A conversation with Michelle Cardel, PhD, MS, RD. Dr. Cardel is an obesity and nutrition scientist and registered dietitian in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Florida.
Dr. Cardel has devoted her life to important causes related to nutrition, obesity, weight management, pediatric obesity, psychosocial factors contributing to obesity, and health disparities.
She’s a Latina scientist and a passionate advocate for increasing underrepresented communities, and particularly women and minorities, in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).
We discuss the science of the risk factors born by clinical obesity and how science looks at and understands the mechanism of excess adiposity.
We talk about what we know and what’s developing in regard to obesity and risk factors to COVID-19 and are is science any closer to understanding the relationship and whether she believes that issues of race plays a factor.
We talk about nutrition and the practices of fitness enthusiasts and the rise of so called “cleanses,” “detoxes,” and other alternative nutrition concepts and what her thoughts are on them. We also touch on supplements and dieting approaches.
We have a conversation about disparities and the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields and Dr. Cardel’s work to shed light on the issue.