Aspiring dietitian aims to shift emphasis from weight to cultural relevance

Leslie Canales Franco wants to turn the nutrition field upside down.

“There's a lot I’d like to change from a health care perspective,” she said.

Canales Franco will graduate with her bachelor of science in nutrition from the Rowan-Virtua Rita & Larry Salva School of Nursing & Health Professions on Thursday, May 9. She has one year of graduate school left to complete her master of science in dietetics under the Coordinated BS/MS Program in Nutrition & Dietetics.

Through her role as a nutrition educator paraprofessional for the Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program, a Rutgers Cooperative Extension program, the 23-year-old from Deptford delivers education to the underserved in Camden.

“I focus on helping people pick and prepare healthy foods instead of just telling them to eat more vegetables,” she said.

Weight, trauma and representation in nutrition

“My passion is supporting underappreciated communities to obtain equitable access to healthcare—specifically weight-inclusive, culturally relevant, trauma-informed care—in the nutrition field,” Canales Franco said.

Weight is often top of mind when consulting a dietitian, “but weight is not a great predictor of overall health,” said Canales Franco. She’s more interested in “providing care that doesn't revolve around putting people’s health at risk.”

Canales Franco, a first-generation Mexican immigrant, advocates for the importance of culture in nutrition.

“There are benefits to eating a culturally relevant diet,” she said. “Instead of putting kale in my quesadilla, I put in herbs like cilantro, because they're relevant to me.”

Trauma-informed approaches to diet can help reach people for whom nutrition and health are tied to experiences of trauma that, Canales Franco said, “impact how people engage with nutrition.”

“Our profession is lucky to have a person like Leslie in the field,” said Dara LoBuono, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science. “She will make some great changes that are needed in the field of dietetics.”

Enhancing the field

As a research assistant in LoBuono’s lab, Canales Franco designed materials for a nutrition education intervention for older adults. With Nicole Vaughn, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science, she contributed to urban agriculture research.

Canales Franco’s contributions have been published in academic journals and gotten her recognized with the Higher Education Division Student Research Award at the July 2023 Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior Conference.

“Even as an undergraduate, Leslie has made significant contributions to the field,” LoBuono said.

Canales Franco also served as treasurer of Rowan’s Nutrition Care Club from December 2021 to December 2023.

Facing challenges

In addition to the struggles many first-generation students face, Canales Franco once had to withdraw from classes for a semester due to delays in the citizenship process. “I had to stay confident that everything would work out,” she said, “but it was scary.” Canales Franco makes a point of finding moments of joy to sustain her through challenges.

After completing her master’s degree, she plans to become a Registered Dietitian and potentially pursue a doctorate.

“What draws me to the health professions is the opportunity to support people in building healthy relationships with food and themselves,” Canales Franco said.

LoBuono believes Canales Franco’s positive nature will help her excel as a dietitian. “Leslie’s dedication to the field, combined with her positive attitude, persistence, and kind heart, will help her break down barriers,” she said.

At the heart of Canales Franco’s passion for the field is a love of food.

“I enjoy learning how food connects us to our culture and history and the people in our lives,” she said.

Every spring, Rowan University highlights one graduating student from each school and college. Read more stories about this year’s featured graduates.