The Nutrition and Obesity Epidemiology Research Group has as a main goal the study of nutrition and other behavioural factors and their relation with population health. At the same time, the group aims to better understand the dynamics of obesity and other metabolic disorders, studying their determinants and consequences.
Nutrition and other lifestyles-related health determinants are recognized as one of the major contributors for chronic diseases, namely cardiovascular diseases and obesity. Our mission is to produce new knowledge on the establishment of these determinants during life and how they influence the dynamics of obesity and other metabolic disorders.
The research being conducted aims to better understand the early life determinants of the development and establishment of food habits, eating behaviours and food preferences during childhood and adolescence, as well as the effects of dietary exposures in cardio-metabolic outcomes. We have been developing research on obesity, not only focusing on its determinants but also investigating their consequences on different periods of life. Additionally, we have been producing knowledge on methodological aspects to improve the assessment of diet and body composition.
Our final purpose is to provide expertise and evidence to support national food and nutrition policies and obesity prevention programmes, in order to improve population's health.