Research Activities

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, affecting millions of lives each year. From heart attacks and strokes to high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, the burden of heart-related conditions is not only physical but also emotional and economic.

Dr. Angela Zivkovic is a leading researcher in precision nutrition and a professor in the Department of Nutrition at UC Davis. Her work is grounded in the belief that chronic disease is not an inevitable part of aging, but rather the result of accumulated damage driven by factors like dysregulated metabolism and chronic inflammation—both of which are deeply influenced by diet and lifestyle. 

The Nigerian government has enacted a new industrial standard for bouillon which includes a provision for adding vital micronutrients. The new standard specifies the inclusion of iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin B12 on a voluntary basis in nationally produced and imported bouillon cubes to reduce malnutrition and child mortality.

Full article on the Allen Institute news post.

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Awards $10.5 Million to new Allen Distinguished Investigators. Research funding will support four projects focused on extracellular vesicles and three on sex hormones.

Dr. Lauren Au is one of 10 recipients of the 2023 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Healthy Eating Research Grants. Her project aims to determine whether length of participation in Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC is associated with diet quality and weight status at 2-5 years, and whether there is a synergistic benefit of safety net program participation on diet quality and health.

Originally posted to UC Davis News on August 25, 2023

Dr. Christine Stewart has been elected to serve on the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Board of Directors starting on August 1, 2023. Dr. Stewart will serve a two year term as Director-at-Large for Global Nutrition. This role serves as a board liaison to ASN at it relates to the scientific discipline.

Current Developments in Nutrition Editor-in-Chief, Jack Odle, PhD, is pleased to welcome Reina-C. Engle-Stone, PhD, Associate Professor and Associate Nutritionist in the Department of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis, as an Academic Editor for CDN.

As jobless rates rose during the COVID-19 pandemic, millions more Americans experienced food insecurity because they lacked consistent access to food. National health organizations recommend primary care providers screen patients for food insecurity, since not having access to enough food can lead to chronic diseases.

Consuming more tea, apples and berries daily may lead to better heart health, according to a team of global nutrition experts. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics issued a dietary recommendation for flavan-3-ols, a group of bioactive compounds that are good for your heart and found in many foods and drinks.