Angie Tagtow, the executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Angie Tagtow, the executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, will speak on Monday, April 11, at California State University, Northridge about consumer dietary guidelines, at a daylong food and nutrition public policy training and information session.

“Advocating for a Healthy and Sustainable Food Environment,” sponsored by CSUN’s Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, is free and open to the public. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Presentation Room of the Delmar T. Oviatt Library, located at the heart of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

Tagtow will talk about the role of science in developing the 2015-20 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and how the guidelines and key recommendations are put into action for consumers.

“The event is designed to empower individuals to become effective advocates for sustainable food environments and access, as well as nutrition and community health,” said Annette Besnilian, executive director of the Marilyn Magaram Center.

In addition to Tagtow’s address, the day will offer nutrition advocacy panels and workshops featuring representatives from the Los Angeles community, including the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles Food Policy Council, California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Public Health Institute and the Hunger Action Alliance Coalition, as well as CSUN’s own Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing, the Oviatt Library and the CAMINO project, a federally funded effort to create pathways to healthcare careers for low-income, first-generation Latino students.

CSUN faculty also will speak about the role research plays in the evaluation of public policy. There also will be a live cooking demonstration co-sponsored by CSUN Campus Dining.

“By the end of our workshop, we would like our participants to be able to recognize the different sectors involved in nutrition, food and public health advocacy; identify major food, nutrition and health policies at the federal, state and local levels; and explain how to prepare for, facilitate and follow-up on meetings with policymakers and their staff,” Besnilian said.

Dietetics students will share their experiences visiting the state capitol and meeting with legislators in March. They also will help facilitate a breakout session on how to engage with local, state or national representatives on issues of food and health.

She said she hopes exposure to public policy issues will help all students and professionals — not just those interested in nutrition or health as a career choice — feel more empowered.

“Public policy has an effect on the everyday lives of all people,” Besnilian said. “It’s important to understand that food and nutrition policies affect everyone, everywhere.”

The event also will offer continuing professional education units for dietitians.

The Marilyn Magaram Center is housed in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development. For more information, please contact the Magaram Center at magaram.center@csun.edu.

College of Health and Human Development, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science