Sherri Nordstrom Stastny, assistant professor of health, nutrition and exercise sciences, has successfully completed the board certification as a specialist in sports dietetics. The certification was developed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the credentialing agency for the American Dietetic Association and the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The certification is considered to be equivalent to five years of continuing education according to the rules of the Commission on Dietetic Registration rules.
Sports dietitians are experienced registered dietitians who apply evidence-based nutrition knowledge in exercise and sports. They assess, educate and counsel athletes and active individuals. They design, implement and manage safe and effective nutrition strategies that enhance lifelong health, fitness and optimal performance. There are limited board certified specialists in sports dietetics in the United States. Stastny is one of two specialists in the Dakotas.
Stastny, along with Julie Garden-Robinson, Extension food and nutrition specialist, are collecting data for a project, titled "Eating for Your Eyes," and are finishing up development and implementation of the project "Nourishing Your Brain." Both projects aim to improve health and fitness behaviors in adults. Stastny also is working with Bryan Christensen, assistant professor of health, nutrition and exercise sciences, to recruit participants for a new study looking at the effects of resistance training and muscle strength and power in women. For information on the Institutional Review Board approved resistance training study, contact Stastny at sherri.stastny@ndsu.edu.
For more information about board certification as a specialist in sports dietetics, go to www.scandpg.org.