Health roundtable discusses not just what, but when you eat

Sara Weelborg ('24) gave a presentation to kickstart the roundtable discussion of chrononutrition.

When it comes to nutrition, most people think about what they eat. It's less common to think about when you eat, so the inaugural Health Roundtable event on March 31 made space to do just that.

Amy Spurlock, JoAnna "Jody" DeMeyer Endowed Chair in Nursing, and Amanda Leightner, Merrick Endowed Professor, organized the event. Spurlock studies nutrition, and Leightner studies sleep medicine, so chrononutrition is a logical springboard for interdisciplinary conversation.

Chrononutrition is a burgeoning field of study that focuses on the relationship between food intake and the human body's 24 hour cycle, known as the circadian rhythm. It's about the health benefits of balancing what we eat with when we eat it.

Amanda Leightner, Merrick Endowed Professor in the School of Respiratory Care Sciences, moderated the event.

The roundtable's aim was to spark conversations, build relationships and possibly create research partnerships for future innovation. A presentation from Sara Weelborg, a '24 alum of the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Leadership program, served as catalyst for the discussions.

Weelborg shared anecdotes from her time working as a night shift nurse, when she primarily thought about sleep deprivation but not really the food she ate or when she ate it. Her studies of chrononutrition, though, have changed all that. She shared evidence about how the food content, amount and timing impact various parts of health, including inflammation, cardiovascular health, diabetes and even mental health issues. Now, Weelborg intentionally incorporates chrononutrition into her work as an advanced practice psychiatric nurse.

The discussion format of the event allowed individuals of different disciplines to share their perspectives, hear insights from others and, together, cultivate ideas for the future. Students studying nursing, respiratory care and kinesiology participated alongside faculty, staff and members from community organizations, like Micron and St. Luke's.

During the debrief period, one group shared their conversation about how stress and busy schedules impact student eating habits. They also wondered how employers might better support employees' self-care through healthy eating routines.

"We didn't come up with any fast answers, just that that needs to be a part of all our environments," said Casey Blizzard, operations coordinator in the College of Health Sciences Simulation Center, who sat at that table.

Whether it's trying not to eat later in the day or eating a protein-rich snack during a busy shift, a recurring theme emerged: the best approach is to start with a small change.

Students studying nursing, respiratory care and kinesiology participated alongside faculty, staff and community members.

In 2025, Spurlock partnered with Ruth Jebe, a previous Robert V. Hansberger Chair of Business Ethics in the College of Business and Economics, to co-sponsor a roundtable on supply chain management in healthcare. Jebe hosted several roundtable events during her time as endowed chair; when she first began them, her aim was to encourage dialogue more than anything else.

"The goal isn't to solve the world's problems, but to get the discussion going and connect people," said Jebe.

The joint event was such a success, Spurlock carried on the tradition for health sciences.

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