POPULATION HEALTH, NUTRITION & WELLNESS Welcome to the School of Population Health, Nutrition & Wellness (PHNW), a global leader in the areas of plant-based nutrition and public health. Our Master of Public Health (MPH) program is ranked among the 25 best MPH programs for international students (https://www.mphonline.org/mph-in-usa-for-international-students/), Top 25 MPH Nutrition Programs (https://www.mphonline.org/best-mph-nutrition/), and is listed by US News and World Report among the Best Grad Schools & Health Schools (https://www. usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-graduate-schools/andrews-university-168740). We are excited to share the latest news and events happening in the School of PHNW. Here we explore and discover factors that determine one’s health, to improve health and wellness for all. Population health comprehensively addresses why some groups, such as the Seventh-day Adventists, enjoy better health than other groups. Population health includes health outcomes, health determinants, health policies, and interventions for all groups of people. The health of a population is measured by health status indicators that are influenced by social, psychological, economic, and physical environments, personal health practices, coping skills, biology, early childhood experiences, and health services. In the School of PHNW, we study all these factors in the discipline-specific programs of public health, nutrition, exercise science, and wellness. PHNW is the hub of the Adventist health message that connects the physical, mental, and spiritual. We feel blessed to play a role in the spread of the Adventist health message to a world that has been ravaged by the deadly viral disease COVID-19. As the chair of the School of PHNW, my vision is to ensure that the School of PHNW maintains its ranking as a global leader for prevention health sciences through lifestyle modifications in the areas of public health, nutrition, and wellness. Our vision is to establish a lifestyle medicine clinic and training center that will serve as a benchmark for research and training in the areas of diet, exercise, spirituality, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health sciences. We support the whole-person health and performance model. Our school encompasses seven distinct programs: Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietetic Internship Program (graduate certificate), Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science & Dietetics, Bachelor of Science in Fitness and Exercise Science, and Bachelor of Health Science in Wellness. We train Andrews University Masters in Divinity students with a hybrid MPH/MDiv track. The Council on Education for Public Health has currently accredited the Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Science in Public Health programs. The Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Dietetic Internship at Andrews University are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). We collaborate with health organizations locally such as Spectrum Lakeland Health, Berrien County Health Department, University of Notre Dame, and Berrien County Food Council. Nationally, we collaborate with Adventist Health Systems, Kettering Health Network, Spectrum Health, Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, Weimar Health Institute, and SDA General Conference Health Ministries. Internationally, we collaborate with the Hong Kong Adventist College, Hong Kong and with the Adventist University of Central Africa, Rwanda. Our faculty contribute to academic excellence in teaching, research, and community service. Our students continue to motivate and inspire us through their innovation and excellence in academic performance and research. Our goal is to help students realize their full potential as scholars and health professionals. We provide tools, skills, and training to our students to change the world for better health. Read more about our students, faculty, staff and alumni in this edition of The Pulse.
Padma Uppala, PhD, MPH
Professor, Chair, School of Population Health, Nutrition & Wellness
The Pulse 2021 / 35
