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In The News

The UCLA Center for Human Nutrition celebrates its 30 anniversary 

April 16, 2024 by Vanessa Villafuerte (UCLA Health Newsroom

Keynote speakers and presenters include Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, Wally Adeyemo, UCLA Health President, Johnese Spisso, and UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Dean, Steven Dubinett. The UCLA Center for Human Nutrition at UCLA Health celebrated its 30th anniversary on Saturday, April 13, to recognize the center’s achievements in nutrition research and clinical care. Read more >

Clinical Nutrition 30th Anniversary

Broccoli and other cruciferous veggies can significantly lower cancer risks

December 29, 2023 by Chayil Champion (UCLA Health Newsroom

If one of your new year goals is to eat healthier, try adding more of this vegetable to your plate - not just because it's healthy, but because it is also linked to cancer prevention. Dr. Surampudi explains that broccoli has a high amount of phytochemical sulforaphane, which is linked to reduce risks of many types of cancers. Read more >


Good choices: Antioxidant-rich foods for holiday health

November 21, 2023 by Chayil Champion (UCLA Health Newsroom

During the holiday season, you can still enjoy delicious meals while making nutritious choices. Consider adding these antioxidant-rich foods to your snacks and dishes. Read more >


Health benefits of pomegranates extend throughout the body

March 18, 2022 by Chayil Champion (UCLA Health Newsroom

Dr. David Heber and Dr. Zhaoping Li share the many health benefits of consuming pomegranates, and the scientific breakdown of how compounds in the pomegranate support your body. Read more >


Diet for Your Diagnosis: Nutrition Plays Prime Role in Treating Cancer

March 2, 2022 by Chayil Champion (UCLA Health Connect)

“Nutritional oncology is a new field that is using precision nutrition and precision oncology together to try to optimize the prevention, treatment and survivorship of cancer patients,” said David Heber, MD, PhD, founding director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Read more >


Eating an Avocado Daily Increases Elasticity and Firmness in Skin, Study Shows

January 26, 2022 by Chayil Champion (UCLA Health Connect)

In a recent study conducted through a collaboration at the UCLA Center for Human NutritionDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, avocado consumption was shown to increase skin elasticity and firmness. Read more >


What You Need To Know About Processed Foods - and Why It Is So Hard To Quit Them

December 22, 2021 by Chayil Champion (UCLA Health Connect)

Michael Garcia, MD, a nutrition specialist at UCLA Health, said if people understand what processed foods are, they can make better decisions for their health. Read more >


Simple Solutions for Curbing Teens' Unhealthy Snacking

July 20, 2021 by Kristin Della Volpe (Clinical Advisor.com)

Snacking among adolescents accounts for approximately two-thirds of their recommended daily limit of added sugar and one-third of the daily limit for solid fats and refined grains, according to data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Read more >


11 Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods That Fight Chronic Disease

May 13, 2020 by Brielle Gregory (Prevention.com)

Inflammation is a buzzword attached to almost everything we eat these days, whether it’s about avoiding a food that causes it or eating a food that reduces it. Why? Inflammation has a reputation as the “bad guy” when it comes to your health. Read more >


Eating Your Way Toward a Healthy Immune System

April 29, 2020 by Jane Murcia (UCLA Health Newsroom)

The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked anxiety and fear throughout the country and prompted many people to explore the best approaches to protecting their health. Read more >


Pomegranate juice and extract consumption by healthy women increases resistance to sun damage

October 24, 2019 by Jane Murcia (UCLA Health Newsroom)

April UCLA researchers found that the oral consumption of pomegranate juice and extract reduced the risk of UVB radiation, which can lead to skin damage. Read more >


UCLA Medical Center - US News Hospital Ranking

Best Hospitals 2022

The UCLA Center for Human Nutrition features one of the most thorough weight management programs in the country. The Risk Factor Obesity (RFO) Program offers patients calorie-limiting dietary regimens, physical activity and behavior modification tools. Doctors in this program treat obesity as a "multifactorial disorder," addressing the multiple causes of the disease specific to the individual. Upon first visit, they collect a patient’s blood labs, body composition and weight history, and conduct a physical examination, among other tests. Read more >


Weight loss clinician answers popular questions

Vijaya Surampudi

November 19, 2018 interviewed with Vijaya Surampudi, MD Assistant Director of the UCLA RFO Weight Management Program

Quora hosted an online Q&A session with Dr. Vijaya Surampudi about nutrition and weight loss. Her responses were viewed nearly 40,000 times, and Forbes and Apple News syndicated parts of the session.


Black Tea May Help With Weight Loss, too

October 4, 2017

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Psychology Today, Daily MailMedical News TodayMetro.co.ukThe Independent, KPRC-TV, Houston, Texas, Yahoo! Style, MSN and 72 additional news outlets published stories on research finding that black tea may contribute to weight loss through a mechanism involving gut bacteria. Susanne Henning, lead author and adjunct professor at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, and Dr. Zhaoping Li, senior author and director at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, were quoted.


Consistency Is Key For Weight Loss, Study Says

August 28, 2017 (CNN Health)

Dr. Zhaoping Li, director at UCLA's Center for Human Nutrition, comments in article by CNN Health magazine that the findings are consistent with what has been seen in scientific literature.


Does Drinking Collagen Supplements Actually Do Anything for Your Skin?

August 22, 2017 (Self Magazine)

Dr. Zhaoping Li, director at UCLA's Center for Human Nutrition, was quoted by SELF magazine in a story about the efficacy of callagen supplements.


Is Drinking Something Hot Actually The Best Way To Cool Off?

August 4, 2017 (LAist.com)

How hot drinks affect the body - LAist.com published a story about the health effects of hot beverages that featured Dr. Zhaoping Li, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.


Catherine Carpenter, PhD shows us the proper way to grill meats

Catherine Carpenter, PhD, MPH, is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health.


Tenured Faculty Position in Clinical Nutrition

The Division of Clinical Nutrition in the Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is recruiting a physician-scientist for a tenured faculty position. This individual will provide leadership in nutrition education, nutrition research and support the clinical nutrition program. The primary areas of research and clinical practice of the division are in the treatment and prevention of obesity and obesity-associated disease. This includes the role of nutrition, phytochemicals, and botanical dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of common forms of metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Learn more medical dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of common forms of metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer.


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UCLA Weight-loss Program Named One of Top 15 in Nation

UCLA's Risk Factor Obesity (RFO) Program was named as one of 15 top programs in the country in the January/February 2014 issue of Health magazine. RFO, a medically-supervised multidisciplinary program, offers personalized weight-loss plans for patients who are obese or moderately overweight. (Download PDF brochure). 

Fox News Highlights UCLA Weight Loss Program

KTTV-Channel 11 News on May 21, 2012 ran a story on the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition's Risk Factor Obesity (RFO) program. Two patients who each lost at least 100 pounds were featured. Dr. David Heber, professor of medicine and founding Center Director, was interviewed and also appeared in-studio discussing liquid diets, food addiction and compulsive eating. The story was reprised on the FOX 10:00 p.m. news on May 21 and Good Day L.A. on May 23. Video courtesy of KTTV-Channel 11 News.