Alessandra Sarcona

philosophy

Respect each student and use best practices in evaluating students’ work to bring them to a higher level of learning.

Education

Year Degree School/University Location
2013 Doctorate in Education Long Island University, Post Brookville,NY
1989 Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition New York University New York, NY
1984 Dietetic Internship Yale-New Haven Hospital New Haven, CT
1983 Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition, and Institutional Management East Carolina University Greenville, NC

Courses

Course Number Course Name
NTD 203 The Dietetic Profession
NTD 404 Nutrition and Disease Prevention
NTD 409 Professional Skills in Dietetics
NTD 411 Advanced Nutrition 1
NTD 413 Medical Nutrition Therapy I
NTD 414 Medical Nutrition Therapy II
NTD 444 Lifestyle Nutrition Practicum
NTD 521 Dietetic Internship Supervised Practice Experience
NTD 610 Nutrition Assessment
NTD 630 Nutrition Capstone

Publications

Sarcona, A., Follador, T., & Benson, K. (January-March, 2025). Impact of incorporating intuitive eating through a motivational interviewing style of counseling on hemodialysis patients’ eating attitudes, laboratory values, and perceptions of nutrition counseling. Topics in Clinical Nutrition. 40(1), 49-61.

Reppert-Moyer, C., & Sarcona, A. (2024). The relationship between components of diet and gut inflammation in nonceliac gluten sensitivity: A systematic review. Medical Nutrition Matters. 44(2), 9-15.

Sarcona, A., & Dirhan, D. (2023). Incorporating intuitive eating education: The effects on dietetics students’ eating behaviors, body esteem, and self-efficacy, and the benefits translated to nutrition counseling. Journal of Dietetic Education, 1(1), 4. 

Sarcona, A., & Dirhan, D. (Summer, 2023). Inclusive teaching strategies for dietetic educators in higher education. Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors (NDEP) – Line, 10 -15

Dunn, D., Keenan-Miller, D., Isoldi, K. K., Sarcona, A., Dolar, D., & Guiné, R. P. F. (2022). Measurement and correlates of food selection motivations in a United States sample. American Journal of Health Behavior, 46(2), 186-196. 

Sarcona, A., Lucas, L., & Dirhan, D. (2022). Faculty development: Exploring well-being of educators. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 26(3).

Dirhan, D., & Sarcona, A. (2021). Students’ self-perceptions of mindfulness after learning mindfulness techniques in a professional skills course. 2021 International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd) Conference Proceedings, 535-543. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAd21.2021.12603
 
Martinho, V. J. P. D., Elena Bartkiene, E., Djekic, I., Tarcea, M., Colić Barić, I., Černelič-Bizjak, M., Szűcs, V., Sarcona, A., El-Kenawy, A., Ferreira, V., Klava, D., Korzeniowska, M., Vittadini, E., Leal, M., Bolhuis, D., Papageorgiou M., & Guiné, R. P. F. (2021) Determinants of economic motivations for food choice: insights for the understanding of consumer behavior. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, doi: 10.1080/09637486.2021.1939659
 
Sarcona, A. (2020). Facilitating behavior change with evidence-based nutrition education strategies. Clarksville, MD: Wolf Rinke Associates.
 
Sarcona, A., Dirhan, D., Davidson, P. (2020). An overview of audio and written feedback from students’ and instructors’ perspective. Educational Media International. doi:10.1080/09523987.2020.1744853
 
Sarcona, A. (2019). Using the nutrition care process model as a practical framework to measure outcomes of a nutrition program using motivational interviewing. Weight Management Matters, 18(2), 14-17.
 
Dirhan, D., & Sarcona, A. (Winter, 2019). Self-efficacy in counseling with service learning. Academic Exchange Quarterly.
 
Sarcona, A., Ervin, M., Davidson, P., & Dirhan, D. (Winter 2018). Strategies to improve student writing. Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors Newsletter, 24-27.
 
Sarcona, A., & Davidson, P. (2018). The interrelationship of diet, microbiome, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. On the Cutting Edge, Diabetes Care and Education, 38(6), 13-17.
 
Sarcona, A., Kovacs, L., Wright, J., & Williams, C. (2017). The relationship between the use of mobile-based apps and physical activity, eating behaviors and health-related lifestyle choices of college students, American Journal of Health Education, 48(5), 298-305, doi:10.1080/19325037.2017.1335630
 
Sarcona, A., Burrowes, J., & Fornari, A. (2015). Characteristics of an effective preceptor: Dietetics education as a paradigm.Journal of Allied Health, 44(4), 229–235.

Memberships

 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
 
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Groups:
Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionists (SCAN)
Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors (NDEP)
Behavioral Health Nutrition
 
Philadelphia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics