Eric Ravussin, PhD
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, USA
“Precision medicine is going to be key to avoiding metabolic diseases and obesity, but you need to pay attention to your diet, which should be rich in plant phenols and phytochemicals, balanced in macronutrients – protein and such. That’s critical and one size does not fit all when it comes to diets.”
Dr. Ravussin is a world-renowned expert in translational research on obesity and type 2 diabetes. His work explores the relationships between food patterns, food intake and metabolic health.
Dr. Ravussin’s strength is clinical investigations on measures of energy expenditure, body composition and carbohydrate metabolism (insulin resistance), and he has extensively studied the impact of caloric restriction and intermittent fasting on the biomarkers of aging. He is the principal investigator of a Clinical Center for Nutrition for Precision Health, part of the National Institutes of Health All of Us study.
At the NIDDK Branch in Phoenix, Dr. Ravussin built the first metabolic chamber to measure energy metabolism in people. He then joined Pennington Biomedical Research Center where he conducted the first studies of caloric restriction in non-obese people looking at biomarkers of longevity, healthspan and metabolic health. He was also the first to initiate studies of time-restricting eating and intermittent fasting in humans. His wet lab studies the relationship between skeletal muscle and adipose tissues on nutrient partitioning, insulin sensitivity and inflammation.
As director of the Pennington Lab Dr. Ravussin has a long relationship with Amway in weight management research, program development and clinical studies. He shares a deep belief in balanced, plant-based diets and the powerful role of plant phenols in healthy aging. The Amway vision of helping people achieve better, healthier lives resonates deeply with his interest in health and behaviors.
Dr. Ravussin obtained his doctorate and masters degrees at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. He joined the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center in 2000 and became associate executive director in 2012. He is the Douglas L. Gordon Endowed Chair in Diabetes and Metabolism at LSU, an American Society of Nutrition Fellow, a prolific author and frequent guest lecturer around the world and holds numerous honors and awards.
