Email:  IMERCADO@HOSTOS.CUNY.EDU 
 

Office Number: A - 107

Office Tel: (718) 518-4169

Academic Interest:
Professor Mercado received her EdD in Health Education with a minor in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and a M.S. in Nutrition and Public Health from the School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Puerto Rico and received a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management from the Commission of Dietetic Registration (2002). Dr. Mercado was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and has evolved professionally during her 25 years of practice as a Nutritionist throughout New York City. Her main research interests are in the areas of fitness, weight management, diabetes and HIV/Aids. She has worked as a bilingual nutritionist consultant for many years providing Nutritional assessment, counseling, health education trainings and workshops to various health centers and organizations throughout NYC. At Hostos Community College-CUNY, she is the Health Education Unit Coordinator, a member of the Education Department P&B and Curriculum Committee, creator and collaborator of the “Hostos Healthy Weight” support group, creator and continuously updates and participate on the “Healthy Hostos” Blog site, member of the CUNY Campaign for Healthy Food (CUNY CHeF) Advisory Board, Advisor of the students “Health Club” and former Senator for the College Senate as a Representative of the Health Education Unit 2004-2011, Member of the College Senate Executive Committee 2009-2011, Co-Chair of the Grants Committee of the Senate 2004-2007, Member of the CUNY Campaign Against Diabetes 2007-2009, among other responsibilities. At the present moment, she is working on a Latino Weight Management book. Courses usually taught by Professor Mercado are Nutrition, Introduction to Community Health and Health for the Young Child. Dr. Mercado's areas of expertise are Nutrition, Weight Management, Fitness, Health Education, Public Health, Health Promotion and Prevention in regards to major chronic diseases and HIV/AIDS.

Publications:
Mercado, I. (2008) Healthy and unhealthy weight loss practices of Latino women at a college in USA. Terapia Psicologica; Vol. 26, N°2, 199-205
Mercado, I. and Sharp, V. (1993) Factors Associates with Malnutrition Among HIV+ Individuals. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Vol.93 no.9

Publications in review:
Mercado I. “Knowledge and Belief about Nutrition Weight Control among Latinas Students in a College in NYC”
Mercado I. Changes in prevalence of overweight and obesity among preschooler minority Hispanic-Latino children while healthier and cultural sensitive food choices are being introduce in their daily menus in NYC.

Current Projects and area of Interests:

  • Weight Management book for Latinos.
  • Effectiveness of a Healthy Weight Support Group at a Community College NYC.
  • Weight loss practice used by Latino college students in NYC.
  • Creator and active participant of the Healthy Hostos Blog site.  
  • Interested in: Weight management, Health promotion, Fitness, Health literacy and  Hispanic/Latino's Health.

Papers Presented at Conferences:

  • "Healthy and Unhealthy Weight Loss Practices Used by Community College Students in New York City" Poster Presented at The Obesity Society in 2010, 28th Annual Scientific Meeting. San Diego, California, October, 2010.
  • Training and workshops presented on: Health, Weight and Hispanics, Moods and Foods,  Nutrition, Brain and Memory, Living Well by Moving More, Weight Control Strategies, “Diets” for Weight Management, Medical Nutrition Therapy for HIV/AIDS, Nutrition and Wellbeing, Meal Pattern and Menu Planning, Nutrition and Hepatitis, Health Promotion Activities for College Students among others topics.
  • Improve Eating Habits by Making Minor Changes in your Menu workshop offered as part of the “Best Practices” series of the New York State Head Start Association’s annual Professional Conference in October 2007.
  • Introducing Healthier and Cultural Sensitive Food to Preschools. A series of workshops presented to Family Day Care, EHCHHS, INC, New York City 2009, 2012; Administration for Children Services, New York City 2009; 2010; Bilingual Head Start, New York City 2009, 2010.
  • Weight Practices used by Young Hispanic Female. Poster presented at: The New York State Dietetic Association annual meeting. Saratoga Spring, New York 2005
  • Malnutrition and HIV. Presented at: Third National AIDS Education and Training Center Workshop, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1994; 76th Annual Meeting of the American Dietetic Association, Anaheim, California, 1993
  • PDI on Latino's Health and Weight Management
  • Nutrition trainings on Food Safety and Anthropometric assessment for children at Head Start Programs
  • Factors Associated with Malnutrition among HIV/AIDS. Poster presented at: IX International Conference on AIDS, Berlin, Germany 1993