, like SDSU, encounter unique challenges to maintaining food security. Using a cross-sectional survey, we aim to identify sociodemographic and personal determinants of food security status among Division 1 student-athletes.
Montejano, J.,*Twombly, A., Gombatto, S., McClain, A.C.† (In press). Determinants of food security status and perceived hunger affecting athletic performance among NCAA division I student-athletes at a minority-serving institution. Journal of American College Health. DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2025.2522729.
*student mentee, † senior author
Project New Village
People's Produce Mobile Farmers' Market (PPMFM)
The PPMFM opened its doors in October 2022, increasing access to healthy food by bringing fresh produce from local farmers to communities across greater Southeastern San Diego. You can find the PPMFM at various sites each week.
Nutrition education at the PPMFM
Each semester, Dr. McClain's students, including those enrolled in her NUTR 510: Community Nutrition course, provide nutrition education to customers at the PPMFM.
Backyard Gardener's Community of Practice
Through funding from a Danone Institute One Planet One Health Initiative Innovation Award, Project New Village was able to establish and sustain a residential food growers and farmers community of practice.
The student experience
Student involvement and mentorship
My teaching and mentoring philosophy is grounded in the experiences I had growing up in a working-class household in a low-income neighborhood in Memphis, TN, a city disproportionally impacted by generations of unaddressed poverty and racism. For me, education was the key to escaping this cycle, while also preparing me to play an integral role in improving the lives of individuals from marginalized backgrounds and communities. Much like my research, I use a capacity-oriented approach with students in my classroom and on my research team — I aim to guide and empower students to leverage their own existing assets and to work collectively as a team to complement each individual team member's assets in pursuit of a common goal. Fundamental to the FARE Nutrition research team is the notion that having a positive impact on the health and well-being of our communities requires a complementary and committed community of people working together.
