Roberta Anding is a lecturer in the Kinesiology Department at Rice University. Roberta joined the faculty in 1999. She currently teaches Nutrition and Sports Nutrition. Roberta received her bachelor’s degree in dietetics in 1977 and her master’s in nutrition from Louisiana State University in 1980. She is currently a licensed dietitian in the state of Texas, a Registered Dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. Roberta also holds a certificate in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In 2015, she was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
She joined the faculty of Rice University as an instructor in the Kinesiology Department teaching an undergraduate course in nutrition in 1999. Concurrently, she was previously a faculty member of the Baylor College of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Adolescent Medicine and Sports Medicine where she was also an instructor in nutrition as well as the Director of Sports Nutrition in the Adolescent Medicine and Sports Medicine Clinic. She was the Director of Performance for the Rice Owls for ten years. Roberta has also been the sports dietitian for professional teams in Houston. She was the sports dietitian for the Houston Texans for the first 12 years of the franchise and was the sports dietitian for the Houston Astros for 10 years. She was a consultant for the Houston Ballet for 15 years. Roberta is currently an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and is the co-thread director for nutrition for medical students at Baylor College of Medicine.
Anding’s research focused on the essentiality of omega 3 fatty acid in CNS development. Additionally, she developed and evaluated an online nutrition/fitness curriculum for inner city girl scouts that was featured on the Houston Texans website. She also focused time on research with grant funding from the Women’s Fund where she was involved with the development of a carbohydrate modified weight management program for overweight Hispanic youth. Innovatively, she received grant support from the Robinson Foundation for the development of an educational DVD for adolescents on weight management. Roberta was also an investigator on a twitter based weight management program for overweight youth entitled “Texans TwEAT healthy” using social media to impact eating and exercise patterns. This program was developed in conjunction with the Houston Texans.
Ms. Anding has been honored with the SCAN (Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice group) with SCAN Achievement Award in 2011. Roberta received the Texas Distinguished Dietitian Award in 2008, the Texas Dietetic Association Media Award in 2006, the Houston Area Dietetic Association Media Award in 2004 and 2006, and the Houston Area Dietetic Association Award for the Dietetic Internship Educator of the Year in 2001.
Anding has thirteen peer reviewed research publications and contributed to the publication of numerous lay audience articles. She has authored thirteen book chapters. Most recently she authored a chapter on the Child and Adolescent Athlete for the Sports Nutrition Handbook published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a member of numerous state and local dietetic organizations including the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association.