Marcia Cauley Costello, PhD, RD, LDN
Assistant Professor
Area of Expertise:
- Nutrition and Wellness
Summary
As the rate of obesity among Americans continues to rise, a key factor in wellness is a healthy nutrition lifestyle and maintenance of an optimal body weight. An expert in nutrition, sports nutrition and eating disorders, Dr. Costello can discuss healthy eating behaviors among college students, childhood obesity, home health nutrition, nutrition screenings and the role of nutrition in disease prevention. She provides nutrition assessment and counseling to student athletes for the Villanova University Athletics Department, as well as to college students diagnosed with eating disorders.
Education
- Ph.D., Temple University
- M.S., Framingham State College
- B.S., University of Rhode Island
Selected Publications
- Kendzierski, D. & Costello, M., "Health eating self-schema and nutrition behavior." Journal of Applied Social Psychology (34:2437-2451.)
- Costello, M. & Todd-Magel, C. (1997). "Bridging the Gap: Hospital to Home Nutrition Support." Med Surg Nursing, 6(9), 328-338.
- Costello, M. (1996). "Home Health Nutrition." Med Surg Nursing 5(4), 229-236. (Selected for Writer of the Year Award)
Selected Professional Experience
- Villanova University Counseling Center, Consultant Nutritionist
- Villanova University Athletic Department, Consultant Nutritionist
- Lankenau Hospital, Consultant Research Dietitian
Selected Research
- "Self-Schema and Nutrition Behavior 1997 -2002. A study examining the relationship between self-schema and healthy eating behavior among college students." Conducted in collaboration with Dr. Deborah Kendzierski, Psychology Department, Villanova University.
- "Integration of a Service Learning Experience into a Nutrition Course, 2002." Funded by Villanova Institute for the Advancement of Learning. Development, implementation and evaluation of a service learning component integrated into an introductory nutrition course.
- "Body Composition of Women with Multiple Sclerosis, 2001." Funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb grant for Health Promotion for Women with Disabilities Villanova University grant. Examined the body composition of women with MS using infrared interactance technology.
Grants
- Villanova University College of Nursing
- Summer Research Grant and Research Support from the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects of Villanova University
- Bristol-Myers Squibb grant for Health Promotion for Women with Disabilities
