Position Title
Associate Professor of Teaching
Education
- Ph.D., Nutritional Biology, University of California, Davis
Bio
Dr. Fetter teaches Nutrition 10V and Nutrition 10, in addition to conducting research on education and pedagogy. She is passionate about helping people, especially with guiding students to make healthier nutrition and lifestyle choices. She also aspires to help bridge the gap between the science community and general public through teaching and writing about nutrition in an engaging and relatable way.
During her graduate studies, Dr. Fetter was extensively involved with her favorite class, Nutrition 10. Most recently, she worked with Dr. Liz Applegate as an integral member of the development team for the fully online version of Nutrition 10, called Nutrition 10V, and instructed the class during its initial launch.
Dr. Fetter completed her Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis where she worked in the Zidenberg-Cherr and Scherr research group. Her research focused on how to incorporate technology in school-based, obesity-prevention programs to generate interest in nutrition and physical activity.
Dr. Fetter was also selected to be in the 2017-2018 UC Davis Professors for the Future Program, a professional development fellowship in leadership and service for doctoral candidates interested in pursuing a career in academia. As part of this program, she developed a social media boot camp to give academics tools for disseminating research to the general public and building an online community.
Dr. Fetter has experience writing for several publications, including Runner’s World and the American Society for Nutrition. Hearing misconceptions about nutrition motivated her to create her own blog to discuss current nutrition trends and research. Feel free to follow her blog, twitter, and Instagram for more information about hot topics in nutrition and sustainable strategies towards incorporating healthy living.
Debbie also holds a B.S. in Nutrition Science from the University of California, Davis. In her free time, she enjoys running and taking kickboxing classes. She is an advocate for “variety in moderation” and believes that in a healthy diet there’s always room for a piece of cheese.
Selected Publications
Fetter DS, Linnell JD, Dharmar M, Bergman JJ, Byrnes M, Gerdes MA, Ruiz LD, Pang N, Pressman J and Scherr RE. Using Theory to Develop Healthy Choices in Motion, a Comprehensive, Experiential Physical Activity Curriculum. Front. Public Health. 2020. [Google Scholar]
Fetter, DS, Dharmar, M, Lawry-Hall, S, Pressman, J, Chapman, J, Scherr, RE. The Influence of Gain-Framed and Loss-Framed Health Messages on Nutrition and Physical Activity Knowledge. Global Pediatric Health. 2019. [PubMed]
Fetter, DS, Scherr, RE, Linnell, JD, Dharmar, M, Schaefer, SE, and Zidenberg-Cherr, S. Effect of the Shaping Healthy Choices Program, a Multi-Component, School-Based Nutrition Intervention, on Physical Activity Intensity. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2018. [PubMed]
Limited Distribution Publications
American Society for Nutrition:
- Sleep: The Most Underrated Healthy Habit
- Coconut Oil: Medical Miracle or Marketing Miracle?
- Instagram: The New Frontier for Weight Loss?
- “I’m not really an expert on the subject at all”
- Experimental Biology 2017: Restoring Relevancy of Nutrition Expertise in the Current Food Movement
- Experimental Biology 2017: Nutrigenomics and Personalized Nutrition
- Experimental Biology 2017: Developing Health Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors Through Education, Extension, or Technology
International Food Information Council Foundation:
- The Secret to Raising a Healthy Eater? Start Early!
- Diet Trends: OK for Social Media Posts But Not for A Baby’s Diet
- What’s Up with Protein and Protein Supps?
- Caffeine In An Active Lifestyle
- MSG: A Brief History
- Food Allergies Across The Globe
- Healthful Tips for Ordering Groceries Online
- Is Dairy Inflammatory
- Is Sugar Inflammatory
- Is gluten inflammatory
Faculty Focus:
Food Nutrition & Science from the Lempert Report:
Runner’s World (assisted Dr. Liz Applegate with blog posts):
- Boost Production of this Hormone with Exercise to Burn Fat
- How Important are Expiration Dates on Food
- Should You Drink that Post Run Beer? New Research Weighs in
- Does this Extract Really Help Burn Calories?
- Don’t Let a Cold Sideline Your Training
- Italian Research Says Yes to Pasta
- Run Strong with Whole Grains
- Does Intermittent Fasting Help with Weight Loss?
- Copper Linked to Fat Burning
- The Nutrient Every Runner Needs and Almost No One Gets
- Ultrarunners Burn Carbs as Fuel
- Beans are Good for Your Heart and Waistline
- Run More, Eat Less
- Paleo Diet Principles May Help Runners
- Protein Could be Key to Weight Loss, Muscle Gain
- Sleep Better with Fiber
- Small Plates Make a Big Difference
- Carbs Still on Top as Fuel
- How to Keep the Pounds Off After You Lose Weight
- Can Drinking Coffee Help You Live Longer?
- Why is Losing Weight so Hard?
- Drinking More Water Can Help You Drop More Pounds
- Why Guys Need to Worry About Bone Health
- Have a Sweet Tooth? Maybe Blame Your Genes
- The Summer Danger Every Runner Faces
- Is There a Best Way to Lose Weight?
- The Essential Weight-Loss Nutrient
- A New Way to Reduce Muscle Soreness
- Eat More Often, Weigh Less