Family Nutrition - Online Certificates in Nutrition, Fitness, and Hea

The Online OPEN ENROLLMENT Professional Certificate in Family Nutrition has been designed to help counteract the current toll overweight and obesity are taking on America today and its legacy of tomorrow by providing guidance for adults in role modeling healthy food choices and exercise behaviors for their children. This can help protect health care costs, the strength of the nation’s work force, and the happiness and well-being of tomorrow’s citizens from the detrimental affects overweight and obesity can produce. The certificate will also examine the numerous influences that an expecting mother’s food choices, the food choices of the family and friends, and the children’s own food attitudes and behaviors can impact weight and health.

Parents, teachers, allied health/medical and fitness professionals, school administrators, caregivers, and virtually all of those who work with children in school, day care, or in after-school programs can benefit from this certificate, as it provides concrete actions that adults can take in place of simply watching this problem unfold.

Click here to review a detailed Certificate Program Fact Sheet.
Click here for a list of CECs/CEUs.

Certificate Course Descriptions

Course 1: Healthy Moms and Infant Nutrition
Instructor: Rachel Blaine, MPH, RD
Navigating through evidence-based research, this course will explore important nutritional recommendations for preconception, pregnancy, and infant and toddler feeding. In addition, it will also address strategies for families (healthy meal and snack ideas, exercise, family support) to embrace healthy living and eating post-delivery. This course will debunk many common myths and provide a basic understanding of the most current maternal and child nutrition recommendations. Learn why early nutrition is the key to preventing childhood obesity and obesity later in life, as well as where to find excellent books and online resources for deeper exploration of topics of interest.

Course 2: Healthy Children Nutrition: At the Home, Work and External Environments
Instructor: Christen Cooper, MS, RD
This course is designed for allied health professionals and childhood educators concerned with nutrition in addition to parents or caregivers interested in expanding their nutrition knowledge. Utilizing evidence-based research, explore the role and impact of three predominant nutrition environments that affect a child’s food choices: the home, the school, and the external environment. Topics covered include: navigating the fast food jungle, addressing media and marketing to children, identifying the connection between nutrition and school performance and behavior, exploring successful parental feeding behaviors, and general strategies for childhood overweight and obesity prevention.