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Washington University in St. Louis News & Information > Faculty Experts at Washington University in St. Louis >

Director of University Nutrition
Expertise: diet, eating, exercise, fitness, health, nutrition, wellness
Bio:
Connie Diekman is immediate past president of the American Dietetic Association. She works to promote good nutrition and healthy eating through individual consultation on campus. She has been a member of the University staff since 1994. Diekman earned a B.A. in foods and nutrition-dietetics from Fontbonne University and a masters in education from the University of Missouri - St. Louis. She is associated with many organizations devoted to the promotion of healthy lifestyles, such as the American Heart Association and the Missouri Dietetic Association and is a member of the advisory board for Parent's Magazine. In addition to having taught nutrition courses at area colleges, she has been a nutrition reporter for the local NBC television affiliate and FOX-TV locally. She writes and broadcasts the "Eating Right" minute for WBBM in Chicago. Diekman has had guest appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, and The Today Show.
WUSTL Contact Information:
| Work: | (314) 935-4439 |
| Fax: | (314) 935-8935 |
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Education:
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M.A. in Education/counseling at University of Missouri - St. Louis
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B.A. in Nutrition at Fontbonne University

| News Stories & Tip Sheets: |
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Flu season
 Eating, drinking and lifestyle changes can boost immunity to ward off seasonal flu

Nov. 5,
2009 --
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| Diekman |
College students looking to stay healthy during flu and exam season need to focus on three very important factors, says a nutritionist at Washington University in St. Louis. "It's really pretty simple," says Connie Diekman, RD, director of University Nutrition and immediate past president of the American Dietetic Association. "There are three key things to think about. No. 1 is hydration. No. 2 is foods and No. 3 is lifestyle issues." Video available.

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Back-to-school
 WUSTL experts available for comment on issues children and parents face each fall

Aug. 8,
2008 -- Your kid just got beat up by the fifth-grade bully. Or perhaps you aren't sure the lunches are healthy enough for your child to be eating. Maybe you've even noticed a change in your child's behavior after returning to school. Washington University has several experts that can comment on any one of these concerns, as well as many others that arise when children are going ... back to school, whether it's kindergarten, high school or college.

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Rising costs
 High food and fuel prices could affect school lunches this year

Aug. 8,
2008 --
With food and fuel costs far above what they were a year ago, school children can expect to see some changes in menu offerings this academic year, says a nutrition expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

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Never go to a party hungry
 Nutritionist offers tips to make it through the New Year without putting on pounds

July 17,
2008 --
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| It's possible to keep your diet intact during the holidays. |
The holiday season, with all its sweet temptations, will be here before you know it. However, all those holiday parties and office gatherings laden with scrumptious food and drink don't have to mean the end of your weight loss plan. It's still possible to enjoy the bounty and not feel deprived of your favorite holiday dishes, says Connie Diekman, director of University Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. Video available.

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Eating right
 Portion control key to keeping holiday weight gain at bay

July 14,
2008 --
Interested in keeping the pounds off this holiday season? A nutrition expert at Washington University in St. Louis has some very simple tips for remembering accurate portion sizes, which may be even more important than the food choices you make. Video available.

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Never go to a party hungry
 Nutritionist offers tips to make it through the New Year without putting on pounds

Dec. 17,
2007 --
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| It's possible to keep your diet intact during the holidays. |
The holiday season, with all its sweet temptations, is in full swing. However, all those holiday parties and office gatherings laden with scrumptious food and drink don't have to mean the end of your weight loss plan. It's still possible to enjoy the bounty and not feel deprived of your favorite holiday dishes, says Connie Diekman, director of University Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. Video available.

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Control Halloween candy consumption
 All it takes is a little planning

Oct. 11,
2007 --
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| Connie Diekman |
While Halloween, with all its candy and treats, may be a child's dream come true, it can turn into a nightmare for parents who have been touting the benefits of healthy eating the rest of the year. How do you keep your kids from devouring all that candy in one sitting? It takes a bit of planning, says Connie Diekman, R.D., director of University nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis and president of the American Dietetic Association. (video available)

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Restaurant moratorium would not be effective, says expert dietitian
 Healthier food options are a priority

Sept. 13,
2007 --
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| Diekman |
To help curb the expanding waist lines of her constituents, south Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry has proposed a two-year moratorium on new fast food restaurants in her district. If enacted in Los Angeles, or any other American city for that matter, would the plan work? Don't count on it, says Connie Diekman, R.D., director of University nutrition and president of the American Dietetic Association.

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Junk food ad ban a good start, says expert
 Eleven big food companies agree to limit advertising to children

July 18,
2007 --
Eleven big food companies, including McDonald's, Pepsi Co. and General Mills, have all agreed to stop advertising products to children under 12 that do not meet certain nutritional requirements. The move is a positive step, says Connie Diekman, director of nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis and current president of the American Dietetic Association.

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No need to avoid the goodies
 Moderation may be dieters' answer to enjoying holiday food

Nov. 6,
2006 --
Moderation, not deprivation, is the key to enjoying holiday foods while watching your weight, says WUSM nutritionist Connie Diekman. "The first rule of thumb for eating at holiday gatherings," she says, "is never go to the party hungry."

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Additional Background: Eating, and the enjoyment it brings, is at the core of our lives. Learning to make healthy food choices is a process that requires planning, understanding the guidelines and knowing how to work in the less than perfect days. Diekman's goal on the campus is to help students learn how to do all of these things.
Since August 1, 2001 she has been working with Dining Services, the offices of Student Health and Counseling and Health Promotion and Wellness as well as student groups to accomplish these goals. The plan for doing this includes presentations to student groups, distribution of flyers and pamphlets on "Healthy Eating", the Food Guide pyramid, and Vegetarian Eating and seeing students individually in Student Health. In addition to the education component, this semester Center Court, Food Court, Bear's Den and soon Bear Mart have menu items marked that meet a "Wellness" goal. The "Wellness" goal identifies items that are moderate in sodium, less than 30 percent calories from fat, or have healthy fat content for the food item, and have a good variety of overall nutrition.
Future plans call for more nutrition information and assessment for the athletes, developing nutrition information plans for faculty and staff, and providing nutrition information that is more easily accessible. Healthy, well-nourished minds perform better in the classroom, on the athletic field and in the real world. Hopefully the nutrition program on campus will provide the students with the tools they need to develop their "Healthy Eating" plan.
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