June 27, 2016 • The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) welcomes Susan Smith, Ph.D., who joins the research facility’s roster of scientists this month. Dr. Smith is an internationally recognized expert on how nutrition affects birth defect risks.
February 18, 2016 • Scientists at the UNC Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute are developing a “whole health” message for pregnant mothers emphasizing evidence-based, nutritional research that empowers them to make their own decisions on everything from drinking to dietary choices.
October 21, 2015 • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in the United States has long been estimated at no more than three children per 1,000. A new study published in the journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence reports that the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is between 3 and 8 per 1,000 and when combined with partial FAS (PFAS) the prevalence of both actually ranges between 11 to 25 children per 1,000.
Lead researcher Philip May, Ph.D., research professor with the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC, emphasized that the study “Prevalence and characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome and partial fetal syndrome in Rocky Mountain Region City” is only the second population-based study completed in the United States that aimed to establish more accurate rates of FAS and PFAS.
Steve H. Zeisel, institute director, addressing faculty and staff in his lab. In the past year scientists at the Nutrition Research Institute have made significant advances in our understanding of the roles genetics and nutrition play in determining our individual susceptibility and resistance to disease. This is our bold mission: to discover the mechanisms by which diet can prevent or lessen the negative effects of chronic diseases and aging, and improve human development, even prior to concep
September 5, 2015 • September 2015 SoundBites features: Duke, UNC Collaborate at North Carolina Research Campus, Cooking for Nourishment, Catawba Scholar Helps with NRI Research, and Ongoing Studies (Take Part in Research)
Although drinking during pregnancy has long been considered taboo, new research suggests that as many as one in 20 U.S. children may have health or behavioral problems related to alcohol exposure before birth. The study found that between 2.4 percent and 4.8 percent of children have some kind of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD.