Most health professionals intuitively feel that a number of environmental factors affect dietary choices which, in turn, impact health. However, many environmental factors have not been studied systematically to enable practitioners to design appropriate, effective interventions. The environmental factors I study include: nutrition labeling, portion sizes, media (primarily television programming), advertising (food advertisements and body images portrayed), and food preparation and handling skills. The purpose of this work is to describe these factors, investigate their impact on dietary choices and health, develop recommendations for educational interventions, and/or validate the recommendations via educational intervention program and materials design, implementation, and evaluation.

Food Allergies

 

Visit: foodallergy.rutgers.edu

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Maurer, J. (2007) Food Allergies: Safe Food Handling to Prevent Triggering an Allergic Reaction.  Journal of Extension, 45(6):Article Number 6TOT6.

Maurer, J., Byrd-Bredbenner, C., and Grasso, D. (2007) “Know Before You Serve” – A Fact Sheet to Help Food Service Personnel Prevent Triggering Allergic Reactions in Customers with Food Allergies.  Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 48:274-283.

Maurer, J., Byrd-Bredbenner, C., and Grasso, D. (2007) “Ask Before You Eat” – Development of a Social Marketing Campaign on Food Allergies.  Social Marketing Quarterly, 13:48-70.

Food Safety

Abbot, J.M., Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Schaffner, D., Bruhn, C., Blalock, L. (In Press, 2008) Comparison of Food Safety Cognitions and Self-Reported Food Handling Behaviors with Observed Food Safety Behaviors of Young Adults.  European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Maurer, J., Wheatley, V., Schaffner, D., Bruhn, C., and Blalock, L. (In Press, 2008) Risky Eating Behaviors of Young Adults.  Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Maurer, J., Wheatley, V., Schaffner, D., and Bruhn, C. (2007) Food Safety Self-Reported Behaviors and Cognitions of Young Adults: Results of a National Study.  Journal of Food Protection, 70:1917-1926.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Maurer, J., Wheatley, V., Cottone, E., and Clancy, M. (2007) Observed Food Safety Behaviors and Skills of Young Adults.  British Food Journal, 107: 519-530.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Maurer, J., Wheatley, V., Cottone, E., and Clancy, M. (2007) Food Safety Hazards Lurk in the Kitchens of Young Adults.  Journal of Food Protection, 70:991-996.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Wheatley, V., Schaffner, D., Bruhn, C., Blalock, L., and Maurer, J. (2007) Development of Food Safety Psychosocial Questionnaires for Young Adults.  Journal of Food Science Education, 6(2):30-37.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Wheatley, V., Schaffner, D., Bruhn, C., Blalock, L., and Maurer, J. (2007) Development and Implementation of a Food Safety Knowledge Instrument.  Journal of Food Science Education, 6(3):46-55.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2002) Food Safety: An International Public Health Issue.  International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 5:59-74.

Media Content & Its Effects

Abbatangelo Gray, J., Austin, S.B., Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (In Press, 2008) Health and Nutrient Content Claims in Food Advertisements Broadcast on Hispanic and Mainstream Primetime Television.  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Cottone, E. and Byrd-Bredbenner, C.  (2007) Knowledge and Psychosocial Effects of the Film Super Size Me.  Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 107:1197-1203.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Murray, J., and Schlussel, Y.R. (2005) Temporal Changes in Anthropometric Measurements of Idealized Females and Young Women in General. Women & Health, 41(2):13-30.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2004) An Internationally Shared Health Frame of Reference Created by a Television Program: The Simpsons, A Content Analysis of Health Messages. Health Education. 104:18-24.  Paper received Highly Commended citation from Emerald Publishing Literati Club.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2003) American Television: A Source of Nutrition Education and Information. Journal of Community Nutrition, 5:230-238.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Finckenor, M., and Grasso, D. (2003) Health Related Content in Prime-Time Television Programming.  Journal of Health Communication, 8:329-341.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Murray, J. (2003) A Comparison of the Anthropometric Measurements of Idealized Female Body Images in Media Directed to Men, Women, and Mixed Gender Audiences.  Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 18:117-129.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2002) Saturday Morning Children’s Television Advertising: A Longitudinal Content Analysis. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 30:382-403.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Grasso, D., and Finckenor, M. (2001) Nutrition Messages in Prime-Time Television Programming.  Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 16(4):61-72.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Grasso, D. (2000) What Is Television Trying To Make Children Swallow?  A Content Analysis Of Nutrition Information Embedded In Prime-Time Advertisements.  Journal of Nutrition Education, 32:187-195.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Grasso, D. (2000) Trends in U.S. Prime-Time Television Food Advertisements Across Three Decades.  Nutrition and Food Science, 30:59-66.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Grasso, D. (2000) Health, Medicine, and Food Messages in Television Commercials During 1992 and 1998: Are They Consistent with Recommendations? Journal of School Health, 70:61-65.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Grasso, D. (1999) A Comparative Analysis of Television Food Advertisements And Current Dietary Recommendations. American Journal of Health Studies, 15:169-180.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Grasso, D. (1999) Prime-Time Health: An Analysis Of Television Commercials Broadcast During Programs Viewed Heavily By Children.  International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 2:159-169.

Factors Affecting Dietary Intake

Maurer, J. And Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2007) The State of the American Diet.  The Nutrition Facts: What, Why, When, and Where Are We Eating in America?  And, How Can We Cope?  Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 22:202-234.

Schwartz, J. and Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2006). Portion Distortion: Typical Portion Sizes Selected by Young Adults. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106:1412-1418.

Schwartz, J. and Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2006). The Ability of Young Adults to Estimate Portion Size and Calorie Content. Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 21:114-121.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2005) Food Preparation Knowledge and Confidence of Young Adults. Journal of Nutrition in Recipe & Menu Development, 3: 37-50.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Schwartz, J. (2004) The Effect of Practical Portion Size Measurement Aids (PSMAs) on the Accuracy of Portion Size Estimates Made by Young Adults. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 17:351-357.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2004) Food Preparation Knowledge and Attitudes of Young Adults: Implications for Nutrition Practice. Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 19:154-163.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Finckenor, M. (2001) The Dietary Fiber and Fat Intake, Dietary Fat Avoidance Patterns, and Diet-Disease Knowledge of College Women.  International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 4:79-84.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Lagiou, P., and Trichopoulou, A. (2000) A Comparison of Food Consumption and Dietary Intake of Households in the U.S. and 10 European Countries, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 13:197-206.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Finckenor, M.  (2000) Putting The Transtheoretical Model Into Practice With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients. Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 15:44-58.

Finckenor, M. and Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2000) The Development And Long-Term Effectiveness of a Nutrition Intervention Program For Lowering Dietary Fat Intake Based on The Transtheoretical (Stages of Change) Model.  Journal of the American Dietetics Association, 100:335-342.

Nutrition Labeling

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Grasso, D. (2001) Effect Of The Nutrition Labeling Education Act (NLEA) On Nutrient Content Claims And Health Claims In Television Advertising.  Family Economics and Nutrition Review, 13:37-49.

Alfieri, L. and Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2001) Assessing the Performance of Women on Nutrition Labeling Tasks. American Journal of Health Studies, 16:113-123.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Alfieri, L., Wong, A., Cottee, P. (2001) Inherent Educational Qualities of Nutrition Labels.  Family and Consumer Science Research Journal, 29:265-280.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. and Kiefer, L. (2001) The Ability of Elderly Women to Perform Nutrition Facts Label Tasks and Judge Nutrient Content Claims.  Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, 20:29-46.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Alfieri, L., and Kiefer, L. (2000) The Nutrition Attitudes and Nutrition Label Knowledge and Usage Behaviours of Women in the U.S.  Nutrition Bulletin, 25:315-322.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Wong, A., and Cottee, P. (2000) British Consumer Understanding of U.S. and E.U. Nutrition Labels.  British Food Journal, 102: 615-629.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2000) The Ability of College Women Aged 17 to 25 To Perform Tasks Using Nutrition Facts Labels.  International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 3:97-106.

Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (1994) Designing a Consumer Friendly Nutrition Label. Journal of Nutrition Education, 26:180-190.