Research
Current Initiatives
Choosing Healthy Actions in Muscatine Public Schools (CHAMPS)
Purpose: To improve the present and future health of middle school students through school-based education and environmental change.
Our role: Nutrition Center staff will support school staff and students to make positive health behavior changes. This will be accomplished through implementation of an intervention that includes the interdisciplinary Planet Health curriculum as well as environmental change.
Dates: 2011 – 2014
Number in Study: All middle school students in the Muscatine Community School District are eligible to participate
Funded by: Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
Status: Sixth and seventh grade students began receiving the Planet Health curriculum in January 2012. Eighth grade students start the program at the beginning of the 2012-13 school year.
Promoting Wellness and Reducing Obesity Among Children in Muscatine and Fort Dodge, Iowa
Purpose: Collaborative, community-based initiatives in Muscatine and Fort Dodge intended to promote health and, over time, reduce obesity in children.
Our role: Coordinate efforts with local school district leaders, teachers, families, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders with overall, two-fold aim: first, to develop durable structures, strategies, and programs that will have measurable impact and; second, to create national models of evidence-based, community-wide programs that produce results and can be replicated in other communities.
Dates: 2005-2014
Number in study: K-12 students in local school districts
Funded by: Principal Financial Group Foundation, the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and local organizations
Status: Wellness programming has been implemented in both Fort Dodge and Muscatine. Evaluations are ongoing.
Brief Motivational Interviewing to Reduce Body Mass Index (BMI²)
Purpose: To test interventions addressing the key barriers to obesity counseling in pediatric primary care.
Our role: Dietitian recruitment and screening; initial dietitian training, ongoing training and support during project; program materials development; and manuscript preparation.
Dates: 2008-2013
Number in study: 20 children (2 to 8 years old with BMIs between 85th and 97th percentile) at each of 40 pediatric practices across the country
Funded by: National Institutes of Health
Status: Pediatric practices are in the intervention and data collection phases.
The Grocery Shopping Study
Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a new nutritional scoring program (NuVal™) recently deployed in Iowa by Hy-Vee™, one of the largest retail grocery store chains in the Midwest, on the general purchase behaviors of a sample of area older adults.
Our role: Coordinate survey and grocery shopping receipts data collection.
Dates: September 2010 - August 2012
Number in study: Approximately 600 participants
Funded by: National Institutes of Health; Department of Health and Human Services
Status: Currently analyzing survey and grocery receipt data.
Nutrition Experiences in Cancer Prevention
Purpose: To improve cancer-related nutrition knowledge of medical students and to provide them with nutrition-related experiences to enhance their ability to understand and promote nutrition as future physicians.
Our role: To facilitate innovative ideas and projects that work within the established medical curriculum to promote nutrition education and incorporate nutrition into busy student lives.
Dates: 2007-2012
Number in study: up to 450 UI Carver College of Medicine students
Funded by: National Cancer Institute
Status: Currently analyzing student personalized assessment data and program evaluation data.
Be Engaged: Help Integrate Protection/Promotion (Be Hipp)
Purpose: Seek new approaches to worksite wellness and work station design specifically for office workers.
Our role: Develop intervention sessions in the areas of stress management, ergonomics, nutrition and physical activity; publish newsletters; enroll participants and coordinate data collection.
Dates: 2008-2012
Number in study: 280 participants
Funded by: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Status: Currently analyzing study participant data and business impact data.
American Dietetic Association Diabetes Type 2 Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines (EBNPG) for Adults Pilot Study
Purpose: To pilot test the methodology that will be used in a larger field study of AND's Type 2 Diabetes EBNPG for Adults.
Our role: Dr. Snetselaar is the principal investigator of this project. Nutrition Center staff is involved in study oversight and coordination including dietitian recruitment, study materials design, data management and dietitian training.
Dates: February 2011 - December 2012
Number in study: Nine registered dietitians at sites across the United States recruited 65 study participants.
Funded by: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Diabetes Care and Education Practice Group
Status: The project is in the intervention phase with study visits concluding in November 2012.