Pediatrics Scholar Offers Lecture at Niagara University on Childhood Nutrition
A Nov. 9 presentation at Niagara University by Dr. Stephen Cook focused on how the identification of social determinants of health have evolved, and how they have impacted the health of children and families, with particular emphasis on childhood nutrition.
Dr. Cook, a 1992 NU alumnus and current associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, began his discussion by outlining how “toxic” or chronic stress, caused by a variety of biological and socials factors, can result in childhood obesity.
For most of his public presentation, which was held in the Russell J. Salvatore Dining Commons, Dr. Cook concentrated on the detrimental impact of poverty on children’s health and the contribution of food security in improving a child’s wellness. He presented innovative models for helping pediatricians screen and link populations in need of food assistance to local food resources. In particular, he discussed the work that he and his colleagues at the University of Rochester have done to create a survey tool to identify food insecurity in at-risk patient families.