Dietary Interventions and Public Health NUTR 4228

Course description:

This course provides students with the tools for developing community nutrition interventions. Students willlearn about utilizing behavioral theory, conducting needs assessments, writing program objectives, developing intervention strategies, evaluating program implementation and effectiveness, planning a budget, and writing grant proposals. Students pick their projects based on their personal interests and work in small groups of students. Previous examples include: obesity prevention for school-aged children, eating disorder prevention for adolescent girls; increasing whole-grain consumption in college students, and increasing fruit and vegetable intake in preschoolers.

Course Aims:

  • To describe and compare individual and environmental models explaining health behavior.
  • To conduct a needs assessment prior to the development of a nutrition intervention.
  • To write clear objectives for a nutrition intervention.
  • To choose and describe appropriate strategies for nutrition interventions.
  • To understand the nutritional project cycle and obstacles facing implementing. 
  • To select and apply mentoring and evaluation during nutrition project. 

Course outcomes:

  • To evaluate the process and impact of a nutrition intervention.
  • To prepare a budget for the development and evaluation of a nutrition intervention.
  • To prepare a grant proposal requesting funds for a community nutrition intervention.
  • To submit a complete proposed nutrition project.