Episode 36 - Mary Lesser - Sports Nutrition and Considerations for the Young Athlete with GI Disorders

In this episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, co-hosts Nikki Misner and Jen Smith speak with Mary Lesser PhD, RD, dietitian on the topic of Sports Nutrition.  Originally a Northern California native, Mary is currently an Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Nutrition and Metabolic Biology Department at the University of California, Berkeley as well as a Pediatric Sports Nutrition Dietitian at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. Nutrition is and has been her major field of study for the past twenty+ years! The field has allowed her to pursue her passion for research, education, as well as practicing in the clinical setting. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree at UC Davis in Clinical Nutrition with a minor in Human Development and then went on to complete her Master of Science Degree in Nutrition at Tufts University in Boston, MA. While working on her Masters, she completed her Dietetic Internship at Tufts Medical Center and is currently a Registered Dietitian. She then returned to UC Davis to complete her PhD in Nutritional Biology, with an emphasis in Developmental Nutrition and then moved down to the Bay Area to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute.

Mary chose Nutrition because she has always felt that following a healthy lifestyle and eating pattern are very important and has always incorporated (as well as encouraged) this philosophy into her own life as well as the life of others. She is one who likes to have a little variety in her life so as of right now, her current (and future!) plans include a career that involves research, clinical work, teaching, and translating science into community outreach + policy/advocacy efforts.

In research, she is interested in investigating the nutrition environment during early development (pregnancy, lactation, early childhood) to observe (if any) persistent developmental effects (of the fetus, neonate, child) that may increase or decrease chronic disease risk later in life. And in practice, Mary enjoys working with young athletes on their Sports Nutrition needs and goals.

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Resources:

www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/-/media/project/ucsf/ucsf-bch/pdf/sports-nutrition-2016-meals-snacks.pdf?rev=177fc88db39d4ef096bc3760a73c5a8e

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

[email protected]