Positions

Research Areas research areas

Overview

  • Dr. Noereem Z. Mena is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Assistant Professor of Nutrition in the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Mena's research efforts are focused on promoting healthy eating behaviors in early childhood.

    • Selected Publications

    Academic Article

    Year Title
    2023 Editorial: The use of digital technologies in the promotion of children's health..  Frontiers in Pediatrics.  11:1304068. 2023
    2022 A Narrative Review of Dietary Assessment Tools for Preschool-Aged Children in the Home Environment..  Nutrients.  14:4793. 2022
    2022 A multi-component tailored intervention in family childcare homes improves diet quality and sedentary behavior of preschool children compared to an attention control: results from the Healthy Start-Comienzos Sanos cluster randomized trial.  International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.  19:1-18. 2022
    2022 Strengthening nutrition education and behavior research for academicians and practitioners.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  54:84-93. 2022
    2022 “There’sa Lot of Like, Contradicting Stuff”—Views on Healthy Living during Pregnancy and Postpartum.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.  19:5849. 2022
    2021 College students’ views on functional, interactive and critical nutrition literacy: a qualitative study.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.  18:1124. 2021
    2021 Ethnic differences in family childcare providers’ nutrition-and activity-related attitudes and barriers.  Journal of Obesity.  2021. 2021
    2021 Food photography as a tool to assess type, quantity, and quality of foods in parent-packed lunches for preschoolers.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  53:164-173. 2021
    2021 O19 A Mindful Parenting Intervention for Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  53:S9. 2021
    2021 Quality Nutrition Education Materials for Pregnant or Lactating Women and Children Ages 0–24 Months Old.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  53:369. 2021
    2021 The SPORKS For Kids: Integrating Movement Into Nutrition Education.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  53:903-906. 2021
    2020 Communication with family child care providers and feeding preschool-aged children: parental perspectives.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  52:10-20. 2020
    2020 Dietary Contributors to Food Group Intake in Preschool Children Attending Family Childcare Homes.  Current Developments in Nutrition.  4:268-268. 2020
    2020 Dietary contributors to food group intake in preschool children attending family childcare homes: differences between latino and non-Latino providers.  Nutrients.  12:3686. 2020
    2020 Exploring parenting contexts of Latinx 2-to-5-year old children's sleep: qualitative evidence informing intervention development.  Journal of Pediatric Nursing.  54:93-100. 2020
    2020 Exploring the provider-level socio-demographic determinants of diet quality of preschool-aged children attending family childcare homes.  Nutrients.  12:1368. 2020
    2020 Farm to Early Care and Education Programming: A Descriptive Study of Challenges and Opportunities to Promote Healthful Foods to Young Children.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.  17:6857. 2020
    2020 P135 The SPORKS for Kids: A Preschool Nutrition Education Program to Increase Children's Willingness to Try New Foods.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  52:S80. 2020
    2020 P5 Understanding Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Efforts in Colorado.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  52:S17-S18. 2020
    2019 Improving nutrition and physical activity environments of family child care homes: The rationale, design and study protocol of the ‘Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos’ cluster randomized trial.  BMC Public Health.  19:1-20. 2019
    2019 Improving nutrition and physical activity environments of family child care homes: the rationale, design and study protocol of the ‘Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos’ cluster randomized trial 2019
    2019 Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and health behaviors of bone health among Caribbean Hispanic/Latino adults.  Archives of Osteoporosis.  14:1-17. 2019
    2019 Micronutrient adequacy in preschool children attending family child care homes.  Nutrients.  11:2134. 2019
    2019 Nutrition-related practices of family child care providers and differences by ethnicity.  Childhood Obesity.  15:167-184. 2019
    2019 P148 Parent and Family Childcare Home Provider Feeding Practices and Child Diet Quality at Home and in Childcare.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  51:S99. 2019
    2018 Community-based childhood obesity prevention intervention for parents improves health behaviors and food parenting practices among Hispanic, low-income parents.  BMC obesity.  5:1-10. 2018
    2017 Are Children Who Attend Family Child-Care Homes Meeting Dietary Recommendations at Home?.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  49:S48-S49. 2017
    2017 Are Meals and Snacks Consumed by Preschool‐aged Children in Family Child Care Homes Meeting the Dietary Guidelines?.  The FASEB Journal.  31:lb459-lb459. 2017
    2015 Contextual and cultural influences on parental feeding practices and involvement in child care centers among Hispanic parents.  Childhood Obesity.  11:347-354. 2015
    2015 Nutrition and physical activity environments of home-based child care: what Hispanic providers have to say.  Childhood Obesity.  11:521-529. 2015
    2015 Peer reviewed: An assessment of nutrition practices and attitudes in family child-care homes: Implications for policy implementation.  Preventing Chronic Diseases: Public health research, practice, and policy .  12. 2015
    2014 A systematic review of obesity prevention intervention studies among immigrant populations in the US.  Current Obesity Reports.  3:206-222. 2014
    2014 Contextual and cultural influences on parental feeding practices among Hispanics (LB465).  The FASEB Journal.  28:LB465. 2014

    Conference Paper

    Year Title
    2022 ACCEPTABILITY OF DIGITAL APPS DEVELOPED TO ENGAGE PRESCHOOLERS IN FOOD TASTING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE HOME ENVIRONMENT.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine. S103-S103. 2022
    2022 THE HEROS STUDY: ENGAGING MOTHERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOLERS'PHYSICAL LITERACY.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine. S629-S629. 2022
    2020 INCREASING PRESCHOOLERS'PHYSICAL ACTIVITY VIA A MOBILE APP GAME.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine. S641-S641. 2020
    2019 Associations between food swamps, foods served by ethnically diverse family child care home providers and diet quality of 2-5 year old children.  APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2-Nov. 6). 2019
    2019 DO FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS MEET BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SCREENTIME PRACTICES?.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine. S638-S638. 2019
    2019 Participation in an Obesity Prevention Intervention Improves Diet Quality of 2-5 Year Old Children Cared for in Family Childcare Homes: Results from the Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos Trial.  APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2-Nov. 6). 2019

    Teaching Activities

  • Concepts & Controv in Wt Mgmt Taught course
  • Honors Senior Thesis Taught course
  • Honors Senior Thesis Taught course
  • Life Cycle Nutrition Taught course
  • Life Cycle Nutrition Taught course
  • Concepts & Controv in Wt Mgmt Taught course 2024
  • Honors Senior Thesis Taught course 2024
  • Life Cycle Nutrition Taught course 2023

    • Full Name

  • Noereem Mena