Markita Lewis, MS, RD
I was recently featured on an episode of the Public Health Epidemiology Conversations podcast hosted by Dr. C.H. Huntley. Dr. Huntley is a public health leader with more than 20 years of experience as an epidemiologist, microbiologist, consultant and podcaster. She created the PHEC podcast to help the public health community better understand pathways to traditional and nontraditional career opportunities within the field.
In Episode 444, “When Agriculture Meets Allergy Prevention,” I shared my journey into public health and discussed the work I do through the National Peanut Board to support improved practices in peanut allergy prevention and management.
The conversation explored what it looks like when agriculture, nutrition science and public health work together. I discussed early introduction guidelines and the work NPB is doing to make early introduction more accessible, school nutrition and what research says about allergen management on campuses, and how strategic partnerships help close the gap between research and real-world implementation.
Through this discussion, I connected peanuts to the broader field of public health epidemiology and emphasized that allergy prevention is an issue that affects everyone. Preventive practices such as early introduction can help reduce the likelihood that families experience the emotional, financial and physical burdens associated with food allergies.
Overall, it was a valuable opportunity to reach new audiences and encourage them to think about peanuts and commodity boards in a new way.
NPB continues to provide strategic thought leadership, helping audiences better understand the role of agricultural commodity boards in supporting public research and practice.
The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast platforms.