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Agricultural and Human Sciences

Basheerah Enahora, PhD, MBA, RDN, LDN

BE

Assistant Professor

Extension Specialist

4101 Beryl Road, 240C

Bio

Dr. Enahora is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, focused on Nutrition Education and Behavior, in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her research is motivated by the desire to reduce health disparities in lower-resourced communities and based on her experience in clinical practice as a Registered Dietitian working primarily with underrepresented minority adults and teenagers. Dr. Enahora utilizes innovative technologies, including SMS text messaging and digital apps, while aiming to influence dietary behaviors and improve health outcomes among disadvantaged families.

The commitment to improve health through nutrition and technology shapes Dr. Enahora’s research agenda, and drives her Extension work. Dr. Enahora’s programmatic and research interest focus on four overarching areas:

* Enhancing the current Extension nutrition education programs with behavior-change theory that improves whole-family health.

* Develop a youth-driven intervention to improve the dietary intake and culinary skills of lower-resourced adolescents in North Carolina.

* Creating synergies across existing NC State Extension nutrition education programs through policy, systems and environmental (PSE) change strategies that empower Extension agents to build healthier schools/communities through collaborative partnerships.

* Extending the reach of existing NC State Extension nutrition education programs to more lower-resourced and marginalized families through innovative technologies.

Professional Honors/Offices/Recognitions

  • 2022-2023: DigiTech Division Communications Chair, Society of Nutrition Education & Behavior
  • 2022-2023: Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Foundation Scholarship Reviewer
  • 2022: SNEB Annual Conference Abstract Co-Chair, Society of Nutrition Education & Behavior
  • 2021-2022: Behavioral Intervention Scholars

Selected Publications

  • McGuirt JT, Gustafson A, Ammerman AS, Enahora B et al. (2022) EatWellNow: Formative Development of a Place-Based Behavioral “Nudge” Technology Intervention to Promote Healthier Food Purchases among Army Soldiers. Nutrients, 14(7):1458. doi:10.3390/nu14071458
  • McGuirt JT, Enahora B, Dyson O, Tripicchio GL, Mallard L, Rhea CK. (2021) Virtual Avatar Coaching With Community Context for Adult-Child Dyads with Low Income. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 53(3):232-239. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2020.12.004.
  • JT, Cooke NK, Burgermaster M, Enahora B, et al. (2020) Extended Reality Technologies in Nutrition Education and Behavior: Comprehensive Scoping Review and Future Directions. Nutrients, 12(9):2899. doi:10.3390/nu12092899
  • McGuirt JT, Dyson O, Enahora B, Rhea C. (2020) O29 Development of a Virtual Reality Avatar Software Program to Prevent Obesity in Children From Low-Income Communities. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 52(7, Supplement):S14. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2020.04.041
  • Enahora B, McGuirt J. (2020) P110 Understanding the Impact of the Opening of a Supermarket on a College Campus on College Students: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 52(7):S68. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2020.04.157

Education

BS Mechanical Engineering North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

MBA Business Administration Duke University

MS Nutrition Science University of Illinois at Chicago

PhD Nutrition University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Area(s) of Expertise

  • Nutrition Science
  • Adolescent Nutrition
  • Nutrition Education
  • Health Behavior Change

Groups