An Ohio University program is giving 18 senior nutrition and dietetic majors this semester the opportunity to work with people who are trying to lose weight.
The Nutrition Treatment Program has been offered by the College of Health Sciences and Professions for more than three years and allows students to be nutrition counselors to members of the community.
“The objective is to provide low-cost nutritional counseling services to the university and community so that individuals can realize their nutritional goals,” said Deb Murray, assistant professor of nutrition and applied nutrition.
Each student is assigned a client in the program and meets with them for four one-hour sessions throughout the semester, in which the student helps to identify problems with clients’ diet and provide healthy solutions.
“It is great that we are able to apply our knowledge because when we get a job we are going to be working with clients, not writing papers and studying textbooks,” said Chelsey Walton, a senior studying dietetics.
Clients are required to track what they put into their bodies.
“It helps put (diet) into perspective for the client so that they can find out what they need to change,” Murray said.
As sessions progress, students help clients make realistic goals and keep track of how well the clients meets those goals.
Walton said she has enjoyed working with her client.
“It is surprising how comfortable I have gotten with my client and how invested I am in helping her reach her goals,” she said.
In addition to the practical-application counseling, students spend time in a seminar class each week discussing their progress and experience with classmates.
“For each one-hour counseling session students do about three to five hours of prep time,” Murray said.
Usually only eight to 12 students are enrolled in the program, Murray said.
Murray said she finds clients for each student participating, recruiting everyone from faculty members to community members to children accompanied by a parent to participate.
Anyone who is looking for a nutritional change can participate, Murray said.
“It can be someone who wants to gain weight, lose weight, or even just become more educated about nutrition,” she added.
hr332511@ohiou.edu
