Top Doctor Featured at Inaugural Colorado State University Nutrition Awareness Event March 25

A renowned endocrinologist will be featured at Colorado State University’s inaugural Nutrition Awareness Dinner and Silent Auction sponsored by the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and Poudre Valley Hospital on March 25.

Dr. Robert Eckel, identified as a top doctor in America and highly regarded as a research scientist, will speak on the topic of "Current Nutrition Information: Sorting the Beef from the Baloney." The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center’s Canyon West Ballroom. Eckel will discuss current controversial issues in nutrition, including high versus low carbohydrate diets and dietary approaches to reduce heart disease risk.

"Dr. Eckel is highly regarded for his research in the area of dietary prevention of chronic disease," said Chris Melby, head of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State. "He is an engaging speaker, and will draw upon his research and clinical experiences to help shed some light on several major nutrition controversies we currently face. We are honored to host a person of his caliber at our dinner."

Eckel is currently a professor of medicine and of physiology and biophysics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center where he holds the Charles A. Boettcher Endowed Chair in Atherosclerosis. He has published more than 150 research papers in medical journals on topics related to nutrition, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Eckel is the chair of the nutrition committee of the American Heart Association and has served as president of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.

The event also will include a silent auction featuring a bicycling tour in France. Proceeds from the auction will benefit students in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition through improved technology and scholarships.

The event will include hors d’oeuvres and a catered dinner. Tickets are available for $50. Reservations are required. For more information contact Pam Blue at (970) 491 7435.