UC Davis Nutrition Department Faculty

Cooperative Extension Specialist
Department of Nutrition
Office: 3150D Meyer Hall
Phone: (530) 754-9222
e-mail: mstownsend@ucdavis.edu

Ph.D., Nutrition, Pennsylvania State University
M.S., Nutrition Science, Universityof London (Kings College)
R.D., Registered Dietitian, American Dietetic Association
B.A., Molecular Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara

Marilyn Townsend's work centers on nutrition education (research and programs) with an emphasis on children and adolescents. She is involved in theory-driven program development and implementation, nutrition educational methodologies and program evaluation. Her work also involves health behavior change strategies.

Townsend MS, Love B, Achterberg C, Murphy S. Food Insecurity is Positively Related to Overweight in Women. J. Nutrition, 131:1738-1745, 2001.

Murphy S, Kaiser LL, Townsend MS, Allen L. Evaluation of Validity of Items in a Food Behavior Checklist. J Am Diet Assoc. , 101:751-756, 761, 2001.

Kaiser LL, Melgar-Quiñonez HR, Townsend MS, Nicholson Y, Fujii ML, Martin AC, Lamp CL.2003. Food insecurity and food supplies in Latino households with young children. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 35: 148-153.

Townsend MS, Kaiser LL, Allen LH, Joy AB, Murphy SP. 2003 Selecting items for a food behavior checklist for a limited resource audience. J Nutr Educ Behav.35: 69-82.

Kaiser LL, Townsend MS, West EA, Steinberg FM, Joy AB, Brown GR, Feldman NI, Klenk MA, Williams EU, Garrett CL, Martin AC, Olivares A. 2002 Focus groups show need for diabetes education among African American adults. California Agriculture 56 (4): 139-143.

Townsend MS, Nitzke S, Contento I, McClelland J, Keenan D, Brown G. A theory-driven workshop increased educators’ intention to use theory in designing programs. J Nutrition Education & Behavior. 2003;35:312-318.

Horowitz M, Shilts MK, Townsend MS. EatFit: a goal-oriented intervention that challenges adolescents to improve their eating and fitness choices. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2004 Jan-Feb;36(1):43-4.

Kaiser L, Martin A, Metz D, Nicholson Y, Fujii M, Lamp C, Townsend M, Crawford P, Melgar-Quinonez H. Food insecurity among Latinos in California: Implications for food assistance programs and nutrition educators. California Agriculture 2004;58:18-23.

Crawford P, Townsend MS, Metz DL, Smith D, Espinosa-Hall G, Donohue SS, Sutherland B, Olivares A, Kaiser LL. How can Californians be overweight and hungry? California Agriculture. 2004;58:12-17.

Shilts M, Horowitz M, Townsend MS. An Innovative Approach to Goal Setting for Adolescents: Guided Goal Setting. J Nutrition Education & Behavior. 2004; 36:155-156.

Shilts M, Horowitz M, Townsend MS. Goal Setting as a Strategy for Dietary and Physical Activity Behavior Change: A Review of the Literature. American Journal Health Promotion 2004; 19:81-93.

Kaiser LL, Townsend MS, Melgar-Quinonez HR, Fujii ML, Crawford PB. Choice of instrument influences relationship between food insecurity and obesity in Latino women. Amer J Clinical Nutrition. 2004;80:1372-1378.

Bell R, Berger C, Cassady D, Townsend MS. Portrayals of Food Practices and Exercise Behavior In Popular American Films. J Nutrition Education & Behavior. 2005;37:27-32.

Horowitz M, Shilts M, Townsend MS. Adapting a Diet Analysis Application for an Adolescent Audience. J Nutrition Education & Behavior. 2005;37:43-44.

Townsend MS, Fulgoni V, Stern J, Adu-Afarwuah S, McCarron D. Low Mineral Intake is Associated with High Systolic Blood Pressure in NHANES III and IV: Could We All Be Right? Amer J Hypertension. 2005;18:261-269.

Townsend MS, Kaiser LL. Development of an evaluation tool to assess psychosocial indicators of fruit and vegetable intake for two federal programs. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2005;l37:170-84.

Townsend MS, Fulgoni VL, Stern JS, McCarron DA. Blood Pressure---Importance of Salt Intake. Am J Hypertension 2005; 18: 1258-61.

Kaiser LL, Townsend MS. Food Insecurity among US Children: Implications for Nutrition and Health. Topics in Clinical Nutrition. 2005;20(4): 313-320.

Blackburn ML, Townsend MS, Kaiser LL, Martin AC, West EA, Turner B, Joy AB. Food behavior checklist effectively evaluates nutrition education. California Agriculture 2006; 60(1): 20-24.

Townsend MS. Evaluating Food Stamp Nutrition Education: Process for development and validation of evaluation measures. J Nutrition and Behavior. 2006; 38 (1):18-24.

Diana Cassady, Marilyn Townsend, Robert A Bell, Mitchell Watnik. Portrayals of branded soft drinks in popular American movies: a content analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity 2006;3:4 (9 March 2006) BioMed Central

Townsend MS. Obesity in low-income communities: Prevalence, effects, a place to begin. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106 (1):34-37.

Townsend MS, Johns M, Shilts MK, Farfan-Ramirez L. Evaluation of a USDA Nutrition Education Program for Low-income Youth. J Nutrition Educ Behavior. 2006;38:30-41.