Melissa Rittenhouse, PhD

My research interests center on advancing nutrition strategies that improve the health, readiness, and performance of service members through both individual and environmental approaches. I am particularly interested in providing evidence-based nutrition education, conducting dietary assessments, and implementing targeted dietary interventions that support long-term health outcomes and military performance.

In addition, I am interested in evaluating nutrition environments and developing practical strategies to increase access to healthier foods, promote healthier choices through effective marketing, and integrate behavioral design principles to encourage sustainable dietary behaviors. I am especially motivated to expand my expertise in nutrigenomics and better understand how genetic variation influences responses to diet and impacts health outcomes, with the goal of applying personalized nutrition approaches to improve prevention and performance across diverse populations.