Advancing Equity: Cultural Competency in Nutrition

Chair(s)

• JS

  Joachim Sackey, PhD (he/him/his)

  Associate Professor
  Rutgers University, School of Health Professions
  Newark, New Jersey, United States

  Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Speaker(s)

• 

  Angela Odoms-Young, PhD

  Associate Professor
  Cornell University
  Ithaca, New York, United States

  Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
• 

  Cristina Palacios, PhD

  Professor and Chair
  Dietetics and Nutrition
  Florida International University
  Miami, Florida, United States

  Disclosure(s): National Dairy Council: Grant/Research Support (Ongoing)

Presenting Author(s)

• MR

  Minakshi Raj, PhD, MPH (she/her/hers)

  Assistant Professor
  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  Urbana, Illinois, United States

  Disclosure(s): McCormick Science Institute: Grant/Research Support (Ongoing)
• KR

  Katie Reeves, Graduate (she/her/hers)

  Student
  St. Catherine University
  White Bear Lake, Minnesota, United States

  Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

This session will provide a deeper understanding of how creating culturally sensitive nutrition education materials and programs, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, contribute to effectively reaching diverse populations. Specifically, this session will discuss the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC)’s application of a “health equity lens” in its work and the importance of culturally tailored dietary interventions. Additionally, this session will integrate diverse perspectives including abstract flash talk presentation discussing culturally tailored diet interventions to highlight new emerging research. The session will conclude with a panel discussion with all speakers.

Presentations:

• 2:00 PM – 2:05 PM ET

  Welcome and Introductions - Advancing Equity: Cultural Competency in Nutrition
  

  Chair: Joachim D. Sackey, PhD (he/him/his) – Rutgers University, School of Health Professions
• 2:05 PM – 2:25 PM ET

  2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC)’s Application of a Health Equity Lens
  

  Speaker: Angela Odoms-Young, PhD – Cornell University
• 2:25 PM – 2:45 PM ET

  Importance of Culturally Tailored Dietary Interventions
  

  Speaker: Cristina Palacios, PhD – Florida International University
• 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM ET

  Usability of a Novel Culturally Tailored Platform to Support Personalized and Inclusive Cuisines in Environments for Healthcare
  

  Presenting Author: Minakshi Raj, PhD, MPH (she/her/hers) – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Haeley A. Peters, BA, BS (she/her/hers) – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Jemimah O. Bakare, MS (she/her/hers) – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Fangyu Zhou – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Varsha Chikkamagaluru Lakshmikanth – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Rituparna Jana – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Lisa Gatzke – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Matthew Berry – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Ian Brooks – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Margarita Teran-Garcia, MD, PhD – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  Co-Author: Naiman A. Khan, PhD, RD – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM ET

  Factors Affecting Implementation of a Medically-Tailored Grocery Intervention for Hispanic/Latine Individuals With Hypertension
  

  Presenting Author: Katie Reeves, Graduate (she/her/hers) – St. Catherine University

  Co-Author: Ambria Crusan, PhD, MS, RD/LD (she/her/hers) – St. Catherine University

  Co-Author: Angela Evans – St. Catherine University

  Co-Author: Clara Godoy-Henderson, BS – University of Minnesota
• 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM ET

  Panel Discussion / Questions and Answers - Advancing Equity: Cultural Competency in Nutrition
  

  Chair: Joachim D. Sackey, PhD (he/him/his) – Rutgers University, School of Health Professions

  Speaker: Angela Odoms-Young, PhD – Cornell University

  Speaker: Cristina Palacios, PhD – Florida International University

  Speaker: Minakshi Raj, PhD, MPH (she/her/hers) – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Speaker: Katie Reeves, Graduate (she/her/hers) – St. Catherine University