About

Omni L. Cassidy, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Food, Culture, & Tech Lab at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in the Department of Population Health. Her research examines the intersections of food, culture, and technology, with a particular focus on how food and beverage companies utilize digital technologies such as immersive and virtual reality (VR) to market unhealthy products. Her work aims to inform policies and develop interventions that promote food sovereignty and equitable food environments. Dr. Cassidy's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award to study the impact of targeted TV food advertisements on adolescent girls' food choices. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Grossman School of Medicine through the NYU Training Program in Healthcare Delivery Science and Population Health, where she gained additional expertise in content analysis and social media food marketing. In September 2024, she was awarded an NIH Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01) to investigate the effects of VR-based food marketing on hunger and food choices in young adults. Prior to her current role, Dr. Cassidy completed an American Psychological Association–accredited clinical internship at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, conducting psychiatric assessments and psychotherapy across various clinics. She earned her PhD in medical and clinical psychology from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. Her overarching goal is to help create higher quality food environments for people and the planet, leveraging research to inform policies and develop innovative solutions.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Business
• Medicine
• Computer Science
• Sociology
• Economics
• Environmental health
• Psychology
• Demography
• Demographic economics
• Food science
• Law
• World Wide Web
• Gerontology

Selected publications

• Seeing Oneself in the Feed: Racial Targeting in Food Marketing and Its Impact on Adolescents’ Visual Interest and Unhealthy

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Evaluating Nutrition Education in K‐12 Schools: A Comprehensive Review 2024

  Journal of School Health · 2026-01-22

  article

  BACKGROUND: The school environment plays a vital role in shaping children's health and well-being. Nutrition education supports health promotion and disease prevention; however, it is unclear how comprehensive curricula are in the content they cover. This study explored the content of K-12 nutrition curricula in US public schools. METHODS: We analyzed nutrition education curricula from the 2023-2024 school year across a target sample of 50 states. Materials were collected through online searches and phone calls to districts and schools. We employed content analysis to assess nutrition concepts and modes of curriculum delivery, using a codebook to systematically code the curricula. RESULTS: We obtained 110 curricula across 38 states. Common concepts included macronutrients (54.5%), micronutrients (55.4%), food groups (58%), and the benefits of good nutrition (69%). Fewer curricula addressed consequences of poor nutrition (44.5%) or behavioral changes like portion size (38.1%). Most curricula (87.2%) used didactic methods, with only 19.5% incorporating hands-on activities. Broader topics such as environmental impacts of food choices (17.2%) were less common. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Nutrition education plays a critical role in shaping children's long-term health outcomes; however, challenges remain in ensuring consistent and high-quality instruction. CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition education in the US focuses on core nutrition concepts and often relies on didactic methods, with limited hands-on activities. This highlights the need for more engaging, standardized programs.

  PublisherDOI

• How healthy are food and beverage products promoted by TikTok influencers?

  Public Health Nutrition · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Objective: To evaluate the healthfulness of the food/beverage products featured by TikTok influencers whose audiences include millions of adolescents. Design: In a cross-sectional study, we collected the maximum available up to 100 videos from the top 100 TikTok influencers in the USA – based on views, likes, comments and shares – in July 2022. For each video, we identified the most prominent food/beverage product featured. We used the Nutrient Profile Index (NPI) to classify food products as healthy/unhealthy. We grouped beverages by category. Setting: TikTok Participants: N/A Results: Our sample included 8871 videos, 1360 (15·3 %) of which featured at least one food ( n 755, 55·5 %), beverage ( n 580, 42·6 %) or dietary supplement ( n 25, 1·8 %). Mean NPI score for foods was 54·73 ( sd 19·95). Most foods (58 %) were considered unhealthy, with a 20-percentage-point difference between branded (70·8 %) and unbranded (50·8 %) foods. Alcohol ( n 154, 26·6 %) and energy drinks ( n 149, 25·7 %) were the most featured beverages overall. Among branded beverages, energy drinks were the largest category ( n 148, 38·9 %). Among unbranded beverages, alcoholic drinks were the largest category ( n 73, 36·5 %). Conclusions: More than half of the foods promoted by TikTok influencers were considered unhealthy, and most beverages featured were alcoholic and energy drinks. Many foods and a large share of alcoholic beverages were unbranded, either reflecting genuine influencer preferences or potentially masking the true extent of commercial marketing. Given the reach of influencers, including millions of adolescents, stronger regulations are needed for social media platforms, influencers and brands to protect consumers from undue harm from food/beverage marketing.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Estimating the impacts of calorie labels in fast-food settings using a novel comparison: Comparing California drive-through and in-store purchases

  Appetite · 2025-01-15 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Rewriting the Narrative: Advancing Justice and Equity in the U.S. Food System

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2025-04-18 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  The concept of 'food justice' recognizes the systemic injustices embedded in the U.S. food system and the urgent need for transformative policies to ensure equitable access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally relevant food. Limited access to these foods drives food insecurity and increases the prevalence of diet-related diseases in low-income and minority communities. Dominant narratives that individualize hunger and food insecurity often blame the individual and overlook the underlying structural factors that sustain these issues. These narratives have considerable influence. They shape public opinion and can also guide policy decisions. This commentary explores the goals of the food justice movement in the U.S., describes how the food and racial justice movements intersect, and examines the role of commercial marketing and public policy in shaping the food justice discourse. We also reflect on the efforts that should be made to reframe these dominant narratives and facilitate meaningful change in the food environment.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• National Trends in Social Media Food Marketing Expenditures: 2020–2021

  AJPM Focus · 2025-09-09

  articleOpen access

  Introduction: This study leverages advertising industry data to quantify social media advertising expenditures and advertising impressions of the food and beverage industry on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram from January 2019 to August 2021. Methods: =18 months). Primary outcomes were monthly trends expenditures of food/beverage advertising and the number of views and expenditures of food/beverage advertising by platform (e.g., TV, online, mobile, print). Primary outcomes was measured by monthly expenditures by (1) social media company, (2) brand, and (3) before COVID-19 versus the first year of the pandemic. Results: for interaction<0.001). Conclusions: These data reveal that the food/beverage industry spends at least $2.8 billion on social media advertising, which generate billions of views for their products online. Determining adults' exposure to social media food advertising is critical for understanding the upstream factors that shape the risk for diet-related diseases.

  PublisherDOI

• Assessing the impact of novel social media policies in the USA restricting youth exposure to food and beverage advertisements: a protocol for a difference-in-difference study

  BMJ Open · 2025-06-01

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: Social media is the most prominent source of online food and beverage advertisements (ads) seen by adolescents. Companies target adolescent social media users with ads that feature calorie-dense, nutrient-poor products, and exposure to ads drives poor diet and risk for future diet-related diseases. Black, Hispanic and lower socio-economic status youth are exposed to significantly more ads than White peers. Several state-level policies in the USA have passed restricting youth from accessing social media without parental approval, and some policies have banned advertising to youth. This protocol paper describes a current study that aims to understand the impact of such policies in two states, Louisiana and Texas, as they were among the first to be implemented with racially/ethnically diverse populations. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study employs a repeated cross-sectional difference-in-difference design in which 700 youth ages 13-17 years are being recruited each year for 5 years (Louisiana n=175, Texas n=175, matched comparisons from other states n=350). Youth screen record their mobile devices for 60 minutes while they browse social media platforms (eg, TikTok, Instagram) or use the internet. They also complete a brief survey about a variety of topics (eg, health behaviours, mental health). Adolescents are compensated for screen recording ($75) and the survey ($25). Study team members are coding recordings for several characteristics, including media platforms used, appearances of food or beverages, and food or beverage type. We will estimate the impact of policies on food and beverage ads seen per hour using Ordinary Least Squares regression models and heterogeneity-robust standard errors clustered at the state level (by year and cumulatively). We will run additional models with interaction terms with income and race/ethnicity, separately, to test the role of the policies on health disparities. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Study procedures have been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. We will distribute findings in peer-reviewed journals and at local and national conferences. To complement traditional dissemination pathways, we will create infographics to share with relevant community stakeholders. We will also share findings with policymakers in states that have passed or considered similar policies.

  PublisherDOI

• 511 Urolithin a-mediated aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling attenuates necrotizing enterocolitis

  The American Journal of the Medical Sciences · 2025-01-15

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Examining the Effect of Virtual Reality–Based Fast-Food Marketing on Eating-Related Outcomes in Young Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

  JMIR Research Protocols · 2025-08-05

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  BACKGROUND: Black communities, compared to White communities, are disproportionately targeted with more unhealthy food advertisements on television and social media. Exposure to unhealthy food and beverage marketing is associated with appetitive sensations, purchase intention, and intake behaviors, which may contribute to poor overall diet quality and worsening nutritional disparities in Black communities. Despite the negative effects, food and beverage companies are expanding their reach and harnessing advanced technology to create immersive experiences using virtual reality (VR). Black young adults may be uniquely vulnerable. OBJECTIVE: We aim to explore the effect of a VR-based fast-food marketing experience (compared with a VR-based nonfood control) on purchase intention, arousal, and hunger in a sample of Black and White young adults. METHODS: We will recruit 200 Black and White young adults (aged 18-24 years) from the New York City metropolitan area for a 1-time, 2-hour laboratory-based study. After screening and obtaining informed consent, eligible participants will be randomized to 1 of 2 VR conditions: a VR-based fast-food marketing experience (Wendyverse; experimental) or a VR-based nonfood control (Nikeland). In the Wendyverse, users can order from the restaurant operated by Wendy's, play games, meet others who may be visiting the Wendyverse, and access codes that can be used to obtain free food at physical restaurants. The control condition will be the Nikeland app, where participants can play sports, try on apparel, and engage with celebrity athletes. Study personnel will provide a 5-minute training session to participants before beginning the experiment to ensure that they feel comfortable in the VR environment. Participants will otherwise engage with the VR app independently. The primary outcomes will be fast-food purchase intention, assessed via a self-report questionnaire; arousal, assessed via electrodermal activity or skin conductance; and hunger, assessed via salivary reactivity. We will also conduct secondary analyses to examine interactions by race, ethnicity, and food or nutrition insecurity as a proxy for socioeconomic status. Analyses of covariance and multiple linear regressions will be conducted to examine the effects of VR-based fast-food marketing exposure on the relevant outcomes (compared to the control). RESULTS: This study was funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities in September 2024. Recruitment is expected to begin in September 2025. We expect to complete data collection by October 2026 and begin data cleaning and analysis in November 2026. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of previous research and data, we anticipate that young adults randomized to view VR-based food and beverage marketing will self-report higher purchase intention and demonstrate stronger arousal and hunger. The data will be used to support future research and improve the understanding of the effects of digital forms of unhealthy food and beverage marketing on young people. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06917391; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06917391. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/69096.

  PublisherDOI

• Food and Beverage Marketing in Virtual Environments: Viewpoint on the Potential Implications for Young People of Color, Knowledge Gaps, and Future Research Directions (Preprint)

  2024-05-31

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  <sec> <title>UNSTRUCTURED</title> Exposure to unhealthy food and beverage marketing is a major contributor to excessive weight gain in young people and may disproportionately affect Black and Latinx communities. Appropriate and comprehensive regulations on food and beverage companies is essential, particularly as companies expand their reach and leverage the latest technologies to marketing experiences using virtual reality (VR). Although VR technology is in its infancy, the potential effects of immersive food and beverage marketing on consumption, food and beverage corporations’ history of racially-targeted marketing to Black and Latinx communities, and heightened burden of diet-related illnesses in Black/Latinx communities underscores a critical need to investigate immersive marketing to young people and young people of color. This viewpoint will provide a brief description of VR food and beverage marketing as the newest food and beverage marketing frontier, highlight key concerns and knowledge gaps, and underscore future directions in research. </sec>

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Marian Tanofsky‐Kraff

  National Institutes of Health

  132 shared

• Lauren B. Shomaker

  Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

  131 shared

• Nichole R. Kelly

  University of Oregon

  125 shared

• Jack A. Yanovski

  National Institutes of Health

  88 shared

• Rachel M. Radin

  Institute for Community Health

  61 shared

• Lisa M. Shank

  Defense Health Agency

  60 shared

• Sheila M. Brady

  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  59 shared

• Anna Vannucci

  Columbia University

  46 shared

Awards & honors

• NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Rese…
• NIH Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K0…
• NYU Training Program in Healthcare Delivery Science and Popu…