Using Skin Carotenoid Status Technology to Evaluate Community Nutrition Interventions

About the Webinar

First, we will give an overview of reflectance spectroscopy technology. Then we will provide evidence of its validity as a proxy for fruit and vegetable consumption in diverse populations. Finally, we will provide several examples of the use of skin carotenoid status as measured by reflection spectroscopy to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in corner stores, supermarkets, and schools/afterschool and childcare programs. This will include both logistical and practical issues related to use of the reflection spectroscopy to assess skin carotenoid status as a measure of change in vegetable and fruit intake in the field.

About the Presenters

Lisa Jahns, PhD, RD, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

Dr. Jahns is a Research Nutritionist for the USDA-ARS in the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center. Her research interests include use of technology and biomarkers in dietary assessment, the effects of increased fruit and vegetable consumption on psychological and physical health parameters and body weight, as well as behavioral economic constructs to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, including the reward value of food and executive function assessment.

Jared McGuirt, PhD, MPH, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Dr. McGuirt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. His research interests include health behavior theory, health disparities, behavioral economics, digital technology and community based participatory research.

Rachel Scherr, PhD, University of California, Davis

Dr. Scherr serves as Director of the Center for Nutrition in Schools' Department of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. Her research interest lies in Nutritional Biology.

Virginia C. Stage, PhD, East Carolina University

Dr. Stage is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition Science in the College of Allied Health Sciences at East Carolina University. Her research is housed under the Food-based Early Education (FEEd) Lab's. The FEEd Lab's research focuses on childhood overweight prevention by improving early childhood teachers' food and nutrition education strategies when working with children (birth-5 years) and their families. Dr. Stage's research is guided by the CDC's Social Ecological Model for Food and Physical Activity Decisions and uses qualitative and quantitative methods to examine these areas of research.

Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, PhD, East Carolina University

Dr. Pitts is a Professor in the Department of Public Health at East Carolina University. Her research interests focus on obesity prevention policy change in rural areas.

Education Benefits

Participants of this webinar will receive 1 CEU for live attendance. The webinar provides information on the following:

SNEB Nutrition Educator Competencies

Nutrition Education Program Design Implementation and Evaluation

Nutrition Education and Research Methods

Food Science

CDR Performance Indicators

6.3.4, 6.3.5, 8.3.6, 10.1.1

CDR Learning Need Codes

3010, 4050, 2090