Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Extension
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1571
Healthy Heart Beats
April-June 2008
Vol 30, Issue 2
Spotlight
Melissa Wdowik, Ph.D., R.D.
The Nutrition Center @ Colorado State University (CSU) proudly opened its doors in January, 2008. An outreach service of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, The Nutrition Center promotes scholarship in nutrition teaching, training, and research while providing nutrition outreach to the Larimer County community. The concept for the center arose out of both student input and best practices of nutrition and public health programs throughout the country, which indicate the need for hands-on learning and application of concepts taught in the classroom.
The center is directed by Melissa Wdowik, PhD, RD. She received her PhD at CSU in 1998. Melissa has an extensive background in nutrition counseling and behavior change, including experience with weight loss, diabetes, hypertension, worksite wellness, eating disorders, and sports nutrition and has published a guidebook for college students with diabetes. She has also been a college instructor for the past 10 years, teaching at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte before returning to CSU in 2006.
Melissa currently teaches a graduate nutrition counseling class and a nutrition practicum, in which students participate in planning and implementing activities at The Nutrition Center. Services within the center include both individual sessions and group programs which are open to the general public. Individual nutrition counseling sessions comprise body composition and disease risk assessment, dietary analysis, medical nutrition therapy, meal and snack planning, guidance in buying and preparing food, restaurant comparisons, physical activity guidelines, and behavior change planning. Group programs consist of cooking demonstrations, supermarket and farmer's market tours, weight loss classes, and workshops on a variety of topics including (but not limited to) chronic disease prevention and management, eating on a budget, setting and keeping goals, Mediterranean and Okinawa eating patterns, sports nutrition, and organic foods. Participants are educated via an assortment of visual aids, measurement tools and handouts.
On a personal level Melissa is married with two children, ages 10 and 12 years. Her family enjoys a healthy lifestyle of outdoor activities, music, and cooking together when time allows. They also have a large dog they have to walk daily!
The Nutrition Center @ CSU is located on the CSU campus in room 213 of the Gifford Building. Additional information can be found at: http://www.fshn.cahs.colostate.edu/nutritioncenter.asp
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