Women have had a role in society mostly associated to the biological goal of maternity. Modern times have evolved and not necessarily the role of women in many societies and spaces had experienced a catch up with new challenges, needs and aspirations. Women continue to be exposed to the many challenges of a world that faces a poly-crisis status: wars, political and economic unrests, climate change, and the uneven evolution of the awareness of human rights and the new roles that women play in modern societies. Women continue to be more food insecure, more obese, and more anemic in certain regions of the world, than men, and sometimes continue to be under cultural and societal circumstances that do not allow them to reach their maximum potential. Also, the new trends of fertility that allows women to choose what they want when they want has also a biological component that has an impact that still need to be understood. What is the role of women dietitians in this context? We will explore on food and nutrition insecurity, flavors and taste, cultural norms, societal norms and symbolism associated to foods.

Speaker

Marianella Herrera-Cuenca MD, MSc, PhD

Dr. Herrera is a Professor and Researcher in Public Health, wellness for life and International Nutrition, at Framingham State University, Simmons University and the Central University of Venezuela.  As a researcher, faculty, and consultant for many organizations she has been the principal investigator of several research projects and has been involved in grant writing, dealing with scientific personalities and managing the cooperation with agency leaders of high-level international agencies. She has been involved in research on food security and the first 1000 days in emergency situations as well as in successful implementations of initiatives for nutrition education, cooking in emergency times and developed strategies for sustainable kitchens in low-income communities.  A current member of the Nutrition cluster of the Humanitarian actions in Venezuela (OCHA-UNICEF) and a consultant for the World Food Program, has been and continues to be a leader in cooperation with international and national organizations. She has more than one hundred peer reviewed published articles, and several book chapters written in the last 8 years. She is a correspondent member of the Venezuelan National Academy of Medicine and a correspondent member of the Venezuelan Society of Puericulture and Paediatrics. In 2022 she was recognized with the Trinko Service Award by LAHIDAN-MIG of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is a past chair of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Council on Research  (CoR) and past president of the International Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (IAAND).