Ana Poblacion | Profiles RNS

Ana Poblacion, PhD, MSc

Assistant Professor

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Pediatrics

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Websites

	Children's Health Watch
	ResearchGate
	Google Scholar
	LinkedIn

Dr. Poblacion's research focuses on pediatric nutrition and ending food insecurity in households with children through the increase in access to healthy foods. Her research is motivated by the goal to improve the distribution of goods and services among underprivileged people, as well as provide access to health and nutrition care.

BMC Research

Nutritional Snapshot of Young Children Attending Early Childhood Education and Care Settings: Perspectives from Parents and Providers
12/01/2024 - 11/30/2026 (PI)
Gisela B. Hogan Charitable Foundation

Pathways to integrate maternal-child health and nutrition interventions to transform equity and human potential
09/23/2021 - 05/31/2026 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Ana Poblacion, PhD, MSc
University of Nevada, Las Vegas NIH NICHD
5U01HD115256-04

Evaluation of a Diaper Distribution Program in MA
11/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 (PI)
Massachusetts Association for Community Action

Validation of an Abbreviated Child and Adult Food Security Scale (ACAFSS)
05/01/2021 - 11/30/2022 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Ana Poblacion, PhD, MSc
Tufts University Dept of Agriculture

Title

Yr	Title	Project-Sub Proj	Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

Poblacion A, Sheward R, Ettinger de Cuba S. Development and validation of a 1-item very low food security screen. Health Aff Sch. 2026 Jan; 4(1):qxag007.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 41613613; DOI: 10.1093/haschl/qxag007;

Herlosky K, Leverett A, Philbert R', Hernandez C, McDonough M, Nematian E, Mancha K, Jenkins R, Simpson J, Kyle C, Henry T, Ross V, Simangan D, Poblacion A, Baumann A, Buccini G. Barriers and facilitators of implementing a community workshop series to mitigate maternal-child food insecurity: a mixed-methods RE-AIM evaluation. BMC Public Health. 2025 Oct 08; 25(1):3405. PMID: 41063033; DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-24714-9;

Sheward R, Ettinger de Cuba S, Cutts DB, Frank DA, Poblacion A, Ochoa E, Lê-Scherban F, Black MM, Coleman SM, Heeren TC, Sandel M. Hardship-Free Households Are Associated With Optimal Caregiver and Child Health. AJPM Focus. 2026 Feb; 5(1):100422.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Frank, Deborah
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 41159066; DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2025.100422;

Buccini G, de Araújo Palmeira P, Poblacion A, Gubert MB. Addressing food insecurity in early childhood programs through a health equity lens: A qualitative case study of Brazil's Criança Feliz program. PLoS One. 2025; 20(7):e0329310. PMID: 40720472; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329310;

Buccini G, Schoetker A, Poblacion A, Neupane S, Grigsby TJ, Simangan D, Desai J, Brown A, Chinn J, Sharma M. Food insecurity questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes, and practices for perinatal care professionals. PLoS One. 2025; 20(7):e0328891. PMID: 40690503; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328891;

Ettinger de Cuba S, Jones DK, Cutts D, Bovell-Ammon A, Lê-Scherban F, Sandel M, Ochoa E, Poblacion A, Frank DA, Black MM, Fix GM. "But who takes care of the mom?": The daily experiences of immigrant mothers navigating health in family life. Soc Sci Med. 2025 May; 372:117948.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Frank, Deborah
Fix, Gemmae
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 40090206; DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117948;

Lê-Scherban F, Coleman SM, Fusfeld Z, Frank DA, Poblacion A, Black MM, Ochoa E, Sandel M, Ettinger de Cuba S. Maternal adverse childhood experiences and lifetime experiences of racial discrimination: Associations with current household hardships and intergenerational health. Soc Sci Med. 2025 Feb; 366:117695.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Frank, Deborah
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 39837079; DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117695;

Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Black MM, Weijer I, Giudice C, Esteves G, Fabian P, Zanobetti A, Cutts DB, Lê-Scherban F, Sandel M, Ochoa ER, Frank DA. Food Insecurity and Weight Faltering: US Multisite Analysis of Young Children's Weight Trajectory. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2025 Jul; 125(7):900-908.e5.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Frank, Deborah
Fabian, Maria
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 39644920; DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2024.12.004;

Ettinger de Cuba S, Ruemmele C, Poblacion A. Pediatrics leading the way: co-enrollment as the next step in health-related social needs screening and referral. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2025 Feb 01; 37(1):19-26.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 39699097

Campbell JI, Poblacion A, Sheward R. Linking household members and defining relational networks using routine health data. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2025 Feb 01; 37(1):27-33.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Campbell, Jeffrey

PMID: 39509188; DOI: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000001415;

Showing 10 of 40 results. Show More

Lebrun-Harris LA, Sandel M, Sheward R, Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S. Prevalence and Correlates of Unstable Housing Among US Children. JAMA Pediatr. 2024 Jul 01; 178(7):707-717.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 38767882; DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.1159;

Buccini G, Saniatan KL, Poblacion A, Bauman A, Hernandez C, Larrison C, Simangan DP, Desai J, Ferguson YO, Howard A, Thompson-Robinson M. Nurturing care assets for food security: a community asset mapping approach. J Health Popul Nutr. 2024 Jun 06; 43(1):78. PMID: 38845059; DOI: 10.1186/s41043-024-00573-9;

Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Black M, Weijer I, Giudice C, Esteves G, Fabian P, Zanobetti A, Cutts DB, Lê-Scherban F, Sandel M, Ochoa Jr ER, Frank DA. Food Insecurity and Weight Faltering: US Multisite Analysis of Young Children’s Weight Trajectory. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2024; (5):S2212-2672(24)01005-0..

Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Frank DA, Esteves G, Rateau LJ, Heeren TC, Coleman S, Black MM, Cutts DB, Lê-Scherban F, Ochoa ER, Sandel M, Sheward R, Cook J. Development and Validation of an Abbreviated Child and Adult Food Security Scale for Use in Clinical and Research Settings in the United States. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023 Oct; 123(10S):S89-S102.e4.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Frank, Deborah
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie
Heeren, Timothy

PMID: 37730309

Ettinger de Cuba S, Bovell-Ammon A, Ahmad N, Bruce C, Poblacion A, Rateau LJ, Coleman SM, Black MM, Frank DA, Lê-Scherban F, Henchy G, Ochoa E, Sandel M, Cutts DB. Child Care Feeding Programs Associated With Food Security and Health for Young Children From Families With Low Incomes. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023 Oct; 123(10):1429-1439.View Related Profiles.

Bovell-Ammon, Allison
Poblacion, Ana
Frank, Deborah
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 37302653

Serenini M, Vieira KC, Souza CM, Poblacion A, Toloni MHA, Taddei JAAC. Food insecurity through the voice of adolescents participating in the Bolsa Família Program. Rev Bras Estudos Pop. 2023; 1(40):1-22, e0242.
Ettinger de Cuba S, Bovell-Ammon A, Ahmad N, Bruce C, Poblacion A, Rateau LJ, Coleman SM, Black MM, Frank DA, Lê-Scherban F, Henchy G, Ochoa Jr. E, Sandel M, Cutts D. Child care feeding programs associated with food security and health for young children from families with low incomes. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023; (10):S2212-2672(23)00301-5. .
Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Frank DA, Rateau LJ, Coleman S, Cook J. Development and validation of an Abbreviated Child and Adult Food Security Scale (ACAFSS) for use in clinical and research settings in the United States. Curr Develop Nutr. 2023; Suppl 1(7):124.

Carlson JM, Zanobetti A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Poblacion AP, Fabian PM, Carnes F, Rhee J, Lane KJ, Sandel MT, Janulewicz PA. Critical windows of susceptibility for the effects of prenatal exposure to heat and heat variability on gestational growth. Environ Res. 2023 Jan 01; 216(Pt 2):114607.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Lane, Kevin
Fabian, Maria
Sandel, Megan
Janulewicz, Patricia
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 36279910; DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114607;

Carvalho RES, Poblacion A, Gouveia AVDS, Correia MEG, Segall-Corrêa AM, Cook J, Silveira JACD. [Validity of an instrument for screening households at risk of food insecurity in different strata of the Brazilian population]. Cad Saude Publica. 2022; 38(7):e00239521. PMID: 35976346; DOI: 10.1590/0102-311XPT239521;

Nguyen HT, Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Bruce C, Cutts DB. Type of Child Care Setting Is Associated With Child Care Constraints and Food Insecurity Among Families With Low-Incomes. Acad Pediatr. 2023 Mar; 23(2):387-395.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 35863736; DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.07.009;

Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Cook JT. For 25 Years, Food Security Has Included a Nutrition Domain: Is a New Measure of Nutrition Security Needed? J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022 10; 122(10):1837-1840.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 35489679; DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2022.04.009;

Ettinger de Cuba S, Mbamalu M, Bovell-Ammon A, Black MM, Cutts DB, Lê-Scherban F, Coleman SM, Ochoa ER, Heeren TC, Poblacion A, Sandel M, Bruce C, Rateau LJ, Frank DA. Prenatal WIC Is Associated with Increased Birth Weight of Infants Born in the United States with Immigrant Mothers. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022 Aug; 122(8):1514-1524.e4.View Related Profiles.

Bovell-Ammon, Allison
Poblacion, Ana
Frank, Deborah
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie
Heeren, Timothy

PMID: 35151905

Costa ROM, Poblacion A, Giudice CL, Moura LCM, Lima AAR, Lima DB, Toloni MHA, Teixeira LG. Factors Associated with Food Insecurity among Pregnant Women assisted by Universal Health Care in Lavras – Minas Gerais State. Rev Bras Saúde Mat Inf. 2022; 1(22):127-135.
21. Serenini M, Poblacion A, Serenini R, Mota HJ, Teixeira LG, Toloni MHA, Taddei JAAC. Iron deficiency anemia among adolescents participating of the Bolsa Família Program: Analysis in the light of health conditionalities. Rev Contexto & Saude. 2022; 45(22):e12615.

Vanoli J, Coull BA, Ettinger de Cuba S, Fabian PM, Carnes F, Massaro MA, Poblacion A, Bellocco R, Kloog I, Schwartz J, Laden F, Zanobetti A. Postnatal exposure to PM2.5 and weight trajectories in early childhood. Environ Epidemiol. 2022 Feb; 6(1):e181.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Fabian, Maria
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 35169661; DOI: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000181;

Poblacion A, Segall-Corrêa AM, Cook J, Taddei JAAC. Validity of a 2-item screening tool to identify families at risk for food insecurity in Brazil. Cad Saude Publica. 2021; 37(6):e00132320. PMID: 34190830

Poblacion A, Ettinger de Cuba S, Cook JT. Comparing Food Security Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considerations When Choosing Measures. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021 10; 121(10):1945-1947.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie

PMID: 34247979; DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2021.06.004;

Bovell-Ammon A, Mansilla C, Poblacion A, Rateau L, Heeren T, Cook JT, Zhang T, de Cuba SE, Sandel MT. Housing Intervention For Medically Complex Families Associated With Improved Family Health: Pilot Randomized Trial. Health Aff (Millwood). 2020 04; 39(4):613-621.View Related Profiles.

Bovell-Ammon, Allison
Poblacion, Ana
Mansilla, Cristina
Cook, John
Sandel, Megan
Ettinger De Cuba, Stephanie
Heeren, Timothy

PMID: 32250672

Greenthal E, Jia J, Poblacion A, James T. Patient experiences and provider perspectives on a hospital-based food pantry: a mixed methods evaluation study. Public Health Nutr. 2019 12; 22(17):3261-3269. PMID: 31486351; DOI: 10.1017/S1368980019002040;

Cutts D, Cook J. Screening for Food Insecurity: Short-Term Alleviation and Long-Term Prevention. Am J Public Health. 2017 11; 107(11):1699-1700.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Cook, John

PMID: 29019766; DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.304082;

Poblacion A, Cook J, Ettinger de Cuba S, Bovell A, Sheward R, Pasquariello J, Cutts D. Can food insecurity be reduced in the United States by improving SNAP, WIC, and the Community Eligibility Provision?. World Medical and Health Policy. 2017; 4(9):435-455.

Poblacion AP, Cook JT, Marín-León L, Segall-Corrêa AM, Silveira JA, Konstantyner T, Taddei JA. Food Insecurity and the Negative Impact on Brazilian Children's Health-Why Does Food Security Matter for Our Future Prosperity? Brazilian National Survey (PNDS 2006/07). Food Nutr Bull. 2016 Dec; 37(4):585-598.View Related Profiles.

Poblacion, Ana
Cook, John

PMID: 27604621

Cunha CT, Poblacion A, Colugnati FAB, Taddei JAAC, Bracco MM. Effect of an Educational Program on Schoolchildren’s Energy Expenditure during Physical Education Classes. MedicalExpress. 2016; 1(3):M160104.
Cook JT, Poblacion A. . Estimating the Health-Related costs of Food Insecurity and Hunger. 2016. View Publication

Vega JB, Poblacion AP, Taddei JA. [Factors associated with the consumption of soft drinks among Brazilian preschool children: national survey of 2006]. Cien Saude Colet. 2015 Aug; 20(8):2371-80. PMID: 26221802; DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232015208.18032014;

Silveira JA, Colugnati FA, Poblacion AP, Taddei JA. Association between socioeconomic and biological factors and infant weight gain: Brazilian Demographic and Health Survey--PNDS-2006/07. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2015 May-Jun; 91(3):284-91. PMID: 25683674; DOI: 10.1016/j.jped.2014.08.013;

Silveira JA, Colugnati FA, Poblacion AP, Taddei JA. The role of exclusive breastfeeding and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on preschool children's weight gain. Pediatr Obes. 2015 Apr; 10(2):91-7. PMID: 24917128; DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.236;

Poblacion AP, Marín-León L, Segall-Corrêa AM, Silveira JA, Taddei JA. [Food insecurity in Brazilian families with children under five years of age]. Cad Saude Publica. 2014 May; 30(5):1067-78. PMID: 24936822

Vega JB, Taddei JA, Poblacion AP. [Socio-demographic and nutritional characteristics of Brazilian children under 2 years of age who were beneficiaries of conditional cash transfer programs in 2006]. Cien Saude Colet. 2014 Mar; 19(3):931-42. PMID: 24714907; DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232014193.02502013;

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 40 publications over 12 distinct years, with a maximum of 7 publications in 2022

Bar chart showing 40 publications over 12 distinct years, with a maximum of 7 publications in 2022

Year	Publications
2014	3
2015	2
2016	3
2017	2
2019	1
2020	1
2021	3
2022	7
2023	5
2024	6
2025	6
2026	1

2021 Department of Health & Human Services. NIH Office of Nutrition Research, US: Award “Children’s Weight Trajectory and Its Association with Food Insecurity and Air Pollution"

2014 . Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel/CAPES: Doctoral International Exchange Program Scholarship

2012-2016 Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel/CAPES: Doctoral Scholarship

2007 Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil: Distinguished Nutrition Professor

2007 Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil: Patron of Nutrition 2004 Class

2000-2002 Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel/CAPES: Master’s Scholarship

In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Social Determinants of Health
Food Insecurity
Children
Food Security
Brazil
Policy, Public
Nutritional Deficiencies
Nutrition Survey
Nutritional Status
Poverty

I am a Research Scientist and Director of Multisite Operations with Children’s HealthWatch, a network of pediatricians, public health researchers, and children’s health and policy experts with the mission of improving the health and development of young children by informing policies that address and alleviate economic hardships. I am also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at BU and Co-Lead the Department of Pediatrics Food Security Task Force. My research expertise is in social determinants of health, specifically food insecurity experienced by families with children. I have successfully mentored 20 students on research projects, and they are thriving in their career paths. I have a commitment to mentoring women in science, with a special effort to mentor Latin-American women. In mentoring I view my role as facilitating individuals’ personal and professional growth/advancement in a manner that is aligned with their values and goals.

Available to Mentor as: (Review Mentor Role Definitions):