Advisory Council

At Nutrisystem, it's our goal to remain on top of emerging industry trends and up-to-date on the latest weight loss studies in order to bring you an effective, quality program. That's why we've hand-picked nationally-renowned experts in the weight loss field to lead the way, helping us make sure that our programs are nutritionally beneficial and optimal for your weight loss.

Gary D. Foster, PhD.—Council Chair

Dr. Foster is Professor of Medicine and Public Health and the Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University.

Dr. Foster's research interests include the prevention and treatment of obesity. He studies a variety of treatment approaches including behavior therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgery. He evaluates obesity prevention strategies in schools and communities. His current research studies include: the effects of weight loss on sleep apnea, the safety and efficacy of low and high-carbohydrate diets, and the prevention of obesity in school and community settings. He has authored or coauthored more than 125 scientific publications and 3 books on the etiology and treatment of obesity.

Dr. Foster has been a frequent presenter at national and international scientific meetings. He also has considerable clinical experience treating overweight patients in individual and group settings for over 20 years. Dr. Foster has received numerous awards and honors including: Outstanding Contributions to Health Psychology from the American Psychological Association, an Honorary Membership from the American Dietetic Association and he served as President of the Obesity Society (2008). His research on the school-based prevention of obesity (Pediatrics, 2008) was cited by the American Heart Association as one of the top 10 advances in cardiovascular research in 2008.

James O. Hill, PhD.

Dr. Hill is Director of the Center for Human Nutrition, and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Colorado.

Dr. Hill's extensive career in the field of obesity research includes a focus on behavioral changes associated with the maintenance of weight loss. In addition to serving on numerous government panels he is a former President of the Obesity Society (TOS) and immediate past president of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). He has published over 350 scientific articles and book chapters in the area of obesity, and was recognized for all of his achievements by receiving a prestigious MERIT award from the National Institutes of Health.

Judith Korner, M.D., PhD.

Dr. Korner is Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Columbia University and Attending Physician at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

Dr. Korner received her medical degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University where she also obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics. She completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine, served as Chief Medical Resident, and completed her fellowship in Endocrinology at Columbia University Medical Center. She is board certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism. Dr. Korner's research is focused on the pathophysiology and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. She has NIH funding to investigate peptide hormones that control hunger and food intake, particularly in association with bariatric surgery. She is a Principal Investigator of a randomized trial of medical management vs. gastric bypass surgery for the treatment of diabetes. She has published original research as well as chapters and review articles on weight regulation. She is the Director of the Weight Control Center at Columbia University Medical Center that specializes in the medical treatment of obesity or excessive weight gain.

Donna Ryan, M.D.

Dr. Ryan is Associate Executive Director for Clinical Research and Professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a division of the Louisiana State University System. She has been actively engaged in obesity and nutrition research for the last 20 years, funded by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, US Department of Agriculture and, as well, by insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Ryan is the President of The Obesity Society, an organization of >2000 American scientists. She is the Co-Chair of the panel that is currently revising the NIH-sponsored Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Overweight and Obesity, so-called "Obesity II."

Dr. Ryan's research interests include many aspects of obesity management and prevention including the following:
     •obesity pharmacotherapy
     •evaluation of diets of different macronutrient composition for weight loss
     •practical or pragmatic clinical trials to evaluate primary care approaches to obesity management
     •translational research engaging third party payers in obesity intervention.

Bruce Daggy, PhD.—Vice President of Research & Development

Dr. Daggy is Vice President of Research and Development Department for Nutrisystem, where his responsibilities include new product development, clinical research, and outreach to the medical community.

Dr. Daggy brings over 20 years experience within consumer healthcare and nutritional research and development to Nutrisystem. Most recently, he was Vice President of Weight Control Research and Development at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare, where he was chosen as technical lead for the development and launch of the company's first global weight loss product. Prior to that he was based in Europe where he served as Vice President of Nutritional Healthcare Research and Development for GSK. His career in the industry started with Procter & Gamble where he worked in healthcare technology and product development.

Dr. Daggy's academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cornell University and a B.A. in Biology from University of Virginia. He also holds an academic appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at Florida State University. He is a member of the American Society for Nutrition and The Obesity Society, and has authored or coauthored about 80 scientific publications and 12 patents.

Dr. Jay Satz, PhD.—Senior Scientific Advisor

Dr. Satz is Senior Scientific Advisor to Nutrisystem. He served as the Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Nutrisystem until November, 2009. A key developer of the Nutrisystem food program since 1978, Dr. Satz has a proven track record of innovative thinking and breakthrough approaches in nutrition and dietary science.

A graduate of Temple University School of Medicine, Dr. Satz has a diverse background in the fields of medicine, nutrition and public health, beginning his professional career studying diseases at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. While there, Dr. Satz discovered that his true passion was in nutrition, and he has been involved with this category ever since.

Upon leaving the public health sector, Dr. Satz came to Nutrisystem. Identifying a void in the weight loss market, Dr. Satz was one of the first individuals to create calorie-controlled, shelf-stable, portion-controlled meal plans. This has remained a core concept of the Nutrisystem program throughout the years. In 2003, Dr. Satz revamped the company's program by adding the benefits of a Low Glycemic Index meal plan to the program. He continued to address particular need states, including the program for type 2 diabetes.