Obesity, a Global Health Issue

With the profound changes of life styles, dinning habits and food sources all around the world, the current epidemic of human obesity will raise social and public health issues not only in North American but also in the rest part of the world. You must have wondered what the factors are responsible for the rapid development of obesity in both human and animals, such as genetic mutations, diets, life styles, physical activities and exercises. One must also want to find out how the traditions and habitats have kept ancestors away from obesity problem for thousands of years. In this one credit hour course, you will learn critical environmental and genetic factors leading to obesity development in distinct populations with different ethical and cultural backgrounds. You will listen to lectures, watch movie and tell your own opinions about the globalization of this health problem.

This seminar is tentatively scheduled to meet during Full Session on R from 3:40 pm - 4:55 pm.

Note: Please check the official timetable for the most up-to-date information about meeting times and locations and availability.

About the professor

Guoxun Chen
Dr. Guoxun Chen had his Ph.D degree and postdoctoral training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He has been conducting research projects related to obesity and diabetes since 1995. He worked in the lab of Nobel Laureates, Drs. Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein before he became a faculty member in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Tennessee in 2006. He is investigating the roles of vitamin A in the development of obesity using a fatty rat model, and in the control of blood glucose and lipid levels.

Contact Information

Email: gchen6@utk.edu
Phone: 865-974-6257
Webpage: http://nutrition.he.utk.edu/faculty/Chen.html

 

This class is part of UT's Ready for the World initiative. Find out more about how UT is making its students Ready for the World.