Research/Areas of Interest
Energy metabolism; calorie restriction and nutritional modulation of aging, obesity and body weight regulation in humans; body composition, dietary intake capture methodology.
Education
- PhD, Human Nutrition, Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Biography
Dr. Sai Das is a Senior Scientist on the Energy Metabolism Team at the HNRCA. Her research has advanced the science of energy metabolism in aging and broadened our understanding of the prevention and treatment of weight-related health conditions. Dr. Das’s research interests include calorie restriction and aging, the impact of dietary patterns and diet composition on body weight regulation and metabolic health, and the effectiveness of community-based interventions addressing the obesity epidemic. Dr. Das has been invited to present findings from the CALERIE study at the National Institute of Aging in addition to national and internal conferences on aging and nutrition. She has designed and conducted clinical trials on community-based interventions addressing the obesity epidemic. These investigations have included employees at worksites, socio-economically challenged and hard-to-reach segments of the general population, and people around the world who face weight-related health challenges. In addition, as part of the international obesity consortium Dr. Das co-founded with Dr. Roberts, she is investigating physiological barriers to weight control in countries undergoing nutrition transition and subsequent rise in obesity rates. Dr. Das is currently evaluating the impact of two effective weight loss interventions provided to military families who face unique challenges, including the stress of deployment and relocation. She is an Associate Professor in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.