Aspiring nutritionists aim to shift focus from weight to cultural relevance
Leslie Canales Franco wants to change the field of nutrition forever.
“There are a lot of things I would like to change from a medical standpoint,” she said.
Canales Franco will graduate from the Rowan Virtua Rita and Larry Salva School of Nursing and Health Professions on Thursday, May 9th with a bachelor’s degree in nutritional science. She has one year left in graduate school to earn her master’s degree in nutrition. Coordinated BS/MS program in Nutrition and Dietetics.
The 23-year-old Deptford native provides education to underserved populations in Camden through her role as a paraprofessional nutrition educator with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, a cooperative extension program at Rutgers University.
“Rather than just teaching people to eat more vegetables, I focus on helping them choose and prepare healthy foods,” she said.
Weight, trauma, and expression in nutrition
“My passion is to support underrepresented communities to have equitable access to culturally relevant, trauma-informed care that includes weight issues in health care, especially in the area of nutrition.” Canales Franco he said.
Weight is often the number one concern when consulting a nutritionist, but “weight is not a great predictor of overall health,” says Canales-Franco. She’s more interested in “providing care that doesn’t put people’s health at risk.”
Canales Franco, a first-generation Mexican immigrant, advocates the importance of culture in nutrition.
“There are benefits to eating culturally relevant meals,” she said. “Instead of putting kale in my quesadillas, I put herbs like cilantro in it because it relates to me.”
A trauma-informed approach to eating can help reach people whose nutrition and health are tied to traumatic experiences, which “influences how people interact with nutrition,” says Canales-Franco. said.
“Our profession is fortunate to have someone like Leslie in this field,” said Dr. Dara Lobuono, assistant professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Sciences. “She will make the big changes that are needed in the field of nutrition.”
strengthen the field
As a research assistant in Robuono’s lab, Canales Franco designed educational materials for nutrition education interventions for older adults. She contributed to research on urban agriculture with Dr. Nicole Vaughn, associate professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Sciences.
Canales-Franco’s contributions were published in academic journals and recognized with the Higher Education Division Student Research Award at the July 2023 Nutrition Education and Behavioral Society Conference.
“Leslie has made significant contributions to the field even as an undergraduate,” Lobuono said.
Mr. Canales Franco also served as treasurer of Rowan’s Nutrition Care Club from December 2021 to December 2023.
face challenges
Adding to the challenges faced by many first-generation students, Canales-Franco once had to miss a semester of classes due to delays in the citizenship process. “I had to stay confident that everything was going to be okay, but it was scary,” she said. Canales Franco focuses on finding moments of joy to overcome difficulties.
After earning her master’s degree, she plans to become a registered dietitian and eventually pursue a Ph.D.
“What attracts me to the medical profession is the opportunity to help people develop healthy relationships with food and themselves,” Canales-Franco said.
Lobuono believes that Canales Franco’s positive personality will help her excel as a nutritionist. “Leslie’s dedication to the field, combined with her positive attitude, tenacity and kind heart, will help break down barriers,” she says.
At the heart of Canales Franco’s passion for this field is his love of food.
“It’s fun to learn how food connects us to our culture and history and in our lives,” she said.
Each spring, Rowan University profiles one graduate from each school and university.Read more stories from this year Featured alumni.
