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Whole Grain Equivalents with a number of foods displayed

Health Literacy

Health literacy is the ability to understand health information and to use that information to make good decisions about your health and medical care. Research indicates that 9 out of 10 people have difficulty using available health information.

Translational Research

Translational research is a dynamic process applying science to practice and practice to science. Serrano, Anderson, and Chapman-Novakofski assert that translational research involves not only “bench to bedside” activity but “bench to behavior” outcomes that encompass education, policy, and community area.

Evidence-Based Nutrition Education

Evidence-based nutrition education integrates educator expertise with the best research evidence of effective nutrition education into program design and delivery.

Demonstration of healthy foods to a family

Nutrition Education

Nutrition education is a blend of planned educational strategies and environmental supports designed to help people adopt food and nutrition-related behaviors conducive to health and well-being.

Two women and a child on learning about healthy foods on the computer

Evaluation

Evaluation is the systemic measurement that focuses on process, outcomes or impact of an intervention. Impact evaluations provide a base of evidence on a program or intervention.

Explore NEEDs for Tots, our new preschool curriculum about eating and family mealtime. The curriculum targets preschool children and their parents and includes a Prologue, five classroom lessons, children’s books, tasting opportunities, child-parent take-home activities, parent handouts and reinforcements, and a digital photo frame loaded with Mealtime is Family Time, our family meals with toddlers program. NEEDs for Tots is based on the Division of Responsibility in Feeding concepts by Ellyn Satter and is supported by the Core Nutrition Messages developed by the Food and Nutrition Service of USDA. Click here to see a sample page. We need preschools that serve low-income families to review the curriculum and tell us what you think. If this is you, please let us know by contacting us here.

Barbara Lohse, PhD, RD, LDN

NEEDs Center Director

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Bio

Barbara Lohse, PhD, RD, LDN
Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Dr. Lohse is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Health and Human Development and is the Principal Investigator for Evaluation, Program Development and Policy for Pennsylvania SNAP-Ed…Read More

Patricia Wamboldt, MEd, PhD

Research Project Manager

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Bio

Patricia Wamboldt, MEd, PhD
Research Project Manager

Patricia is a Research Project Manager for the NEEDs Center in Nutritional Sciences. She received her Ph.D. from the College of Health and Human Development (Human Development and Family Studies) at Penn State…
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Penn State University (PSU) with the support of Hamilton Health Center (HHC) will be providing educational instruction through the use of the About Eating Curriculum to women who receive services through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program at the HHC site location in Harrisburg, Pa.

The Hamilton Health Center project will adapt About Eating to target low-income women. About Eating  is a multi-lesson web-based module that

encourages learners to address food acceptance
teaches dietary variety and energy balance including self-awareness of hunger and fullness
changes attitudes toward eating healthy, being physically active, and focusing on meals
focuses on food purchase, selection and budget management issues.

This is the only online module that encompasses all constructs in the eating competence model.

For detailed information on the About Eating program, click here!

Rhonda Belue

For more information about this project, please contact:
Rhonda Belue, PhD
Assistant Professor,
Health Policy Administration and Biobehavioral Health
rzb10@psu.edu

Preview About Eating Modules

Contact us to develop or access an About Eating portal for your organization, view pre and post surveys or arrange for outcomes data collection and analysis.

Learn more about eating competence by viewing this screencast from Ellyn Satter Associates

Funded in part by the PA Department of Public Welfare (DPW) through the PA Nutrition Education Tracks, as part of USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). To find out how SNAP can help you buy healthy foods, contact DPW’s toll-free Helpline at 800-692-7462.This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.