Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
IMPACT: EXERCISE AND NUTRITION SCIENCES
Building Health from the Ground Up—Through Food, Fitness, and Policy
In FY 2025, the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences made strides across research, education, policy, and community engagement, advancing public health both locally and globally. Faculty contributed expert insights to national media on nutrition and physical activity policy, launched innovative initiatives to improve food safety and nutrition security, conducted impactful research on dietary behaviors and youth physical activity, and trained the next generation of public health leaders.
BY THE NUMBERS
$1.3 million
awarded in new research projects
180+
students trained
2
faculty members accepted into GW's Faculty in Residence program
DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
EXNS launched the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security, with Dr. Barbara Kowalcyk as director. This institute aims to address food safety, nutrition security, and build resilient food systems globally.
Dr. Sameera Talegawker was named to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Her expertise in dietary patterns, food pattern modelling, and health outcomes (especially among underserved/minority populations) was specifically cited.
Dr. Gabby Headrick worked alongside the DC Food Policy Council and the Baltimore Food Policy and Planning Division on research to identify how crime and crime-mitigation strategies in urban grocery stores limit dignified, healthy food access in Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD.
Dr. Allison Sylvetsky’s team surveyed nearly 3,000 parents to examine how front-of-package labels (FOPLs) affect children's food and beverage choices. The findings are timely as the FDA considers FOPLs, which could unintentionally lead manufacturers to replace sugars with non-sugar sweeteners—not recommended for children.
Dr. William H. Dietz received the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine in May 2025. The award honored his national/international leadership in obesity prevention and nutrition science.
Dr. Amanda Visek, Dr. Loretta DiPietro, and others contributed to a seminal study that introduced the “Fun Integration Theory”, identifying 81 determinants of “fun” across 11 dimensions that influence youth sport participation. The study developed tools to help coaches, parents, leagues, and others reduce youth sports dropout and promote continued engagement.