Nutritional Sciences | Penn State College of Health and Human Development

Reaffirming the health benefits of seed oils

Kristina Petersen's recent study on linoleic acid, a component of many seed oils, reconfirmed that it does not promote inflammation and may lower the risk of certain chronic diseases, such as dementia, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease.

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HHD Career Exploration Week

Career Exploration Week is happening now! Kick it off by exploring majors, connecting with faculty, staff, and current students, updating your headshot, getting your resume reviewed, and more!

Check out the events happening during Career Exploration Week

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Food insecurity can lead to unhealthy weight gain or loss for older adults 

Recurring food insecurity was associated with unhealthy weight change among older adults, according to a new study from Muzi Na.

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Are pecans the right snack for your heart?

Switching daily snack foods to pecans improved blood cholesterol levels and enhanced overall diet quality, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences.

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A person holds a heart shaped container of oil on a table surrounded by different whole foods and produce.

Strong evidence informs dietary recommendations for heart health

Dietary clinical trials face unique challenges compared to clinical trials examining drug treatments. In a new paper aimed at researchers and policymakers, a group of nutrition researchers examines the contributions, potential, and complexities of nutrition-related clinical trials.

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Earn two degrees in five years

The Master of Public Health program prepares students for impactful careers in public health. This integrated undergraduate-graduate program allows undergraduate students to earn both a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in five years of full-time study.

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Reaffirming the health benefits of seed oils

Learn more

HHD Career Exploration Week

Career Exploration Week is happening now! Kick it off by exploring majors, connecting with faculty, staff, and current students, updating your headshot, getting your resume reviewed, and more!

Check out the events happening during Career Exploration Week

Food insecurity can lead to unhealthy weight gain or loss for older adults 

Recurring food insecurity was associated with unhealthy weight change among older adults, according to a new study from Muzi Na.

Learn more

Are pecans the right snack for your heart?

Learn more

Strong evidence informs dietary recommendations for heart health

Learn more

Earn two degrees in five years

Learn more

Reaffirming the health benefits of seed oils

Learn more

Nutritional Sciences at Penn State examines how humans gain energy from food and how nutrition choices affect our health over time.

Solidly rooted in chemistry, biology, physiology, psychology, neuroscience, behavior, and development, our body of work covers the effects of nutrition at all levels, from the molecule to the organism, to the population at large. Our programs aim to nurture a new generation of leaders in bench and behavioral sciences who will push the limits of our understanding of nutrition as it relates to human health.

Faculty and students in a test kitchen at Penn State

Start your undergraduate journey

Explore this undergraduate degree for students interested in how the human body transforms food into usable energy that fuels our daily lives.

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Learn about graduate training

Discover how research and graduate training provides students with the knowledge needed to contribute to the field of nutritional sciences.

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Explore research areas

Understand the variety of research areas and current projects that push the boundaries of knowledge in the field.

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The Diet Assessment Center

Explore how the department collects and analyzes dietary data to help researchers understand what, how, and when people are eating.

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Clancy Cash Harrison pictured in front of boxes of produce.

Alumni Spotlight

Using her passion for solving food insecurity

Clancy Cash Harrison, 1997 nutritional sciences alumna and founder of the Food Dignity Movement, uses her passion and knowledge of nutrition to help reduce food waste at family-owned farms and support food security in local communities through her organization.

Learn more about her work