Pamela Rothpletz-Puglia, Ed.D., RDN
My scholarly mission is to understand and mitigate biopsychosocial impacts on health to reduce health inequities and to advance qualitative and mixed methods research. My clinical expertise is in pediatric nutrition, and my scholarly agenda focuses on participatory problem-solving approaches.
Research Overview
Advancing Health Equity Through Participatory Research
The drive to master qualitative and mixed methods research stems from an epistemological belief in constructivism, when adult learners, study participants, and team members actively construct solutions to address health issues.
This stems from studying health behavior change theory but mostly from my 20 years of experience as a registered dietitian in pediatric HIV nutrition practice in Newark, NJ, witnessing success when families co-produced solutions that fit their context.
Research Team
The people behind the science
Scott Parrot, Ph.D.
Professor
parrotja@shp.rutgers.edu
Yuane Jia
Assistant Professor
yj340@shp.rutgers.edu
Veronica Jones, Ph.D., CHES
Assistant Professor/County Agent
jonesve@njaes.rutgers.edu
Arthur Nabi, MBA, BSN
Director of Health and Nutrition
Leaguers Head Start
Peichi Waite, Ed.D.
Rutgers Arts and Health Research Lab Research Coordinator and Co-Investigator
pw337@mgsa.rutgers.edu
Funding & Grants
Supported Research Programs
Federal, foundation, and institutional funding advancing predictive modeling of treatment responses
Rutgers Equity Alliance for Community Health
Learn More
Title: Dismantling the ‘Kids’ Food’ Archetype
Sponsor Agency: Rutgers Equity Alliance for Community Health
Brief Overview of Aims: Children can eat the same healthy foods as adults, yet it is common to feed children ultra-processed “kids’ food.” Kids’ food is heavily marketed in cities with low-income and ethnoracial minority residents. This encourages diets with limited variety, which creates resistance to new food, ultimately increasing lifetime risks of obesity and chronic disease. To learn how to dismantle the kids’ food archetype, this project uses community participatory methods to assess the children’s food culture and environment in Newark and tests education about ultra-processed food with mothers of preschool-age children.
Total Dollar Amount: $107,000
Funding Period: January 2023 – December 2024
- 12/2023 - 12/2024
Publications & Impact
Selected Research Publications
2024
A Theoretical Explanation for how a Nutrition Counseling and Medically Tailored Meal Delivery Program Benefitted Participants Living with Lung Cancer.
Pamela Rothpletz-Puglia, EdD, RD; Jade Smith, MS, RD; Chloe Pavuk, MS; Jana Leotta, MS; Kimberli Pike, DCN, RD, CSSD; Carolyn J. Presley, MD, MHS; Jessica Krok-Schoen, PhD, MA; Ashlea Braun, PhD, RD; Mary Kathryn Cohen, MS, RD, Gail T Rogers, MA; Kenneth Kwan Ho Chui, PhD; Fang Fang Zhang, MD, PhD; Colleen Spees, PhD, MEd, RD.
Supportive Care in Cancer (2024) 32:428. DOI 10.1007/s00520-024-08616-x
2023
Trauma-informed Care Training for Dietetic Interns Improves Attitudes Toward Women Who Have Experienced Trauma
Nancy Rodriguez, Diana M. Gonzales-Pacheco, Laura D. Byham-Gray, Pamela Rothpletz-Puglia,
Obes Surg. 2023 Jun;33(6):1710-1719. PubMed PMID: 37060491
2022
Functional Status and Engagement in Physical Activity among Maintenance Dialysis Patients: A Mixed Methods Study
Rothpletz-Puglia, P. Brown, T, Peters, E., Thomas-Hawkins, C., Kaplan, J, Myslinksi, MJ, Parrot, JS, Byham-Gray, L.
Kidney Medicine. April 25, 2022
2022
Family Systems Cultural and Resilience Dimensions to Consider in Nutrition Interventions: A Qualitative Study Exploring Preschoolers’ Eating and Physical Activity Routines During COVID-19
Rothpletz-Puglia, P. Ryan, E, Jones, V, Eubanks, R, Ziegler, J, Sackey, J, Nabi A, Jia J, Byham-Gray, L.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, April 6, 2022
2021
Position of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior: Healthful Food for Children is the Same as Adults
Rothpletz-Puglia, P, Fredericks, L, Patusco, R., Dreker, M, Ziegler, J.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Volume 54, Issue 1, 2022, Pages 4-11,ISSN 1499-4046; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2021.09.007
2022
Family Systems Cultural and Resilience Dimensions to Consider in Nutrition Interventions: A Qualitative Study Exploring Preschoolers’ Eating and Physical Activity Routines During COVID-19
Rothpletz-Puglia, P. Ryan, E, Jones, V, Eubanks, R, Ziegler, J, Sackey, J, Nabi A, Jia J, Byham-Gray, L.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, April 6, 2022
Achievements
Awards & Honors
2023 – Rutgers University Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence
2022 – Rutgers School of Health Professions Gonfalonier Award
2021 – Present – Associate Editor, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
Get Involved
Join our Research
Interested in advancing your research? Reach out to Dr. Rothpletz-Puglia to learn more about opportunities to get involved.