Nedra Christensen, Ph.D
Contact Information
| Phone: | 801-484-9374 |
|---|---|
| Email: | Send Email |
| Office: | NFS 207E |
| Address: |
|---|
| 8700 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-8700 |
Dr. Nedra Christensen is a professor in the Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences Department. She is also one of the newest faculty fellows at the Center for Persons with Disabilities.
Her efforts include adapting a nutrition curriculum developed by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed, formally known as the Food Stamp Program) for people with disabilities. It’s groundbreaking work, because no other state has nutrition education specifically for people with disabilities. There is a real need for adults with developmental disabilities to understand good eating habits that will improve overall health and help prevent obesity, Dr. Christensen said.
A graduate student is involved in the project. Barb Fiechtl, another faculty fellow from the Department of Special Education provided valuable information in teaching those with a disability, and is also involved in adapting the curriculum to people with disabilities.
Three nutrition education assistants from the community are employed to provide the training within the group homes. The program currently reaches 104 people with disabilities in several group homes throughout the state.
Another project provides nutrition training to refugees through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It teaches nutrition to people who apply for SNAP assistance.
The curriculum uses a lot of pictures to aid communication, and it brings in people who have learned English to teach concepts to people who are new in the country. It involves one graduate student from the Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program. In addition, two employees teach the classes.
Dr. Christensen said the curriculum has been adapted to fit people from other cultures. The classes have introduced people to the idea of using a freezer, for example, or finding lower-cost alternatives to the foods that were common in their home country but prohibitively expensive here.
Finally, Dr. Christensen is involved in screenings for refugees at the LDS Church Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City. Three times a year, specialists from the URLEND program screen people who come to the clinic for medical, dental and audiology needs, and they screen specifically for diabetes. Five URLEND trainees participate in the clinics, where 140 people have received the services so far.
