Jennifer Pomeranz

Associate Professor of Public Health Policy and Management

Professional overview

Professor Jennifer Pomeranz is a public health lawyer who researches policy and legal options to address the food environment, obesity, products that cause public harm, and social injustice that lead to health disparities.

Prior to joining the NYU faculty, Professor Pomeranz was an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Health at Temple University and in the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple. She was previously the Director of Legal Initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. She has also authored numerous peer-reviewed and law review journal articles and a book, Food Law for Public Health, published by Oxford University Press in 2016.

Professor Pomeranz leads the Public Health Policy Research Lab and regularly teaches Public Health Law and Food Policy for Public Health.

"Policy is so important because it is the most effective way to influence public health. I got into public health to change the world -- to improve health and address inequities.”

Education

BA, History, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

JD, Juris Doctorate, Cornell Law School, Ithaca, NY

MPH, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Areas of research and study

Diet-related disease

Products that cause harm

Public Health Law

Public Health Policy

Social injustices that create health disparities

Publications

Publications

Firearm Extreme Risk Protection Order Laws and Preemption: New Developments and Outstanding Issues, 50 States, 2020

Governmental actions to address COVID-19 misinformation

Identifying novel predictors of state legislative action to address obesity

Misperceptions about added sugar, non-nutritive sweeteners and juice in popular children's drinks: Experimental and cross-sectional study with U.S. parents of young children (1-5 years)

State Gun-Control, Gun-Rights, and Preemptive Firearm-Related Laws Across 50 US States for 2009–2018

Pomeranz, J. L., Silver, D., & Lieff, S. A. (n.d.).

Publication year

2021

Journal title

American journal of public health

Volume

111

Issue

7

Page(s)

1273-1280

10.2105/AJPH.2021.306287

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives. To assess state policy environments and the relationship between state gun-control, gun-rights, and preemptive firearm-related laws in the United States. Methods. In 2019 through 2020, we evaluated substantive firearm laws and preemptive firearm laws across 50 US states for 2009 through 2018. For each state, we compared substantive measures with preemptive measures on the same policy topic for 2018. Results. The presence of state firearm-related laws varied across states, but with the exception of “punitive preemption” the number of gun-control, gun-rights, and preemptive measures remained unchanged in most states from 2009 through 2018. As of 2018, a majority of states had preemptive measures on almost all gun-control policy topics without enacting substantive gun-control measures. Several states had a combination of gun-control and preemptive measures. Only a small number of states had gun-control measures with few to no preemptive measures. Conclusions. Even where state legislators were unable to pass statewide gun-rights measures, they succeeded in passing preemption, preserving state authority over a wide range of gun-control and gun-rights policy topics. The majority of states used preemption as a tool to support policy frameworks favoring gun rights.

State Preemption: An Emerging Threat to Local Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxation

Trends in Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods among US Youths Aged 2-19 Years, 1999-2018

Anticipating and defeating preemption across public health

Child Social Media Influencers and Unhealthy Food Product Placement

Alruwaily, A., Mangold, C., Greene, T., Arshonsky, J., Cassidy, O., Pomeranz, J. L., & Bragg, M. (n.d.).

Publication year

2020

Journal title

Pediatrics

Volume

146

Issue

5

10.1542/peds.2019-4057

Abstract

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the frequency with which kid influencers promote branded and unbranded food and drinks during their YouTube videos and assess the nutritional quality of food and drinks shown. METHODS: Researchers used Socialbakers data to identify the 5 most-watched kid influencers (ages 3 to 14 years) on YouTube in 2019. We searched for 50 of their most-watched videos and 50 of their videos that featured food and/or drinks on the thumbnail image of the video. We coded whether kid influencers consumed or played with food or toys, quantified the number of minutes food and/or drinks appeared, and recorded names of branded food and/or drinks. We assessed the nutritional quality of foods using the Nutrient Profile Model and identified the number of drinks with added sugar. RESULTS: A sample of 418 YouTube videos met the search criteria, and 179 of those videos featured food and/or drinks. Food and/or drinks were featured in those videos 291 times. Kid influencers’ YouTube videos were collectively viewed .48 billion times, and videos featuring food and/or drinks were viewed 1 billion times. Most food and/or drinks were unhealthy branded items (n = 263; 90.34%; eg, McDonald’s), followed by unhealthy unbranded items (n = 12; 4.1%; eg, hot dogs), healthy unbranded items (n = 9; 3.1%; eg, fruit), and healthy branded items (n = 7; 2.4%; eg, Yoplait yogurt). CONCLUSIONS: Kid influencers generate millions of impressions for unhealthy food and drink brands through product placement. The Federal Trade Commission should strengthen regulations regarding product placement on YouTube videos featuring young children.

Children's Fruit "Juice" Drinks and FDA Regulations: Opportunities to Increase Transparency and Support Public Health

Consumer confusion about wholegrain content and healthfulness in product labels: A discrete choice experiment and comprehension assessment

Consumer confusion about wholegrain content and healthfulness in product labels: Reply

Geographic and Longitudinal Trends in Media Framing of Obesity in the United States

Infant formula and toddler milk marketing and caregiver's provision to young children

Infant formula and toddler milk marketing: Opportunities to address harmful practices and improve young children's diets

Legal Feasibility and Implementation of Federal Strategies for a National Retail-Based Fruit and Vegetable Subsidy Program in the United States

Marketing to children in supermarkets: An opportunity for public policy to improve children’s diets

State Legislative Strategies to Pass, Enhance, and Obscure Preemption of Local Public Health Policy-Making

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Warning Policies in the Broader Legal Context: Health and Safety Warning Laws and the First Amendment

Abortion disclosure laws and the first amendment: The broader public health implications of the supreme Court's becerra decision

Combatting and Preventing Preemption: A Strategic Action Model

Federal Regulation of Infant and Toddler Food and Drink Marketing and Labeling

Harnessing the Power of Food Labels for Public Health

Key Drivers of State Preemption of Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Policy: A Thematic Content Analysis of Public Testimony

Legal Feasibility of US Government Policies to Reduce Cancer Risk by Reducing Intake of Processed Meat