April 27, 2012
Dr. June Stevens, chair of the nutrition department, with Dr. Dianne Ward

Dr. June Stevens, chair of the nutrition department, with Dr. Dianne Ward

Dianne S. Ward, EdD, professor of nutrition and research fellow at the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, received this year’s Faculty Innovation + Inspiration Award for Research at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health’s spring faculty and staff meeting.

The Faculty Innovation + Inspiration Award for Research recognizes researchers who have produced ideas, programs, products or methods that have transformed disciplines and accelerated solutions for important public health problems. Ward is recognized for her efforts to encourage healthy weight development in child care settings.

“I am pleased and humbled to be recognized with this award,” said Ward. “Such recognition reflects the dedicated efforts of the talented people who work with me on the children’s healthy weight research team. I am grateful that this award also draws attention to the importance of a healthy environment and proper nutrition in early childhood.”

Ward directs the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) program, which aims to promote healthy eating and physical activity in young children by changing policies, practices and the environment. The program began in 2001 and has been implemented across the United States and internationally.

“As a result of Dr. Ward’s work, thousands of children are now in child care settings more conducive to healthy weight development due to improvements in their nutrition and physical activity environments,” said June Stevens, PhD, American Institute for Cancer Research/World Cancer Research Fund (AICR/WCRF) Distinguished Professor of nutrition and chair of the nutrition department.

In 2011, Ward’s team was selected as scientific advisers to first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move! Child Care” initiative. The team developed the environment and policy assessment and observation instrument used to assess nutrition and physical activity at child care centers.

Ward is a member of the Healthy Kids, Health Future research team, sponsored by Nemours Health Foundation, and is an evaluation consultant for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s Community Transformation grant program. Ward is also an adviser to the ToyBox international preschool intervention research project sponsored by the European Union.

“Because inspiration is part of this award, I want to thank not only my research colleagues for their support, but also to acknowledge how I am inspired by the children and families whose health we are trying to improve,” Ward said.


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UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Linda Kastleman, communications editor, (919) 966-8317 or linda_kastleman@unc.edu.

 

 

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