Interests

     As a community nutritionist, my interests are generated by nutrition and health issues throughout Alabama. As Alabama has a high infant mortality rate and a low breastfeeding rate, prenatal nutrition and breastfeeding, as well as infant health, are important issues. The Nutrition Education Program (NEP), co-sponsored by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Food Stamp Program through the Food and Nutrition Service, offers extensive nutrition education opportunities throughout the state. Nutrition-related issues are addressed through NEP instruction to virtually every population in the state. A major emphasis of NEP has been school-based nutrition education.

Selected Publications

• Struempler, B, Cobrin, S. 2002. Feed your mind: An interactive nutrition evaluation for teenagers. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 34:59-60.
  
  
• Struempler, B, Hayner, D. 2001. Come and get it. Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University, AL (evaluation and game packet available for sale).
  
  
• Struempler, B and Cobrin, S. 2001. Feed your mind. Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University, AL (evaluation and game packet available for sale).
  
  
• Struempler, B, Marshall A. 1999. Using low-literacy newsletters to provide nutrition education for limited-resource individuals. Journal of Nutrition Education, 31:64-65.
  
  
• Struempler, B, Brown A, Sanders L, Delinek S. 1999. Understanding of the new food label by extension professionals. Journal of Extension, 35:1-5.

Selected Research Projects

Simply Good Cooking: Peer Support Intervention for Cardiovascular Risk among African American Women. This four-year community intervention project promoted heart-healthy nutrition (and cooking) and physical activity in approximately 50 women in Uniontown, Alabama.

Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (NEP). This community education program has been available in Alabama for six years. I coordinate nutrition materials, curricula and evaluations for nutrition educators to use in all 67 counties. There are nutrition materials for all populations.

Dissertations and Theses Directed

• Staphanie Cobrin, M.S., 2000
  Knowledge and behavior changes among limited-resource teenagers in a nutrition education program.
  
  
• Jennifer Derrig, M.S., 2000
  Factors influencing infant feeding choice of females enrolled in an in-home breastfeeding support program.
  
  
• Autumn Marshall, Ph.D., 1999
  Effects of social marketing as a medium for nutrition education for limited-resource Alabaamians.
  
  
• Astrid Innis, M.S., 1999
  Assessment of body image and eating disturbances among children 9-13 years.