Improving the health of children through family-centered, evidenced-based, nutrition education.

Whatever your child’s health, medical, or nutrition-related challenge may be, NutriKidz services can help your child. Andrea, founder of NutriKidz has the knowledge and experience to help your child reach their health potential through evidenced-based nutrition interventions.

nutrikidz Founder - Andrea Carpenter

Andrea Carpenter is a Registered Dietitian and founded NutriKidz in 2014.  She is a busy mom with two young boys who are also keen to be involved in meal preparation and taste testing! Andrea has always had a passion for food and nutrition, which lead to her career in dietetics.  She studied at Brescia University College at The University of Western Ontario where she earned her honours degree and completed her dietetic internship program at London Health Sciences Center (LHSC). 

After internship Andrea was hired on at the Children's Hospital at LHSC. She worked in the areas of GI and Hepatology, Complex Care, and Infant Development, and operated a Failure to Thrive Nutrition Clinic. Andrea has also worked at McMaster Children’s Hospital in the GI department and ran a Celiac Disease Clinic. In 2012 Andrea relocated to Toronto and started working at The Hospital for Sick Children.  Andrea has worked in the GI and Liver/Bowel Transplant Program, and currently works in the Nephrology and Kidney Transplant Program. 

With over a decade of nutrition experience in three children’s hospitals in Ontario, Andrea felt the urge to start NutriKidz to offer reliable nutrition advice to families in the community. Andrea’s goals are to provide evidenced-based nutrition programs to promote optimal growth and instill a lifelong, positive relationship with food for your child.

nutrimama - samantha giAnotti

Samantha Gianotti, Registered Dietitian, joins NutriKidz to fulfill the gap in maternal and women’s nutrition.  Samantha is a mother of two young children, and has a passion for women’s health. Samantha studied nutrition with Andrea at Brescia University College at The University of Western Ontario where she earned her honours degree and completed her dietetic internship program at the Northern Ontario Dietetic Internship Program.

Samantha’s areas of expertise include women’s health, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), chronic disease management including hyperlipidemia, pre-diabetes, mild NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), peri-menopause and menopause. 

Andrea’s Clinical Research and Journal Publications

Implementing a Clinical Practice Change: Adopting the Nutrition Care Process

March 2019, Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research

Andrea Carpenter, Jordan Mann, Dianna Yanchis, Alison Campbell, Louise Bannister, Laura Vresk

The Nutrition Care Process (NCP), created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, provides a framework that encourages critical thinking and promotes uniform documentation by Registered Dietitians (RD). Additionally, it creates a link between the nutrition assessment, nutrition intervention, and the predicted or actual nutrition outcome.

Blenderized Enteral Nutrition Diet Study: Feasibility, Clinical, and Microbiome Outcomes of Providing Blenderized Feeds Through a Gastric Tube in a Medically Complex Pediatric Population

January 2018, Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 42(4)

Kelsey Gallagher RD, Annika Flint PhD, Marialena Mouzaki MD, MSc, Andrea Carpenter RD, Beth Haliburton RD, Louise Bannister RD, MSc, Holly Norgrove RN, Lisa Hoffman OT, David Mack MD, Alain Stintzi PhD, Margaret Marcon MD

Background: Chronically ill children often require feeding via gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes). Commercial formula is most commonly used for enteral feeding; however, caregivers have been requesting blenderized tube feeds (BTFs) as an alternative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using BTFs in a medically complex pediatric population and assess their impact on clinical outcomes, as well as the microbiota.

Predictive Equations Are Inaccurate in the Estimation of the Resting Energy Expenditure of Children With End-Stage Liver Disease

July 2015, Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 41(3)

Andrea Carpenter RD, BSc, Vicky Lee Ng MD, FRCPC, Karen Chapman PhD, RN, Simon C. Ling MBChB, Marialena Mouzaki MD, MSc

Background and Objectives: Malnutrition is common in children with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The inability to accurately estimate energy needs of these patients may contribute to their poor nutrition status. In clinical practice, predictive equations are used to calculate resting energy expenditure (cREE). The objective of this study is to assess the accuracy of commonly used equations in pediatric patients with ESLD.

Overweight, central obesity, and cardiometabolic risk factors in pediatric liver transplantation

January 2015, Pediatric Transplantation 19(2)

Marc Dagher, Vicky L. Ng, Andrea Carpenter, Stephanie Rankin, Maria De Angelis, Yaron Avitzur, Marialena Mouzaki

PTMS describes the presence of ≥3 cardiometabolic risk factors that include obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and IR. The prevalence of the clustering of ≥3 cardiometabolic risk factors or central obesity has not been studied in pediatric LT recipients. Single-center, cross-sectional study. Inclusion criteria: LT recipients 2–18 yr-old, at least one yr post-LT. Exclusion criteria: recipients of liver retransplants or multivisceral transplants. Eighty-seven patients were identified.

Invited Review: Accurate Estimation of Energy Requirements of Young Patients

September 2014, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 60(1)

Andrea Carpenter, Paul Pencharz, Marialena Mouzaki

The provision of optimal nutritional care is based on accurate estimations of patients' resting energy expenditure. The latter can be calculated with the use of predictive equations or measured with indirect calorimetry. Due to their ease of use, mathematical equations have largely replaced indirect calorimetry in clinical practice. This manuscript is aimed at discussing the limitations and predictive inaccuracy of commonly used equations in pediatrics, which may contribute to the provision of poor nutritional care and directly impact patient outcomes. In addition, the role of indirect calorimetryis discussed and the physiology of nutrient metabolism, in terms of energy expenditure, is reviewed.