Nutrition Core
The Nutrition Core consists of the Nutrition Assessment Unit and the Dietary Assessment Unit and is overseen by Technical Director, Colleen Tewksbury, PhD, MPH, RD, CSOWM, LDN.
Nutrition Core: Nutrition Assessment Unit
The Nutrition Assessment Unit of the Nutrition Core is a state-of-the-art facility for the assessment of growth and body dimensions, body composition (the amount of muscle, fat and bone in the body), energy expenditure, bone density, and muscle strength. The Unit has two locations and four experienced technicians for performing research assessments. Services provided by the Nutrition Assessment Unit include:
Anthropometric Measurements
- Basic Measurements (Height/weight)
- Circumferences (waist/hip)
Energy Expenditure
- Indirect Calorimetry
- Resting Energy Expenditure (REE, Fasting with inpatient admission to CHPS)
- ParvoMedics Canopy and Hood (REE, Fasting)
Body Composition
- Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)
- Anthropometry
Bone Health Assessment
- Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA)
- Scan Model: Hologic Horizon A; Weight limit: 500 lbs; Length: 77 in
- Whole Body Bone Density and Body Composition (including VAT)
- AP Lumbar Spine
- Dual Hips
Nutrition Core: Dietary Assessment Unit
The Dietary Assessment Unit of the Nutrition Core provides a broad range of nutrition-related research services to investigators at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC). Services include:
Protocol Consultation
Develop methodologies for research protocols including:
- Metabolic/controlled nutrient diet plans
- Monitoring plans during a controlled diet
- Food frequency questionnaires, food records, and nutrition data collection forms
- Special meals designed by protocol parameters
- Designed meals to send home with participants
- Duplicate, weighed meals for nutrient balance studies
Protocol-Specific Nutrition Education
We can provide customized nutritional counselling interventions for inpatient and outpatient research protocols.
Training
We can provide family and study participant training on proper methods for weighing and measuring food items for food recalls/records.
Calculated Research Meals for Controlled Studies
The metabolic kitchen can provide numerous services including:
- Recipe development and modification
- Food product design and production for study interventions
- Calculation and serving of special research diets, including constant diets and regulated fluid intake
Dietary Intake Data Collection
- Telephone-based Food Recalls
- Food Records
- Food Frequency Questionnaires
- Participant Training for Food Intake Survey Data Collection
Nutrition Software for Meal and Diet Analysis
- Nutrition Data Systems for Research - Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) is a Windows-based dietary analysis program designed for the collection and analyses of 24-hour dietary recalls, food records, menus, and recipes. Calculation of nutrients occurs immediately providing data per ingredient, food, meal, and day in report and analysis file formats. The software includes a dietary supplement assessment module so that nutrient intake from both food and supplemental sources may be captured and quantified.
Technical Director: Dietary Assessment Unit
Colleen Tewksbury, PhD, MPH, RD, CSOWM, LDN
215-746-5729
CTewks@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Lisa Basel Brown, MS, RD, LDN
215-662-7824
lisa@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Cheryl Milhoan, MS, RD
215-662-3180
cherylm2@upenn.edu
Metabolic Kitchen
215-662-2682
Nipsey Mitchell
Meghann Crouch