About Us
The core value of this website is you!
Our Mission
Obesity and related diseases are responsible for the majority of chronic health conditions in the United States. In Alabama, 39% of adults are overweight or obese, and 14% have type 2 diabetes. Alabama ranks 45th in health-related quality of life. The reasons underlying the high prevalence of chronic disease in Alabama are actively being investigated in the Department of Nutrition Sciences (DNS) at UAB by characterizing an individual’s metabolism, body composition, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, insulin sensitivity, and beta-cell function.
Research Results
Previous research has revealed that obesity and chronic disease are a result of a complex interplay among genes, metabolic phenotype, and diet. The hormone insulin plays a key role in determining whether body fat is lost or gained, where body fat is deposited, and charting the course of chronic disease. DNS research has revealed that the production and clearance of insulin, as well as the ability of specific tissues (adipose, liver, muscle) to respond to insulin, are individual characteristics that define a person’s metabolic phenotype, and thereby determine his or her propensity to gain or lose weight, or to progress to chronic disease. Only by considering metabolic phenotype, and its interaction with diet composition, can good health be achieved long term.
Our Purpose
This website was launched by the DNS to ensure that Alabamians, as well as individuals everywhere, have access to up-to-date information regarding nutrition and health. The research results shown on this website were gathered thanks to volunteers from the Birmingham, AL, metropolitan area. Our research has shown that nutrition is not “one size fits all,” but can be optimized to individual metabolic phenotype. The patient-oriented materials provided under the “Nutritional Conditions” tabs have been used successfully in our clinic. Our hope is that, by posting these resources here, we can broaden our reach and benefit individuals everywhere who need help managing chronic disease.
