Research from the Big Data and Eating Decisions (Byte) Lab has been covered by national and international media, and Dr. Vadiveloo is a regular source for journalists reporting on diet, food policy, and cardiovascular health.
Research from the lab in the news
Coverage of studies led or co-led by the lab, with the collaborators behind each project.
Smart Cart study aims to promote healthier grocery purchases via app
Providence Business News, 12/2025. Coverage of the Smart Cart 2.0 personalized incentive platform, developed with Alison Tovar (Brown University) and Anne N. Thorndike (Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School).
Researchers evaluate effectiveness of SNAP Incentive program
University of Rhode Island News, 11/2025. Coverage of the What’s On Your Plate evaluation of Rhode Island’s Eat Well, Be Well program, with Alison Tovar, Emily Elenio, Vanessa Oddo, Julien Leider, and Lisa M. Powell (University of Illinois Chicago).
Excessive ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) and poor nutrition tied to poor health
American Heart Association Newsroom, 8/2025. News release for the AHA Science Advisory chaired by Dr. Vadiveloo, written with Christopher D. Gardner, Sara N. Bleich, Neha Khandpur, Alice H. Lichtenstein, Jennifer J. Otten, Casey M. Rebholz, Chelsea R. Singleton, Miriam B. Vos, and Selina Wang. Covered by ScienceDaily, TCTMD, and Gastroenterology Advisor, and the subject of a commentary by Dean Ornish in Circulation.
Exploiting Sensory-Specific Satiety for Weight Loss
NutritionFacts.org, 8/2021. Coverage of the lab’s dietary variety and energy density research.
Incentivizing what you eat for healthier choices
Momentum: Research & Innovation, University of Rhode Island, 6/2019. Feature on the Smart Cart study, funded by the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, with Stephen A. Atlas and Ashley Buchanan (URI).
Coverage of Rhode Island Foundation Medical Research Grants
Associated Press and 18 other outlets, 9/2018. Coverage of the Rhode Island Foundation award supporting the lab’s work on grocery purchase quality and diabetes prevalence.
Focus on variety can lead to eating too many unhealthy foods
Reuters, 8/2018. Coverage of the lab’s dietary variety research, later cited in the American Heart Association Science Advisory on dietary diversity and obesity prevention.
Discrimination based on weight doubles health risks
ScienceDaily, 10/2016. Coverage of Vadiveloo and Mattei, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, on perceived weight discrimination and 10-year allostatic load.
The Truth About Variety in Your Diet and How to Use It
Livestrong.com, 12/2014. Coverage of the US Healthy Food Diversity Index.
Expert commentary
Selected coverage in which Dr. Vadiveloo was interviewed as an expert source, grouped by outlet.
The New York Times
- Are chickpea and bean pastas good for you? (9/2024)
- Are some ultraprocessed foods worse than others? (9/2024)
- Are artificial sweeteners safe? (7/2024)
- How a Nutrition Expert Really Eats (2/2024)
The Wall Street Journal
- Here’s What’s Really in a Can of Campbell’s Chicken Soup (11/2025)
- Just When You Thought It Was OK to Skip Breakfast… (4/2025)
- How much cheese should you eat? You won’t like the answer (8/2024)
The Washington Post
- Summer is corn season. And that’s good for your health (8/2024)
- Six easy ways to reduce the sugar and salt in your diet (9/2023)
CNN and network news
- The best diets for heart health, ranked — CNN Health Minute (5/2023)
- Foods that don’t deserve bad reputations, according to dietitians — NBC News (4/2024)
- Update to American Heart Association dietary guidance — FOX4 Kansas City, live television interview (11/2021)
- Diet or exercise: What actually works for weight loss — TODAY (3/2021)
Health and consumer media
- These 7 Breakfast Staples Are Ultra-Processed. How Should You Decide Which Ones to Avoid? — Verywell Health (10/2025)
- How to Cut Back on Ultraprocessed Foods, According to Nutrition Experts — Men’s Fitness (9/2025)
- DASH, Mediterranean ranked among best diets for heart health, BP and cholesterol control — Healio (1/2025)
- Is corn good for you? — Consumer Reports (7/2024)
- Every Girl Scout cookie, ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest — Healthline (1/2020)
American Heart Association News
- Trouble sleeping? The culprit may be something you ate (3/2025)
- Replacing butter with plant-based oils may reduce the risk of premature death (3/2025)
- Why the ancient grain quinoa became a modern nutritional powerhouse (9/2024)
- TikTok’s viral drink suggestions may be a recipe for disaster (8/2021)
- Is mango the luscious superhero of fruit? (6/2021)
- Is honey healthy? How to make sure you don’t get stung (11/2020)
Podcasts and broadcast
- Am I Doing It Wrong? — Podcast, HuffPost, with Raj Punjabi-Johnson and Noah Michelson (3/2026)
- Introduction to Dairy and Cardiovascular Health & The Science Behind Dairy and Heart Health — Mayo Clinic, YouTube (12/2024)
- What diets are good for your heart? — Wisconsin Public Radio, The Morning Show (5/2023)
- Nutrition and Health with Samantha Heller, RD — SiriusXM (2/2022)
A complete list of press coverage since 2014 is available on the full press archive.
Last updated September 2026.