Karina Diaz Rios

CE Nutrition Specialist

University of California, Merced
5200 N. Lake Road
251A Social Sciences & Management
Merced, CA 95343
kdiazrios@ucanr.edu

http://sites.ucmerced.edu/kdiazrios

Links

• Vita
• MyNCBI
• Google Scholar

Biography

Dr. Díaz Rios is a community nutrition researcher and a registered dietitian who specializes in culturally and contextually responsive nutrition education to improve the food environment of families with young children. Her research is informed by the socioecological determinants of nutritional health to sensibly reach groups at risk of malnutrition. Drawing from participatory and implementation science principles, her most recent projects aim to increase nutrition education capacity in medically underserved communities by identifying feasible processes to bridge existing resources. This includes using tele-nutrition to deliver nutrition education in remote rural communities. Her instrumentation work consists of devising methodological approaches to adapt and validate evaluation tools for linguistic and cultural relevance. This work has resulted in several validated tools to measure the food environment at home, food-related parenting practices, and diet quality. Her work contributes to documenting the impact of nutrition education programs implemented at the local, state, and national levels. She is currently serving as the UC ANR Associate Editor for Food and Nutrition.

Education

R.D. Dietetics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2016

Ph.D. Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2013

M.S. Medical Sciences, University of Guanajuato. 2008

B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Guanajuato. 2005

Specialty

Areas of Expertise (click to see all ANR academics with this expertise)

• Program and Project Design, and Statistics
• Communication, Education, and Information Delivery
• Human Health
• Healthy Lifestyle
• Human Nutrition
• Nutrition Education and Behavior
• Nutrition and Hunger in the Population
• Obesity Prevention
• Human Development and Family Well-Being
• Sociological and Technological Change Affecting Individuals, Families, and Communities
• Spanish
• Community Food Security

Bibliography

Peer Reviewed

• Diaz Rios K, Ontai L, Shilts MK, Lanoue L, Townsend M. Cross-cultural adaptation and initial validation of Mi Niño, a tool to measure food-related parenting practices of Spanish-speaking parents with young children. Curr Dev Nutr. 2023;7(2):100002

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Lanoue L, Drake C, Diaz Rios K, Keim NL, Styne DM, Ontai LL. Obesity risk assessment for Spanish-speaking immigrant families with young children in the United States: reliability and validity with nutrient values. Children. 2023;10(5):868

• Goliaei Z, Gonzalez M, Diaz Rios K, Pokhrel M, Burke N. Post-resettlement food insecurity: Afghan refugees and challenges of the new environment. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(10):5846

• Aldaz KJ, Ortiz S, Ortiz RM, Diaz Rios K, Dhillon J. A cross-sectional analysis of food perceptions, food preferences, diet quality, and health in a food desert campus. Nutrients. 2022;14(24):5215

• Dhillon J, Jacobs AG, Ortiz S, Diaz Rios LK. A systematic review of literature on the representation of racial and ethnic minority groups in clinical nutrition interventions. Adv Nutr. 2022;13(5):1505-28

• Diaz Rios LK, Stage VC, Leak TM, Taylor CA, Reicks M. Collecting, using, and reporting race and ethnicity information: implications for research in nutrition education, practice, and policy to promote health equity. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2022:54(6):582-93

• Lee DL, Alkon A, Plank K, Neelon M, Diaz Rios LK, Hecht CE, Thompson HR, Ritchie LD. Self-paced online training on healthy beverage policy for child care providers. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2021; 53(6):457-70

• Payán DD, Díaz Rios LK, Ramírez AS, Young MT. Structural barriers influencing food insecurity, malnutrition, and health among Latinas during and after COVID-19: Considerations and recommendations. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021;121(5):837-43

• Shilts MK, Diaz Rios LK, Panarella KH, Styne DM, Lanoue, L Drake C, Ontai L, Townsend MS. Feasibility of colocating a nutrition education program into a medical clinic setting to facilitate pediatric obesity prevention. J Prim Care Community Health. 2021;12:21501327211009695

• Hazard K, Lee D, Ritchie L, Rose R, Diaz Rios LK, Plank K, Alkon A. Development of an online curriculum for California early care and education providers on healthy beverages. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):1387

• Shilts M, Diaz Rios K, Ontai, L, Panarella K, Drake C, Styne, DM, Navarro S, Loera A, Lanoue L, Townsend MS. Interest and acceptability of a clinic based EFNEP intervention in English and Spanish speaking parents for pediatric obesity prevention. J Nutr Behav Educ. 2021;53(7):S37

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Lanoue, L, Drake C, Diaz Rios LK, Styne DM, Keim NL, Ontai L. Obesity risk assessment tool for low-income Spanish speaking immigrant parents with young children: validity with BMI and biomarkers of obesity. Nutrients. 2020;12(11):3582

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Diaz Rios LK, Panarella KH. Designing retrospective evaluation tools for limited-literacy adults. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2020;52(6):658-62

• Chapman-Novakofski K, Diaz Rios LK. Education and Counseling: Behavioral Change. In: Raymond J, Morrow K, Mahan LK, eds. Krause and Mahan’s Food & The Nutrition Care Process. 15th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2021

• Horowitz M, Kaiser LL, Manzo R, Aguilera A, Diaz Rios LK, Macias K. Influence of preschooler and parent nutrition education on carotenoid levels of Mexican-heritage children. Public Health Nutr. 2020;23(13):2336-44

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Lanoue, L, Drake C, Diaz Rios LK, Styne DM, Keim NL, Ontai L. Obesity risk assessment tool for low-income Spanish speaking immigrant parents with young children: validity with BMI and biomarkers of obesity. Nutrients. 2020;12(11):3582

• Chrisman M, Diaz Rios LK. Evaluating MyPlate after eight years: A perspective. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019;51(7);899-903

• Kaiser L, Aguilera A, Silva J, Horowitz M, Lamp C, Johns M, Espinoza D, Byrnes M, Ontai L, Diaz Rios LK. Niños Sanos, Familia Sana. University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Publication 8581. ©2019 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Dhillon J, Diaz Rios LK, Aldaz K, De La Cruz N, Vu E, Asghar SA, Kuse Q, Ortiz R. We don’t have a lot of healthy options: food environment perceptions of first-year, minority college students attending a food desert campus. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):816

• Dhillon J, Thorwald M, De La Cruz N, Vu E, Asghar SA, Kuse Q, Diaz Rios LK, Ortiz RM. Glucoregulatory and cardiometabolic profiles of almond vs. cracker snacking for 8 weeks in young adults: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2018;10(8):960

• Ontai L, Horowitz M, Rosales D, Spezzano T, Diaz Rios K, Mendoza C, Manglallan S, Pressman J. Healthy Happy Families Express. University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Publication 8587. ©2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Diaz Rios LK, Chapman-Novakofski K. Latino/Hispanic participation in community nutrition research: an interplay of decisional balance, cultural competency, and formative work. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018;118(9):1687-1699

• Ramirez AS, Diaz Rios LK, Valdez Z, Estrada E, Ruiz A. Bringing Produce to the People: Implementing a Social Marketing Food Access Intervention in Rural Food Deserts. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2017;49(2):166-­174

• Diaz Rios LK, Muzaffar H, Meline B, Chapman-Novakofski K. Talk, Heart, Hands: A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Nutrition Education for Latinos with Young Children. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016;48(6):425-429

• Murimi M, Chrisman M, Diaz Rios LK, McCollum HR, McDonald O. A qualitative study on factors that affect school lunch participation: Perspectives of school food service managers and cooks. J Nutri Health. 2015;1(2):6

• Diaz Rios LK, Chapman-Novakofski K, Malacara JM, Bollero G, Aradillas-Garcia C, Garay-Sevilla ME. Metabolic and nutritional profile differences among Mexican, Mexican-American and Non-Hispanic White children. Rev Invest Clin. 2014;66(1):31-44

• Fernandez-Raudales D, Diaz Rios LK, Lotton J, Chapman-Novakofski K, Gonzalez de Mejia E. Effect of beverages with different protein profiles on postprandial blood glucose response in overweight and obese men. J Diabetes Mellitus. 2012;2(1):40-46

• Diaz Rios LK, Rivera-Cisneros AE, Macias-Cervantes MH, Sanchez-Gonzalez JM, Guerrero-Martinez FJ. [Acute responseson lipid profile by practicing cycling] Acondicionamiento físico y respuesta aguda en la concentración de lípidos séricos. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2008;46(2):119-128

Non-Peer Reviewed

• Ortiz F, Ortiz Flores S, Rodriguez Cruz E, Kaur B, Hlubik K, Diaz Rios LK. Food resource awareness and information sharing among college students at high risk of food insecurity. Curr Dev Nutr. 2020;4(S2):S258

• Ritchie LD, et al. Healthy Beverages in Early Care & Education, Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources. ©2020 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Townsend MS, Shilts MS, Leavens L, Diaz Rios K, Panarella K. Focus on Sweet Drinks, Instruction Guide. University of California Cooperative Extension. ©2019 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved

• Townsend MS, Shilts MS, Leavens L, Diaz Rios K, Panarella K. Focus on Sweet Drinks…Now and Then, Instruction Guide. University of California Cooperative Extension. ©2019 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved

• Townsend MS, Shilts MS, Leavens L, Diaz Rios K, Panarella K. Focus on Veggies…Now and Then, Instruction Guide. University of California Cooperative Extension. ©2019 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved

• Ortiz Flores S, Ortiz F, Rodriguez Cruz E, Diaz Machado E, Kaur B, Hlubik K, Ortiz R, Diaz Rios LK. Food access information and nutrition education needs assessed by college student key-informants. J Nutr Behav Educ. 2019;51(7):S109

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Diaz Rios LK, Leavens L, Panerella K. Primero los Vegetales...Ahora y Antes. [10-item Spanish language retrospective pictorial assessment of child vegetable behaviors in the family environment]. Design: M Reed. University of California Cooperative Extension. ©2019 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Diaz Rios LK, and Panarella, K. Focus on Sweet Drinks: Now and Then. [3-item retrospective pictorial assessment of child sweetened beverage behaviors in the family environment]. Design: M Reed. University of California Cooperative Extension. ©2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Diaz Rios K, Leavens L, Panerella K. Focus on Veggies...Now and Then. [10-item retrospective pictorial assessment of child vegetable behaviors in the family environment.] Design: M. Reed.  University of California Cooperative Extension. ©2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Ontai L, Diaz Rios LK, Shilts MK, Lanoue L, & Townsend MS. Mi Niño a La Hora De Comer: Concurrent Validation Methods Through Mealtime Observations and Preliminary Analyses. J Nutr Behav Educ. 2018;50(7):S107-8

• Townsend MS, Keim N, Espinoza M, Zavala G, Shilts MK, Diaz Rios LK. Mis Vegetales. v.1. [8-pg diet quality assessment tool in Spanish for low literacy program participants: a surrogate to the more complex 24-hour dietary recall]. Design: M Reed. University of California, Davis. ©2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Ontai, L, Drake C, Lanoue L, Styne, DM, Keim N, Diaz Rios LK, Panarella K. Obesity Risk, Parenting & Diet Quality Tools for Hispanic Families with Preschoolers: EFNEP, Head Start, Medical Clinic-Year 3. J Nutr Behav Educ. 2018;50(7):S108

• Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Diaz Rios LK, Styne D. Primero los Vegetales. [10-item Spanish language pictorial assessment of child vegetable behaviors in the family environment]. Design: M Reed. University of California Cooperative Extension. ©2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Lanoue L, Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Drake C, Ontai L, Diaz Rios LK, Keim N, & Styne DM. Using Biomarkers for the Validation of Niños Sanos, an Obesity Risk Assessment Tool: Preliminary Results. J Nutr Behav Educ. 2018;50(7):S109

• Townsend M, Shilts MK, Ontai L, Drake C, Lanoue L, Styne D, Allen L, Diaz Rios K, Panarella K. Obesity Risk, Parenting and Diet Quality Tools for Hispanic Families with Preschoolers: EFNEP, Head Start, Medical Clinic-Year 2. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2017;49(7):S120-S121

• Ontai L, Diaz Rios K, Shilts MK, Lanoue L, Davidson C, Zavala G, Espinoza M, Townsend M. Process for Validating My Child at Mealtime: Assessing Parent Mealtime Behavior in Spanish Speaking Families of Preschoolers. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2017;49(7):S121-S122.

• Diaz Rios K, Zavala G, Espinoza M, Keim N, Shilts MK, Townsend M. Spanish Adaptationof a Pictorial Assessment of Diet Quality. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2017;49(7):S122

• Dhillon J, Diaz Rios LK, De La Cruz N, Vu E, Asghar S, Kuse Q, Ortiz R. There Isn’t Much Variety: Food Environment Perceptions of Students in a Food Desert Campus. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017;117(9):A98

• Townsend MS, Keim N, Espinoza M, Zavala G, Diaz Rios LK. My Veggies. v.1. [8-pg diet quality assessment tool for low-literate program participants; a surrogate for the more complex 24-hour dietary recall]. Design: M Reed. University of California, Davis. ©2016 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved

• Townsend M, Shilts M, Ontai L, Drake C, Lanoue L, Styne D, Allen L, Diaz Rios LK, Panarella K. Obesity Risk, Parenting and Diet Quality Assessment for Spanish-Speaking Families With Preschool Children: EFNEP, Head Start, Medical Clinic-Year 1. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016;48(7):S132

• Diaz Rios K, Ontai LL, Zavala G, Espinoza M, Shilts MK, Townsend MS. Spanish Adaptation of My Child at Mealtime: A Feeding Style Self-Assessment Tool for Low-Income Parents of Preschoolers. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016;48(7):S117

• Diaz Rios LK, Chapman-Novakofski K. Relevance and Appropriateness of ¡Salud! Comiendo en Familia, an Obesity Early Prevention Program for Hispanics. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2014;46(4S):S182

• Diaz Rios LK, Chapman-Novakofski K, Garay-Sevilla, ME, Malacara JM, Bollero G, Aradillas-Garcia C. Comparison of metabolic and nutritional profiles among Mexican, Mexican-American, and Non-Hispanic White children. FASEB J. 2010;24:737

• Díaz Rios LK. Spanish for the Nutrition Professional. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2010;42:430.e1

• Diaz K, Miller M, Nava E, Chapman-Novakofski K. Formative evaluation of a community-based diabetes education program for Hispanics. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41(4S):S26-S27

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