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Two NIU faculty earn national recognition

July 19, 2021

Henna

Henna Muzaffar, assistant professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Nancy Prange, Dietetic Internship Director, were named the 2021 Nutrition Education for the Public Award of Excellence winners by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Nancy Prange

They received the award for their work with Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) program in Northern Illinois. NIU staff, faculty and students have supported CATCH and its efforts to promote healthy food choices, increased physical activity, and a reduction in screen time in elementary schools for nearly a decade.

“Health promotion programs like CATCH curb the overweight and obesity epidemic in children, adolescents, and their families,” Muzaffar said. “Since 2018, efforts have been made to evaluate the program formally and expand it to include cooking and gardening components which promote fruit and vegetable intake.

In addition, an NIU team of researchers are developing lessons to extend the program to middle schools in Northern Illinois.

Learn more about NIU’s Nutrition and Dietetics program.