Arizona State University expert directory

Punam Ohri-Vachaspati studies the social determinants of health, specifically in low-income minority communities. 

Her research explores the influence of access to healthy food and the opportunities for physical activity on health outcomes and behavior. In addition, she studies nutritional interventions in schools and community settings.

She is a professor in the College of Health Solutions and a senior sustainability scientist for the Sustainability Scientists and Scholars. She leads the ASU Food Environment and Policy research group, which examines policies and programs that influence environments, food consumption, physical activity behaviors, and health outcomes in disadvantaged populations. 

Ohri-Vachaspati previously served as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow in Washington, DC.

Recently, Ohri-Vachaspati has worked with the Arizona Food Bank Network to secure Healthy School Meals for All in Arizona. Her team’s efforts have directly informed state legislators who have included $3.8 million in the 2025 state budget to provide free school meals for tens of thousands of low-income children in the state of Arizona.