Creating healthy nutrition environments in various settings is integral to the promotion of healthy eating among different populations. In Middlesex-London, a multi-disciplinary group of health and social service experts have collaborated to create Youth on Track for Health, a manual of best practices designed to enhance the physical environment, create supportive environments to make the healthy choice the easy choice, and provide opportunities for education and skill-building for youth and staff in residential settings.

Join Dr. Heather Thomas, RD, PhD, as she walks participants through the Youth on Track for Health manual and shares challenges and successes of a pilot project that used the manual to enhance the nutrition environment at London group homes for at-risk youth

Presenter

Dr. Heather Thomas, RD, PhD is a public health dietitian at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. Heather attended Western University where she completed her BSc in food and nutrition in 1993. She became a Registered Dietitian in 1994 and has extensive experience in the public health sector, mainly with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. Her portfolio focuses on obesity prevention and food literacy strategies among at-risk youth, adults, and older adults. She is active in her provincial association, the Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health, serving on the Executive and Advocacy Committees.

Heather returned to Western University in 2006 to pursue a Master of Science degree. While back at Western, she caught the research bug and continued on to doctoral studies. Heather successfully defended her PhD in December 2011. Her dissertation in health promotion showcased the planning, implementation, and formative evaluation of a food literacy and cooking skills program for at-risk youth.

Heather is the very proud mother of two active boys and a menagerie of pets. Finding balance in her busy work and family life can be a challenge at times, but it is what keeps Heather laughing and living life to the fullest.

Resources

Youth on Track for Health Manual

Creating Healthier Nutrition Environments in Local Group Homes