Sander Kersten, Ph.D. is the director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences and the Schleifer Family Professor at Cornell University. Dr. Kersten received his MSc degree in Human Nutrition from Wageningen University , Netherlands in 1993, and his Ph.D. degree in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cornell University in 1997. After a postdoctoral stay in the laboratory of Dr. Walter Wahli at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, he moved back to Wageningen University in 2000 with a career development grant from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was appointed to Associate Professor in 2006 and Full Professor in 2011. In 2014 he became Chair of the Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics group and in 2019 Chairman of the Division of Human Nutrition and Health at Wageningen University. In January 2024, he moved back to Ithaca as the director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences.
Optimizing Metabolic Health Through NutritionCornell Course
Course Overview
To improve metabolic health, it is critical to reduce excess body fat. In this course, you will examine what's needed for sustained fat loss. Which is more effective: diet or exercise? You will explore the answer to that question and gain skills that will help you design a diet based on the scientific evidence.
Since losing weight is not the only indicator of good health, you will identify how dietary choices can improve overall health, even when weight loss is not the main goal. Advances in nutrition research point to new ways to achieve metabolic health, and you will discover how the innovation of precision nutrition could prove to be the most effective approach.
You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Foundations of Metabolic Health
- Assessing the Effects of Obesity
Key Course Takeaways
- Design new science-based diets with scientific backing
- Determine dietary choices to improve health by reducing negative conditions
- Weigh the pros and cons of precision nutrition
How It Works
Course Author
Who Should Enroll
- Dietitians
- Nutritionists
- Community and public health workers
- Health educators, coaches, and holistic providers
- Wellness coordinators, consultants, and nutrition program managers
- Sports medical professionals, including physical and occupational therapists, fitness trainers, and managers
- Social media influencers
- Science writers
- Anyone interested in personal wellness and living a healthier life
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