Full Plate: Integrating Ingestive Behavior into Nutritional Science

I never expected to be a nutritional scientist. I developed an interest in ingestive behavior as an undergraduate in biology when mentors included me in research activities and directed me toward studies of the physiology of thirst for my PhD degree. While conducting basic studies on drinking behavior, my primary interests emerged. I wanted to study eating behavior to find effective strategies to improve food choices and manage overconsumption leading to obesity. Those studies started with animal models of obesity, but my interest in practical approaches to weight management led to studies in humans, the most difficult species to understand. With collaboration from colleagues, students, and staff, my team has characterized food properties that drive intake, including variety, energy density, and portion size. Studies aimed at understanding properties of food that influence eating behavior are now recognized as integral to nutrition, and I have found a natural home in this field.