myBama
College of Human Environmental Sciences
Russell Hall

Community

Community

NUTRITION EDUCATION, BEHAVIORAL NUTRITION, AND COMMUNITY NUTRITION LABS

​Nutrition Education, Behavioral Nutrition, and Community Nutrition Labs

In our state-of-the-art research labs, students learn how to: 

  • Assess underlying determinants of health that lead to poor nutrition outcomes
  • Develop and evaluate behavioral nutrition interventions
  • Develop and evaluate digital health interventions
  • Assess the relationship between mental health and nutritional status
  • Utilize large data sets to evaluate population health
  • Use community-based participatory research methods
  • Use implementation science research methods to advance the use of evidence-based practice by practitioners
  • Complete multiple methods of dietary intake assessment including 3-day food records, 24-hour recalls using multiple pass methodology and the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R), and food frequency questionnaires 
  • Analyze dietary intake data 

Meet Our Research Mentors

During the application process, you will be asked to select the research lab that fits your interest.  Read more about our research mentors.    

DIET AND INFLAMMATION LAB
MENTOR:  DENIZ AZARMANESH

In this lab we strive to find the missing links between the inflammatory potential of diet and different inflammatory conditions. The focus of the lab is on mental health and inflammatory conditions in women, such as the premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Current projects answer the following questions:  :

  • What is the association of the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and PMS?
  • What are the associations of the DII, allostatic load, and depression among postmenopausal women?
  • What is the associations of the Lifestyle Inflammatory Score (LIS) and depression?

Learn more about Dr. Azarmanesh’s research at
https://dazarmanesh.people.ua.edu/

FOOD BEHAVIOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH LAB
MENTOR:  SEUNG EUN JUNG

In the Food Behavior Interdisciplinary Research lab, we aim to decrease health disparities and improve nutritional status by promoting healthy and environmentally sustainable food choices, while ensuring the long-term health of the food system.

Some of the questions we have investigated include….

* How can we develop effective social media interventions to increase college students’ intentions to consume locally grown fruits and vegetables?
* What are successful strategies for motivating individuals to improve their dietary behaviors?
* What are the major barriers and facilitators for low-income older adults in maintaining good nutritional status?

Learn more about Dr. Jung’s research at http://sejung.people.ua.edu/research.html