Dr. Mario Kratz studies how our food choices affect the risk of developing chronic disease. Because obesity is a major contributor to chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many types of cancer, one aspect of his research is to understand how the foods we eat, such as low-fat versus full-fat dairy, change how we store and burn calories. He also studies complex dietary patterns — looking at the diet as a whole, rather than single foods or nutrients — to better understand the diet-disease relationship. Dr. Kratz is particularly interested in chronic, low-level inflammation, which is thought to be a major link between diet, obesity and chronic disease. He aims to understand which foods contribute to or reduce chronic inflammation in fat tissue to help improve prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, including many cancers.

For questions or additional information:
Gail Cromer
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
1100 Fairview Ave. N. M4-B402
Seattle, WA 98109-1024
Phone: (206) 667-2543
Email: gcromer@fredhutch.org