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UC Davis Nutrition

@ucdavisnutrition

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✨Transforming Lives - From Cells to Communities
📍UC Davis Dept of Nutrition

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What if nutrition advice could be as individual as you are?
We know that people can respond differently to the same foods. But how can we use that knowledge to develop more personalized approaches to nutrition and health?

Join @UCDavis Department of Nutrition for Coffee & Conversations: The Future of Precision Nutrition, a virtual panel exploring emerging opportunities, current research, and what comes next for precision nutrition. Panelists include UC Davis Nutrition faculty Drs. Angela Zivkovic, Brian Bennett, Guodong Zhang, and Francene Steinberg moderated by Dr. Sean Adams, Vice Chair for Basic Research and Professor in the @ucdavissurgery.

📅 November 17, 2026
⏰ 12 p.m. PST
💻 Virtual via Zoom
🎟️ Free to attend

#PrecisionNutrition #NutritionScience #UCDavis #PublicHealth #NutritionResearch

Image description: Photos of the panelist and moderator. Image text: The Future of Precision NutritionThe conversation will explore the future of precision nutrition, including where the field is headed, emerging opportunities, and the innovative work our department is currently exploring in this space. UC Davis Nutrition faculty Drs. Angela Zivkovic, Brian Bennett, Guodong Zhang, and Francene Steinberg moderated by Dr. Sean Adams, Vice Chair for Basic Research and Professor in the UC Davis Department of Surgery. by @ucdavisnutrition

Ready to make an impact through nutrition?
At @ucdavis, you’ll learn from world-leading experts, engage in hands-on research, and join a vibrant community dedicated to improving health across the globe.

#ucdnutrition #nutritionresearch #graduateprogram #nutritionscience #undergraduate by @ucdavisnutrition

What role does food play in the prevention of disease and promotion of human health? Scientists in the UC Davis Nutrition Department conduct clinical trials with human subjects to investigate relationships of food components and essential nutrients with health and wellness. Learn more about clinical studies and how to become a research participant at the link in our bio!

#NutritionScience #UCDavis #HealthResearch #clinicalstudies #UCDavisnutrition #NutritionResearch #UCDavis #PrecisionNutrition by @ucdavisnutrition

Ready to take your passion for nutrition to the next level? 🌱

The Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology (GGNB) at @ucdavis offers MS and PhD pathways for students interested in advancing nutrition science through research, discovery, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Your next chapter in nutrition research could start here.
Explore the program and start your application today!

Image description: UC Davis campus photo paired with the GGNB name. Image text: YOUR FUTURE IN NUTRITION STARTS HERE. Graduate applications now open. by @ucdavisnutrition

Research by Dr. Katherine Soule, @UCANR and colleagues explored how local agencies implementing California’s SNAP-Ed program used community-centered strategies to support youth and family health.

The key takeaway from this research? Building on community strengths and listening to local voices can help create more responsive, effective nutrition and health programs.

Read the full study at the link in bio!

#SNAPEd #CommunityHealth #NutritionEducation #HealthEquity #UCANR

Image description: A chart with graphics depicting trusted relationships, community voices and community champions. Image text: What can strengthen SNAP-Ed? Trusted relationships. Staff with shared lived experiences helped foster trust. Community voices. Programs adapted lessons, timing and incentives based on participant feedback. Community champions. Local partners helped co-lead nutrition and physical-activity initiatives. by @ucdavisnutrition

How we teach students matters just as much as what we teach.

Dr. Debbie Fetter (@phdeats) in the @UCDavis Department of Nutrition studied how open-book exams compare with traditional closed-book exams in an online introductory nutrition course. Her study found that students taking the open-book format performed worse on the first exam but better on the second, suggesting that there may have been a learning curve in figuring out how to approach this exam type.

Although this research was conducted before the widespread use of generative AI, its findings remain highly relevant as educators rethink assessments that promote critical thinking, real-world problem-solving, and academic integrity.

At UC Davis, advancing nutrition science also means preparing the next generation of nutrition scientists, dietitians, and health professionals.

#UCDavis #NutritionEducation #NutritionScience #HigherEducation #TeachingInnovation #EvidenceBasedEducation #FutureRD #NutritionResearch

Image descriptions: 1. A woman in a blue dress stands among students lecturing. 2. A woman in a blue sweatshirt works on her laptop with books scattered around her desk. 3.A person in a green beanie and red jacket sits at a desk with a laptop looking upward. 4. Four students sit around a table with open textbooks, writing and reading together. Image text: How do we promote critical thinking in the next generation of professionals? Dr. Fetter compared open-book and closed-book exams in an introductory nutrition course. She found that while the students taking the open-book format performed worse on the first exam, they did better on the second. Suggesting that there may have been a learning curve in figuring out how to approach this exam type. Well-designed assessments can promote critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making. Rethinking assessment means asking not just what students can remember, but how effectively they can use what they’ve learned. by @ucdavisnutrition

Ketones, aging and memory—could sex make a difference?

A new study in 24-month-old mice found that a ketone monoester had different effects in males and females.

Males: lower body fat + higher relative lean mass
Females: fewer memory errors + lower hippocampal inflammation

The findings point to the importance of studying sex-specific responses to ketone-based interventions in aging.

🐭 These findings are from mice, so more research is needed to determine what they may mean for humans.

Read the article at the link in bio.

#NutritionResearch #HealthyAging #Ketones #CognitiveHealth #AgingResearch #Metabolism

Image description: A small cluster of supplements scattered across a light background with a tipped over bottle to the side. Image text: Can ketone supplements affect aging differently by sex? New research explores the effects of a ketone monoester in aged male and female mice. by @ucdavisnutrition

Can mindfulness help young children build healthier habits?

New research from Dr. Katherine Soule at @UCDavis and colleagues explores the feasibility and effectiveness of Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies—a four-lesson mindfulness intervention designed for early childhood settings.

The two-state pilot included 96 children in California and New Hampshire and found significant improvements across 14 measured behaviors, including mindful eating, yoga and physical activity, emotional expression, attention, and reflection.

The study also found that the curriculum was well received by educators and families and could be integrated into early childhood nutrition education with relatively few adaptations.

Congratulations to Dr. Soule and colleague, their program, program Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies received 2nd Place National Award for Early Childhood Education from the National Association of Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NAEAFCS)

While more research—including controlled trials and longer-term follow-up—is needed, these findings offer promising evidence for combining mindfulness, nutrition, physical activity and social-emotional learning to support young children's development.

@UCANR
Read the study at the link in bio.

Image description: children, seated with eyes closed and hands in a circle. Image text: Mindful Kids, Healthier Habits. Statistically significant improvements: Mindful eating Physical activity Yoga practice Attention Social-emotional skills. Exploring mindfulness, nutrition and well-being in early childhood by @ucdavisnutrition

UC Davis Nutrition Professor, Dr. Debbie Fetter (@phdeats), shares her expertise with @Preventionmag, a consumer health magazine, on how different forms of fruits and vegetables compare nutritionally.

Her takeaway? Canned produce can still provide important nutrients, even though some nutrients may be reduced during the canning process. And a simple tip can help reduce sodium: drain and rinse canned vegetables and beans before eating.

The bigger picture? Choosing the form that is convenient, affordable and helps you eat more fruits and vegetables regularly is a nutritious choice.

Read the full article at the link in bio.

Image description: A woman stands in the produce section of a grocery story with a basket filled with produce. Image text: Fresh, Frozen or Canned? Does how you buy your fruits and vegetables affect their nutrition? UC Davis nutrition expert Debbie Fetter, PhD, weighs in. by @ucdavisnutrition

The Department of Nutrition at @UCDavis is seeking a dynamic leader and educator to join us as an Academic Administrator & Adjunct Professor in Maternal and Child Nutrition MCN UC Davis.

This unique 50/50 role combines program leadership with teaching and scholarship, offering the opportunity to shape the future of the Master of Advanced Study in Maternal and Child Nutrition program while contributing to cutting-edge research and education.

🔗 Learn more and apply at the link in bio!

We welcome applicants committed to excellence in graduate education, program leadership, and advancing maternal and child health.

#AcademicJobs #Nutrition #MaternalHealth #HigherEducation #UCDavis

Image description: A person holding a baby, with the baby looking towards the viewer. Image text: We Are Hiring. Academic Administrator and Adjunct Professor in Maternal and Child Nutrition. Qualifications: Ph.D. or equivalent degree in nutrition or closely related field, with expertise in Maternal and Child Nutrition. International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification by @ucdavisnutrition

How can engineering help advance precision nutrition?

Carolyn Slupsky, Ph.D., professor in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, brought her expertise in nutrition and precision nutrition to this question as a member of the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) Thematic Task Force.

Working with colleagues across engineering, food systems and health, Dr. Slupsky helped identify research priorities, led breakout discussions, and contributed to developing and refining the report, Engineering Food Systems to Enable Precision Nutrition.

Her contributions helped connect nutrition research with engineering challenges and opportunities, bringing a nutrition perspective to a shared research agenda for advancing precision nutrition.

Read more at the link in bio!

#PrecisionNutrition #NutritionScience #EngineeringInnovation #FoodSystems #NutritionResearch #HealthTech

Image description: a photo of a woman in a dark blue shirt. Image text: Dr. Carolyn Slupsky Helps Shape the Future of Precision Nutrition. by @ucdavisnutrition

A growth chart shows where a baby is at one point in time. A growth trajectory shows how that baby grows over time.

In a new study of infants in Malawi and the United States, researchers looked at whether different patterns of growth were linked to attention and memory. The results were more complex than “more growth is better.”

For example, girls in Malawi who grew the least in length took more time to respond during attention tests at 6–9 months old. Boys who grew less in length responded faster, but switched their attention less often. Boys who gained more weight took more time to respond in the U.S. group. In Malawi, boys who gained more weight showed less interest in new things at 12–15 months old.

These are exploratory findings. They do not show that growth patterns caused differences in attention or memory. They do raise an important question: What can a child’s pattern of growth tell us about early development?

Link to the article is in our bio!

#InfantDevelopment #ChildNutrition #EarlyLifeNutrition #NutritionResearch #DevelopmentalScience #Neurodevelopment #GrowthTrajectories #InfantNutrition #EarlyChildhood

Image description: Baby lying on a play mat, reaching upward toward hanging colorful toys. Image text: Growth trajectory may matter. Early growth patterns were associated with differences in attention and memory in infancy. by @ucdavisnutrition