Charmaine Aleong RN, RD, MS, MSN

Article 1: A Complementary Teaching Activity for Food Security and Healthy Eating Behavior Change in a Community College.

 

Associate Professor
Bronx Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)

Charmaine Aleong is a Registered Nurse and Registered Dietitian. Ms. Aleong holds a Master’s Degree in Nutrition from Teacher’s College, at Columbia University, and a Master’s Degree in Nursing, from Lehman College of the City University of New York (CUNY). She also received training as a Master Gardener at the Cornell University Cooperative Extension. Ms. Aleong is presently an Associate Professor at Bronx Community College (BCC), CUNY, where she teaches courses in nutrition, as well as personal and community health.

Ms. Aleong is the coordinator of the Dietetic and Nutrition program at BCC, where she also serves as advisor to the Food and Garden Club. In this capacity, her objective is to improve healthy eating behavior by empowering students with the ability to prepare healthy low cost meals as well as grow some of their own food, in an urban environment. She educates students on the growing of seasonal vegetables in the college demonstration garden, and creates “garden to table” cooking experiences, during club hours. The popularity of the college’s Food and Garden Club has led to Ms. Aleong being voted outstanding club advisor for the past 2 years. Ms. Aleong also works with the BCC Food Pantry to help reduce food insecurity in this urban population, which is at high risk for chronic health issues. These issues arise from the community’s limited sources of affordable, healthy food choices and lack of knowledge about healthy food options.

Contact info:
Address: 2155 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453
Email: charmaine.aleong@bcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-289-5100 ext. 5048

A Complementary Teaching Activity for Food Security and Healthy Eating Behavior Change in a Community College.

Author:

Charmaine Aleong RN, RD, MS, MSN

Associate Professor, Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation

Bronx Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)

 

Abstract

Food insecurity and poor eating habits among college students and their implications have become important subjects of both academic research and practical interest for administrators and policy makers.  Community college teachers in the field of nutrition, public health and healthy lifestyles are often confronted with a divergence between the theoretical and practical contents of their courses and the actual wellness and lifestyle practices of their students. Since many of these students are future health care providers and public health promoters as part of a trend to diversify the health care workforce, this issue now takes on a particular relevance. This article describes how a food and garden club, in association with a human nutrition course in a very diverse community college population, has addressed these problems and has been instrumental in effecting change in the dietary habits of these students from a high-risk urban community.

 

Keywords: healthy eating, habit change, college students, experiential learning, high-risk community, food insecurity