March is National Nutrition Month!

Join the Department of Nutrition in celebrating National Nutrition Month and National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day! This March, take small steps toward better nutrition — try a new food each week, enjoy more family meals together or get everyone involved in meal prep. And don’t forget to show appreciation for the RDNs who make a difference in your life!

Follow along with our National Nutrition Month campaign on Instagram to see how the Department is celebrating National Nutrition Month!

Nutrition and Dietetics Association shares National Nutrition Month joy on West Campus

The Texas A&M University Nutrition and Dietetics Association kicked off National Nutrition Month in the best way — by sharing fresh produce and spreading the word about healthy eating! 🥕🍎🥦 We hope you got to join in on the celebration! 🌱💚

Check out @tamu_nda to follow along with their National Nutrition Month celebrations!

National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day: Celebrating our registered dietitians!

March 12 was Registered Dietitian Day, and here in the Department of Nutrition, we are fortunate to have some truly incredible RDNs who contribute immeasurably to our program. Without their expertise, dedication and passion, the department wouldn’t be what it is today!

This month, take a moment to recognize and appreciate the RDNs in your life for the vital role they play in advancing health and wellness.

Let "Food Connect Us" — Join us for baked potatoes at Borlaug!

Join us in honoring this year’s National Nutrition Month theme, "Food Connects Us," by gathering over a Texas favorite — baked potatoes! Stop by on Thursday, March 27, from 12 to 3 p.m. (or until we run out) to enjoy good food and great company. All are welcome!

NSGA hosts tote painting social

The Nutritional Science Graduate Association recently hosted a fun and creative tote painting social! Students had the chance to unwind, get artistic and personalize their own reusable totes while connecting with peers. Thank you to everyone who joined — we love seeing our nutrition community come together. Stay tuned for more events like this! @NSGA_TAMU

MyPlate Ambassadors lead recipe testing for school lunch menus

As part of the MyPlate Ambassador Program, an initiative through the Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, high school students are taking the lead in promoting nutrition education and improving school meals. On Feb. 27, a Houston-based school — one of five selected to host a recipe testing event — held a MyPlate Ambassador Program Taste Testing.

Students sampled three recipes incorporating MyPlate food groups: radish and corn salsa, Spanish rice, and a chicken pita sandwich. The MyPlate ambassadors spearheaded recipe selection, event planning and promotion within their school. These recipe testing events highlight nutritionally balanced, flavorful dishes that could potentially make their way onto school lunch menus, helping to improve the health of young Texans.

Aashi Srivastava, an undergraduate nutrition student conducting research in the lab of Masako Suzuki, Ph.D., has been honored with the American Society for Nutrition, ASN, Foundation Undergraduate Diversity Research Fellowship for her research proposal titled "Oxidative Stress in Obesity: Impact of Dietary Modulation and Genetic-Background Variations."

Under the guidance of Suzuki, Srivastava will conduct research and prepare to submit an abstract and present research on this topic during ASN’s annual flagship meeting, NUTRITION 2026.

Mia Putnam recently won a 2025 Meritorious Abstract Award for her abstract submission to the Society of Behavioral Medicine Conference. Her abstract will be presented in March:

Putnam M, Erickson TA, Szeszulski J. Healthy Eating Index and Metabolic Syndrome Risk among Adolescent Populations: An NHANES 2009-2018 analysis. Accepted as a poster presentation to the Society of Behavioral Medicine Conference, San Franciso, CA, USA. March 2025. [2025 Meritorious Abstract Award Winner]

Meet Hannah Fox, a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition student whose passion for nutrition and clinical care has led her to an incredible opportunity. She has been selected as an ACEND Board Dietetic Student Representative, a national role where she will help shape the future of dietetics education. From her experience in a tertiary care hospital to her goals of working in organ transplant nutrition, Fox is dedicated to making an impact in the field.

Read more about her journey, achievements, and how she’s applying her nutrition knowledge both in and out of the classroom!

Publications

Crespo NC, Vega-López S, Szeszulski J, et al. Efficacy of a Community- and Family-Based Intervention on Cardiovascular Fitness and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors Among Primarily Latino Families. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/08901171251316926 VIEW HERE

Rethorst CD, Demment M, Ha S, Folta SC, Graham ML, Eldridge GD, Seguin-Fowler RA. Heterogeneity in Health Outcomes in the Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities-2.0 Multilevel Intervention in a Publication CR This paper reports findings on work to identify predictors of intervention response to the SHHC-2.0 intervention. 8 Community-Randomized Trial: An Exploratory Study of Moderators., Nutrients, 16(24):4353, 2024. VIEW HERE

Abstracts

Putnam M, Erickson TA, Szeszulski J. Healthy Eating Index and Metabolic Syndrome Risk among Adolescent Populations: An NHANES 2009-2018 analysis. Accepted as a poster presentation to the Society of Behavioral Medicine Conference, San Franciso, CA, USA. March 2025. [2025 Citation Abstract Award Winner]

MacMillan Uribe AL, Gupta M, Largacha-Cevallos E, Xin L, Trevino V, McNeely A, Szeszulski J, Rethorst C, Seguin-Fowler RA. Evaluating the feasibility of a produce prescription plus education and selfmonitoring support program among adults with elevated blood pressure from a low-income urban community in the United States.

Oral and Poster Presentations

Lewis EC, Umstattd Meyer MR, Janda-Thomte KM, Maddock JE, Palma MA, McNeely AC, Olawuyi YO, Seguin-Fowler RA. Agrihoods as a Bridge Between Residential Community, Agriculture, Food, and Green Space: A Review of Opportunities and Challenges for Improved Health. Accepted for poster presentation in: 2025 Nature and Health Conference; 2025 April 27-29; Houston, TX.

MacMillan Uribe AL, Borchers L, Wang X, Trevino V, Eicher-Miller HA, Nayga R, Seguin-Fowler RA, Szeszulski J. Characterizing Nutrition Security and Perceived Diet Quality Among Food-Insecure Guests at Pay-What-You-Can Community Cafes in the United States. (Delivered by A. MacMillan Uribe) International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Auckland, New Zealand. 2025.

Seguin-Fowler RA, Civic Engagement for Policies, Systems, and Environmental Change to Make Medically Underserved Rural Communities Healthier Places to Live. National Health Outreach & Engagement Conference. Omaha, Nebraska. 2025.

MacMillan Uribe AL, Gupta M, Largacha-Cevallos E, Xin L, Trevino V, Szeszulski J, Seguin-Fowler R. Evaluating the feasibility of a produce prescription blood pressure management program among adults with elevated blood pressure from a low-income urban community in the United States. Accepted as an oral presentation at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Auckland, New Zealand. June 2025.

Szeszulski J, Putnam M, Gardner J, MacMillan Uribe AL, Rethorst C, Schaefers A, Seguin-Fowler R, Butler P. A Randomized Pilot Study Evaluating the Impact of a New Program and Implementation Strategy on Acceptability, Appropriateness, and Feasibility of the Healthy School Recognized Campus Initiative in Middle Schools in Texas, United States. Accepted as an oral presentation at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Auckland, New Zealand. June 2025. 11

Beattie, C., Umstattd Meyer, MR., Wende, M., Szeszulski J., Vigil, J., Stroope, J., Enriquez, S., Holston, D., Pollack Porter, K. Rural Play Streets Implementation Strategies: Domains within the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Accepted as a poster presentation at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Auckland, New Zealand. June 2025.

Marstall K, DeMello G, Putnam M, Gardner J, Kirk A, MacMillan Uribe AL, Nguyen M, Schaefers A, Smith M, Steele M, Szeszulski J. MyPlate Food Ambassadors Changing Environments and Systems (FACES) in Texas, United States: Study Design and Baseline Nutrition Profiles. Accepted as an oral presentation at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Auckland, New Zealand. June 2025.

Giving to the Department of Nutrition

The quality of education for nutrition students at Texas A&M University is shaped by the invaluable contributions of a diverse educational team. This includes not only faculty and staff but also donors, advisory committee members, guest speakers, industry leaders, internship supervisors, employers, community partners and many others. Together, they enrich the student experience and support the department's mission to advance the field of nutrition.

You can support the Department of Nutrition by making an endowed gift, which provides lasting support, or by contributing a non-endowed gift for immediate use toward a specific purpose. Your generosity plays a critical role in fostering student success and innovation in the field of nutrition.

About the Department of Nutrition

The Department of Nutrition at Texas A&M University is committed to providing students with an exceptional education that equips them with the knowledge, skills and expertise to excel as leaders in nutrition, health and food systems. Our students receive a comprehensive, science-driven education that prepares them for careers in health care, clinical nutrition, research, public health and more.

We offer a range of programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, minors and certificates, to help students expand and tailor their educational journey. With guidance from our experienced faculty and staff, who bring cutting-edge research and real-world expertise to the classroom, students are supported every step of the way as they prepare to address the complex challenges in the field of nutrition.

aglifesciences.tamu.edu | nutrition.tamu.edu 

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