BenU faculty member since 2011

Education/training

Ph.D. Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Arizona State University
M.H.S. International Health, Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
B.S. DePaul University

Certification

MCHES (Master Certified Health Education Specialist) since 2011

Courses

NUTR 5581 Obesity Prevention and Management
NUTR 5585 Complementary Nutrition Therapies
NUTR 2220 Mediterranean Diet and Health [Dr. Beezhold has led study-abroad groups to Italy and Spain.]

Research

Dr. Beezhold’s main research focus investigates the link between diet pattern and primarily mental health/mood but also physical health outcomes in healthy populations, particularly comparing the vegan and omnivore diet. Other research avenues have explored dietary correlates of mood and cognition in college students, promoting vegan menus choices, and examining the health effects of nutrition transition. She has presented her research at the annual conferences of the American Society for Nutrition and the American Public Health Association. Dr. Beezhold’s work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and she has acted as a peer reviewer for nutrition, health and medical journals.

Select publications

Radnitz C, Beezhold B, Pilato IB, Drury CR, Fruchter S, Murphy BDG, Loeb KL. Application of Optimal Defaults to Increase Selection of Sustainable Menu Choices. Food Qual Prefer. 2023: Aug; 110:104954. doi.org/10.1016/j. foodqual.2023.104954.

Pilato IB, Beezhold B, Radnitz C. Diet and lifestyle factors associated with cognitive performance in college students. J Am Coll Health. 2020:Dec 15:1-7. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1847118.

Beezhold B, Radnitz C, McGrath RE, Feldman A. Vegans report less bothersome vasomotor and physical menopausal symptoms than omnivores. Maturitas. 2018:Jun;112:12-17. Selected as Editor’s choice for June 2018 issue.

Beezhold B, Radnitz C, Rinne A, DiMatteo J. Vegans report less stress and anxiety than omnivores. Nutr Neurosci. 2015:Oct;18(7):289-96.

Diet quality correlates of a plant-based diet and emotional wellness, menopausal symptoms, lifestyle choices of vegans.