The NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo celebrated its 15th anniversary on January 12-13, 2008, at the Washington Convention Center. Several students of the University of the District of Columbia were part of this celebration. These nine students demonstrated that nutrition in action is the way to go in helping to improve the health of the public.

This month’s column spotlights a community outreach project conducted by students of the Nutrition and Food Science Program of UDC.

The Players
Rhea Williams, James Lee, Stephanie Howard, Inna Vancurova, Sally Zubairu, Peggy Vujovich, Tara Fenske, Melissa Wolynec, and Eric Graves are pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of the District of Columbia. Their concentration is Dietetics. The majority of them plan to become registered dietitians after they complete their degrees.

The Dietetics students of the District of Columbia are a diverse group. Though many are native Washingtonians, others hail from states across the country. Still others crossed oceans to join the program. These students of the University of the District of Columbia not only wish to practice nutrition at the clinical or community level; several have expressed the desire to work in the public health and research areas of nutrition.

The University of the District of Columbia’s Nutrition and Food Science Program is a didactic program -- that is, learning is not restricted to what is covered within the university’s walls. The surrounding community provides students with important learning opportunities. Students not only gain knowledge about nutrition, they also are afforded the chance to build skills by working in the community under the supervision of faculty and other registered dietitians and licensed nutritionists. The NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo was one such event where students had the opportunity to serve the community.

NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo: Nutrition Education
UDC  Nutrition and Food Science Program students dedicated a weekend, or a portion thereof, to taking measurements on a total of 160 visitors to the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo. Under my supervision, students measured height, weight, waist, and hip. With these values, students calculated body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). These numbers are used in nutrition research and in clinical practice to estimate the risk for developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

Each participant received a copy of their measurement results and were encouraged to share these results with their health care providers. They were given a portfolio folder, donated by the University of the District of Columbia, that the students had filled with valuable written nutrition education materials. The students then provided each participant with a brief nutrition education session. They reviewed the Food Guide Pyramid (www.mypyramid.gov), food labeling, dietary fats, and the relationship between diet, physical activity, obesity and chronic diseases.

In Their Own Words
Student James Lee spearheaded the University’s participation. He had volunteered the previous year with the Washington Urban League under the supervision of Evelyn Minor, a registered dietitian. Lee stated, “I saw a lot of people getting services that they might not otherwise receive, such as cholesterol and diabetes screenings and eye exams.” Lee, a resident of Southeast Washington added, “This is my city. These are my people. I want to help everyone with my volunteer services. I saw the opportunity for my fellow nutrition students to be involved.” Lee shared the idea of participating in the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo with Rhea Williams, President of UDC’s Food and Nutrition Club. Under Williams’ direction, several club members organized and executed a plan to educate citizens of the District of Columbia and city visitors about the importance of nutrition and physical activity for improved health.

Stephanie Howard, another resident of Southeast Washington, was so excited about this event that she volunteered for both days, as did Lee and Williams. Howard stated that it is important that students get first-hand experience working with the public because it makes what is learned in the classroom more exciting and relevant. Tara Fenske added, “This was a good experience. Instead of all the time being in training, just get out here and do it! It’s nice to see that people are interested in knowing about their health.”

Nutrition in Action at UDC
The Nutrition and Food Science Program is a sometimes overlooked ingredient in the city’s plan to reduce health disparities. First, we train a diverse pool of students who will go on to become registered dietitians, researchers, and policymakers in nutrition. Students are trained to work with underserved populations who are at highest risk for developing chronic diseases.

The program trains students in two areas: Nutrition and Food Science. Dr. Akinbola Olowofoyeku is helping to keep alive the Food Science section of the program. Prospective students will find that they can make a big difference in the availability of safe and healthy foods in our city, our nation, the world, by learning the fundamentals of food science. Under Dr. Olowofoyeku’s direction, students are prepared for a career in which there is a great demand. Contact Dr. Olowofoyeku at 202-274-5894 or visit the official website for the Institute of Food Technologists at www.ift.org to learn about this exciting career.

Students in my nutrition classes have had the opportunity to meet experts in nutrition and related areas at the local and national level. Some of the organizations and individuals who have worked with the UDC students include So Others Might Eat (SOME), Food Research Action Center (FRAC), Evelyn Minor of the Washington Urban League, Usha Kalro of the Cooperative Extension Program of the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Students at all levels of training have volunteered at various anti-hunger programs throughout the city. Gaining an understanding of the needs and challenges of our city residents who face hunger and poverty is an important program objective.

Join the University of the District of Columbia’s Nutrition and Food Science students at their National Nutrition Month celebration at the University in March. Through community service, our students share their nutrition knowledge with the public.

B. Michelle Harris, PhD, MPH, RD, LD, is Assistant Professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Her focus is public and community health through education, information, and research. Contact her at bharris@udc.edu .