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At least 60 percent of all deaths in the United States are the result of common chronic diseases. Furthermore, more than one quarter of these deaths are attributed to poor nutritional habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Understanding the role diet plays in the development of chronic diseases is continually expanding. The challenge is to increase this knowledge base and to understand the importance of genetic differences in response to foods and nutrients. This critical information will provide the basis to individually optimize diet composition to minimize overall risk for chronic disease.
The Pennington Center’s program in Nutrition and Chronic Diseases combines basic and clinical science disciplines and is complemented by an emphasis on the interaction between diet and genetics. Current research includes studies of nutrient/cell signaling interaction and the mechanisms of DNA repair, both of which have implications for cancer prevention and treatment. Other studies include participation in two major national trials aimed at preventing adult-onset diabetes and a study aimed at identifying ideal diets to prevent heart disease, based on genetic risk factors.
Laboratories operating within the Nutrition and Chronic Diseases priority:
- Cell Signaling and Cancer
- Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- Chronic Disease Prevention
- DNA Damage and Repair
- Functional Genomics
- Women's Health Eating Behavior and Smoking Cessation
- Neuroendocrinology
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Nutrition and Cachexia
- Reproductive Biotechnology
- Women’s Nutrition Research
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