Metabolic Kitchen and Children's Eating Behavior Laboratory
Lab Overview
"The Metabolic Kitchen and Children’s Eating Behavior Laboratory is a shared research facility directed by Kathleen L. Keller, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Departments of Nutritional Science and Food Science at The Pennsylvania State University. We are located in 311 Chandlee Lab on the University Park Campus. We study eating behaviors in young children, in particular, how eating behaviors develop and how they are related to risk for obesity later in life. We are using techniques such as brain imaging and genetic screening to provide insight into the biological underpinnings of eating behavior and food preferences in children. We are also researching the impact of food marketing and branding on these eating behaviors."
Check out the Lab's website to learn more!
Research Assistant Experience
As a research assistant, I conducted "visits" with children ages 7-8. These visits entailed the administration of surveys that encompassed subjects such as food preferences, decision making, portion size differentiation, physical activity, daily routines, and more. I also adminsitered computer games that quantified the children's executive functions, such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. Particular visits involved taking anthropometric measurements of both child and parent, doing a DXA scans, and using the MRI to monitor brain activity.
When not conducting visits, I assisted with data entry using IBM's SPSS software and Qualtrics. A major responsibility was double-checking the current data to ensure it was accurate, met the criteria of the study, and was entered in accordance with the standards of the lab. I was also able to participate in data analysis with some of the graduate researchers to get a better understanding of not only the purpose of our study, but also the fundamentals of the research field in general.
I was also given the opportunity to complete several projects during my experience. I created handouts for parents and collaborated on a newsletter for parent participants. In addition, I conducted a weekly journal meeting to discuss a research journal article surrounding the self-regulation of energy intake in preschoolers, where I led the meeting with a fellow assistant and created summary handouts. A major aspect of this research lab is recruitment, which I participated in by posting flyers in local businesses and volunteering at a face painting booth at the State College Festival of the Arts.
"The Metabolic Kitchen and Children’s Eating Behavior Laboratory is a shared research facility directed by Kathleen L. Keller, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Departments of Nutritional Science and Food Science at The Pennsylvania State University. We are located in 311 Chandlee Lab on the University Park Campus. We study eating behaviors in young children, in particular, how eating behaviors develop and how they are related to risk for obesity later in life. We are using techniques such as brain imaging and genetic screening to provide insight into the biological underpinnings of eating behavior and food preferences in children. We are also researching the impact of food marketing and branding on these eating behaviors."
Check out the Lab's website to learn more!
Research Assistant Experience
As a research assistant, I conducted "visits" with children ages 7-8. These visits entailed the administration of surveys that encompassed subjects such as food preferences, decision making, portion size differentiation, physical activity, daily routines, and more. I also adminsitered computer games that quantified the children's executive functions, such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. Particular visits involved taking anthropometric measurements of both child and parent, doing a DXA scans, and using the MRI to monitor brain activity.
When not conducting visits, I assisted with data entry using IBM's SPSS software and Qualtrics. A major responsibility was double-checking the current data to ensure it was accurate, met the criteria of the study, and was entered in accordance with the standards of the lab. I was also able to participate in data analysis with some of the graduate researchers to get a better understanding of not only the purpose of our study, but also the fundamentals of the research field in general.
I was also given the opportunity to complete several projects during my experience. I created handouts for parents and collaborated on a newsletter for parent participants. In addition, I conducted a weekly journal meeting to discuss a research journal article surrounding the self-regulation of energy intake in preschoolers, where I led the meeting with a fellow assistant and created summary handouts. A major aspect of this research lab is recruitment, which I participated in by posting flyers in local businesses and volunteering at a face painting booth at the State College Festival of the Arts.