Individualized Nutrition Consultation starts March 1

Individualized Nutrition Consultation starts March 1February 07, 2006Carol K. Masiclatclkim@syr.edu

Want a reality check regarding your nutritional health? Want to develop reasonable changes you can live with and stick to? Starting March 1, students, faculty and staff of Syracuse University and members of the Syracuse community will have the chance to get convenient, confidential, one-on-one nutrition counseling through a program being offered by the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management in the College of Human Services and Health Professions (HSHP) and the Recreation Services Department at SU.

Individualized Nutrition Consultation (INC) allows participants to meet with a nutrition consultant three to four times to receive personalized, lifestyle-focused advice on how to improve dietary intake and make healthy nutrition choices. The consultants, nutrition seniors and graduate students, are supervised by registered dietitians Tanya Horacek and Rochell Hummel. Horacek is associate professor in the nutrition and hospitality management department at HSHP.

“Over the past six years, our student nutrition consultants have served around 250 satisfied clients,” says Horacek. “The students are trained and certified to provide this ‘non-diet’ lifestyle-oriented collaborative nutrition assistance.”

INC appointments are scheduled for a convenient time for the consultant and client, and held in a private conference room or the client’s office. Consultants work with clients from a lifestyle-oriented approach, focusing on the client as a whole person, not just what they are eating.

During the first visit, the consultant will make a detailed assessment of the client’s medical, dietary, weight, exercise and lifestyle factors. This visit includes the clarification of a three-day food record the client has kept in the days prior tothe appointment. The second visit is devoted to reviewing feedback regarding the client’s dietary quality, identifying goals and creating a plan. On the third and fourth visits, the consultant will provide support for the client as they embark on the process of improving their nutrition and health.

The registration deadline for INC is Feb. 15, and space is limited. Registration fees for the program are: $25 for SU students, $35 for SU employees and their spouses and $40 for the general public. A screening process includes medical and dietary surveys to be completed by participants. Surveys must be completed and submitted by Feb. 17 for review and counselor assignment by Horacek by the March 1 start date. INC appointments will take place March 1-May 1. Counseling clients who sign up and complete three to four sessions will have their names entered in a drawing for a variety of prizes.

To register for the program visit the office at 241 Archbold, log on tohttp://students.syr.edu/recreation/fitness/classes.htmor call 443-4386.

For more information, contact Tanya Horacek at 443-9323 or thoracek@syr.edu.