Lenna F. Cooper

Lenna Frances Cooper (25 February 1875 – 23 February 1961) was an American dietitian and co-founder of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She has been called "a pioneer in vegetarian nutrition and dietetics."

Career Cooper co-founded what was then called the American Dietetic Association in 1917, becoming its first vice president and the 14th President (1937). She was also the first president of first president of the Michigan Dietetic Association. From 1918 until 1919, Cooper was the first Supervising Dietitian for the U.S. Army. Besides working for the Surgeon General of the United States, Cooper created the Department of Dietetics at the National Institutes of Health. More than 500 dieticians graduated at Battle Creek under her tenure. Her vegetarian cuisine was used as medical nutritional therapy for patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium.

The Distinguished Lecture Award, formerly known as the Lenna Frances Cooper Memorial Lecture Award, was established in her memory.

Publications

The New Cookery (Good Health Publishing, 1913) How to Cut Food Costs (1917) Nutrition in Health and Disease (1947)