Paula Dworatzek, RD PhD PHEc FDC
Education
- PhD, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine (University of Toronto)
- MSc, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine (University of Toronto)
- Dietetic Internship, University Health Network (formerly The Toronto Hospital – General Division)
- BSc, Home Economics, Foods and Nutrition (Brescia University College)
Graduate Program Supervision
- Foods and Nutrition, MScFN
Research In Profile
As a Registered Dietitian with practical experience in community settings, Paula Dworatzek provides her students with practice-based activities/assignments to develop their competencies as future nutrition educators. From a research perspective, her interests broadly include the prevention of obesity and chronic disease through nutrition education and policy. Dworatzek has been involved in the development of the Nutrition Therapy Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada. She has investigated children’s food intake from home-packed lunches in elementary schools and co-developed the FRESH peer education nutrition program at Western. She is currently a co-developer of the Food Skills Questionnaire (http://foodskills.ca) and is involved in Safe Recipe, Food Safety research.
Featured Publications and Projects
Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals
- Barlott C, Cunningham C, Miller K, Dworatzek PDN. Factors that predict food skills in Canadian gym members: A national cross-sectional survey. Nutrients. 2023;15:4118. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15194118
- Dworatzek PDN, Mori M, Mellet S. Canadian registered dietitians’ utilization of the 2018 Diabetes Canada Nutrition Therapy Clinical Practice Guidelines: A cross-sectional study. Can J Diab. 2023;47:482-489.
- Neilson LJ, Macaskill LA, Luk JMH, Sharma N, Salvadori MI, Seabrook JA, Dworatzek PDN. Children’s School-Day Nutrient Intake in Ontario: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study Comparing Students’ Packed Lunches from Two School Schedules. Nutrients. 2022;14(9):1966. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091966
- Kennedy L, Kichler E, Matthews J, Seabrook J, Dworatzek P. Validity and reliability of a Food Skills Questionnaire. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019;51(7):857-864. doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2019.02.003
The Food Skills Questionnaire is available for use through WORLDiscoveries, at www.foodskills.ca. - Biden CR, Matthews JI, Laframboise NA, Zok A, Dworatzek PDN, Seabrook JA. Point-of-purchase labels and reward cards improve sales of healthy foods in university dining halls. Can J Diet Pract Res. 2018;79(3):92-98.
- Sievenpiper J, Dworatzek P, Chan C, Freeze C, Williams S. Nutrition therapy. Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42(Suppl 1):S64-S79.
- Wilson CK, Matthews JI, Seabrook JA, Dworatzek PDN. Self-reported food skills of university students. Appetite. 2017;108:270-276.
Visit Google Scholar for a comprehensive list of publications.
Graduate Student Opportunities
Potential opportunities include work with:
- Safe Recipe Style Guide Collaboration with Health Canada to assess effectiveness of food safety instructions in recipes.
- Development of a short-form food skills questionnaire.
Please contact Paula Dworatzek directly at pdworatz@uwo.ca for more information.
Additional Information
Academic Appointments and Research Affiliations
- Visiting Professor, Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University
Media Highlights
- Canada International Student Magazine, July 2019. Brescia University Study shows experience in meal preparation as a teenager is the best predictor of food skills in university students.
- Indo-Canada Education Council, June 2019. A new study led by researchers at Brescia University College has found evidence that experience in meal preparation as a teenager is the best predictor of food skills in university students.
- University Affairs Article, Oct 2018. Branding boosts healthy food purchases on campus.
- Western News, Nov. 6, 2018. FRESH – branded food a hot seller. By Paul Mayne.
Awards
- Dietitians of Canada, Member Recognition Award for Education (Educational Leadership) (2021)
- Dietitians of Canada, Fellowship (FDC) (2018)
- Brescia University College, Research Award of Excellence (2018)
- Brescia University College, Campus Collaboration Award for FRESH (2017)
- Dietitians of Canada, Member Recognition Award for Education (Experiential Learning) (2016)
- George Beaton Award for Best Public Health Nutrition Abstract, Canadian Nutrition Society (2014)
- Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Conference, 1st Place Poster Award (2014)
- Honorable Mention Award for the Most Innovative Nutrition and Wellness Program (FRESH) in a North
- American post-secondary institution, National Association of College and University Food Services (2014)
- Brian Dufton Memorial Manuscript Award, Awarded by the Canadian Journal of Diabetes (2003)
Professional Activities
- College of Dietitians of Ontario
- Dietitians of Canada
- Canadian Nutrition Society
- Ontario Home Economics Association
