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Martin SL, Cardel MI, Carson TL, Hill JO, Stanley T, Grinspoon S, Steger F, Blackman Carr LT, Ashby-Thompson M, Stewart D, Ard J, Stanford FC. Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fields of nutrition and obesity: A road map to equity in academia. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2023; 31:1240-1254. [PMID: 36896568 PMCID: PMC10191885 DOI: 10.1002/oby.23704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Research shows that a diverse faculty improves academic, clinical, and research outcomes in higher education. Despite that, persons in minority groups, usually categorized by race or ethnicity, are underrepresented in academia (URiA). The Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORCs), supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, hosted workshops on five separate days in September and October 2020. NORCs convened these workshops to identify barriers and facilitators for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and provide specific recommendations to improve DEI within obesity and nutrition for individuals from URiA groups. Recognized experts on DEI presented each day, after which the NORCs conducted breakout sessions with key stakeholders who engage in nutrition and obesity research. The breakout session groups included early-career investigators, professional societies, and academic leadership. The consensus from the breakout sessions was that glaring inequities affect URiA in nutrition and obesity, particularly related to recruitment, retention, and advancement. Recommendations from the breakout sessions to improve DEI across academia focused on six themes: (1) recruitment, (2) retention, (3) advancement, (4) intersectionality of multiple challenges (e.g., being Black and a woman), (5) funding agencies, and (6) implementation of strategies to address problems related to DEI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Martin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
- Center for Women’s Reproductive Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL
| | - Michelle I. Cardel
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida
- WW International, Inc., New York, NY
| | - Tiffany L. Carson
- Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL
| | - James O. Hill
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Takara Stanley
- Department of Medicine, Metabolism Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard School, Boston, MA
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Steven Grinspoon
- Department of Medicine, Metabolism Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard School, Boston, MA
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem
| | - Felicia Steger
- Department of Nutrition, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL
| | - Loneke T. Blackman Carr
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
| | | | - Delisha Stewart
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Nutrition Research Institute, Kannapolis NC
| | - Jamy Ard
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem NC
| | | | - Fatima Cody Stanford
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem
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Martin SL, Cardel MI, Carson TL, Hill JO, Stanley T, Grinspoon S, Steger F, Blackman Carr LT, Ashby-Thompson M, Stewart D, Ard J, Stanford FC. Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fields of nutrition and obesity: A roadmap to equity in academia. Am J Clin Nutr 2023; 117:659-671. [PMID: 36907515 PMCID: PMC10273076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Research shows that a diverse faculty improves academic, clinical, and research outcomes in higher education. Despite that, persons in minority groups, usually categorized by race or ethnicity, are underrepresented in academia (URiA). The Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORCs), supported by the NIDDK, hosted workshops on five separate days in September and October 2020. NORCs convened these workshops to identify barriers and facilitators for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and provide specific recommendations to improve DEI within obesity and nutrition for individuals from URiA groups. Recognized experts on DEI presented each day, after which the NORCs conducted breakout sessions with key stakeholders who engage in nutrition and obesity research. The breakout session groups included early-career investigators, professional societies, and academic leadership. The consensus from the breakout sessions was that glaring inequities affect URiA in nutrition and obesity, particularly related to recruitment, retention, and advancement. Recommendations from the breakout sessions to improve DEI across the academe focused on six themes: (1) recruitment, (2) retention, (3) advancement, (4) intersectionality of multiple challenges (e.g., being Black and a woman), (5) funding agencies, and (6) implementation of strategies to address problems related to DEI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Martin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Center for Women's Reproductive Health University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
| | - Michelle I Cardel
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine University of Florida Gainesville, Florida, USA; Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA; WW International, Inc. New York, New York, USA
| | - Tiffany L Carson
- Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior Moffitt Cancer Center Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - James O Hill
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Takara Stanley
- Department of Medicine, Metabolism Unit Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard School Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Pediatric Endocrinology Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH) Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven Grinspoon
- Department of Medicine, Metabolism Unit Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard School Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH) Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Prevention Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA
| | - Felicia Steger
- Department of Nutrition University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Loneke T Blackman Carr
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources University of Connecticut Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Maxine Ashby-Thompson
- Department of Pediatrics Columbia University, New York Obesity Research Center New York, New York, USA
| | - Delisha Stewart
- Department of Nutrition University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Nutrition Research Institute Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jamy Ard
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Fatima Cody Stanford
- Pediatric Endocrinology Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH) Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Prevention Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA
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