Nutrition for Wellness

Factors associated with healthy food access and variety of foods in the diet.

First/Second Year

Foundations of Nutrition Practice

• Introduction to organizations to support students of color – Inclusive Dietetics, Diversity inDietetics
• Discussion on AND efforts to diversify community of dietetics professionals

First/Second Year

Science of Food Preparation

• A one module lesson on nutrition policy, mainly the SNAP/SNAP ed programs and how individuals participating in these programs face certain barriers and limitations to meet National Dietary Recommendations

Fall Junior Year

Global Nutrition

This course examines global nutrition from a systems perspective including economic, socio-political, agricultural and health factors.  A wide range of topics are covered such as:

• How all the 15+ majors that are typically enrolled in the course can relate to global nutrition and “what they bring to the table”
• Sustainable Development Goals (and how different countries are progressing towards meeting them)
• Country commitments to the Nutrition Decade of Action (2015-2025)
• Malnutrition around the world and factors associated with it, along with other health stats.
• Economic impacts of malnutrition.
• Social determinants of health (related to many aspects, but one example is how it relates to the first 1000 days of life and human development in the future)
• Epidemiological transition and nutrition transition in the context of different countries.
• Cultural and religious aspects surrounding nutrition practices
• Human development index, GINI index (wealth distribution)
• Food security worldwide  and factors associated with healthy food access.
• Food desserts, food swamps, food assistance programs
• Food practices and resulting nutritional status of people in selected countries
• Social justice and impact of globalization

Fall Junior Year

Nutrition Throughout the Life Cycle

• Inclusion of multicultural images in depicting individuals through the life cycle and families from all races, with focus on African-American and Hispanic.
• Inclusion of key health disparities among the racial and ethnic groups based on life cycle stage.  A few examples include::
  • Infertility vs. Treatment Rates between White, African-American & Hispanic
  • Health disparities in pregnancy related outcomes: comparison chart with different ethnic groups in the US
  • Health disparities in Infant Mortality, based on racial & ethnic groups
  • Racial & ethnic disparity in adult obesity
  • Racial & ethnic disparities in health outcomes among older Americans.

Fall Junior Year

Quantity Food Production

Inclusion of cultural considerations in menu planning of meals produced and served for the semester - including accompanying nutrition education presented to customers/diners.  ServSafe materials from National Restaurant Association appear to represent various population groups and languages in instructional content, slides, videos and ServSafe manual images.

Fall Junior Year

Management in Dietetics

• Cultural Humility Workshop with IIHHS

Spring-Junior Year

Food Service Systems

Inclusion of cultural considerations and life cycle stage in menu planning for schools and long term care
Expansion of meaning of “culture” i..e., dining room service culture) in the 2012 Pioneer Network document on “culture change” in long term care - required reading for this class. This includes homelike atmosphere, flexible access & timing of meals, refusal of MNT - any of which can be due to personal preference and/or reasons of culture or faith based food laws. Instructor slide sets are composed with intention to include images of various population groups and food traditions.

Spring Junior Year

Clinical Nutrition I

• Inclusion of multicultural images in depicting individuals through the life cycle and families from all races, with focus on African-American and Hispanic.
• Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities Data for:
  • Obesity (CDC Data)
  • Diabetes (CDC Data)
  • Cardiovascular Disease

Spring Junior Year

Field Experience in Dietetics

Inclusion of a Field Experience Worksheet to complete Cultural Competency Checklist or Review of the healthcare organization (HCO) site where students completes the experience.

Summer Senior Year

Nutrition & Metabolism

• Metabolic errors specific to racial/ethnic populations

Fall Senior Year

Community Nutrition

• Poverty Simulation with IIHHS
• Harvard Implicit Bias Tests and Discussion Board
• Cultural Humility Discussion and self-reflection exercise
• Health Disparities Background Exploration
• Policy Position Paper on Food Insecurity and Food Access
• Health at Every Size Lecture
• Plain Language and Health Literacy Activity

Fall Senior Year

Interprofessional Ethical Decision-Making

• Use of ethical principles in health care

Fall Senior Year

Fall Senior Year

• Focus on self-reflection and cultural humility through book chapter readings, lecture, activities,  and diverse guest panel with live Q&A .
• Practice using person-centered counseling approaches especially to explore food culture and health beliefs.
• Exploration of Health at Every Size philosophy and addressing weight bias.

Spring Senior Year

• Inclusion of multicultural images in depicting individuals through the life cycle and families from all races, with focus on African-American and Hispanic.
• Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities Data for:
  • Preterm and LBW birth
  • Prevalence & Outcomes in Stroke
  • Prevalence & Outcomes in Renal Disease
  • Underdiagnosis of COPD based on gender & race
  • Hematological Disorders; i.e. sickle cell anemia

Spring Senior Year

• Readings on the history of human subject research globally and ethics/need for IRB

Spring Senior Year

• Health equity
• Disparities in national chronic disease trends

Spring Senior Year

• Traveling athlete and food access/practices
• How following different types of dietary patterns (i.e., vegetarian and vegan) affects sports nutrition recommendations
• How religious beliefs and cultural practices (i.e. Ramadan) affect sports nutrition recommendations.
• SES and food access of athletes to the recommended foods/supplements.

Spring Senior Year

(optional)