For Alice H Lichtenstein, the trail to turning into one of many nation’s main vitamin researchers had an unlikely begin.
As a toddler rising up in New York Metropolis within the Nineteen Sixties, she was identified with dyslexia and advised a school diploma could be out of her attain. In addition to, no one in her household had ever gone to school.
“Expectations have been extraordinarily low,” mentioned Lichtenstein, a researcher at Tufts College. “My mom thought, effectively, possibly if I majored in dwelling economics, I might make it by way of faculty.”
So she enrolled in “dwelling ec” lessons at Buffalo State College, however shortly grew bored and transferred to Cornell College the place she dove headfirst into vitamin science coursework. It is there she discovered her true calling.
“I used to be conscious that on my block in Queens, there have been a lot of fathers who died of coronary heart assaults of their 50s. Changing into extra conscious of how there could be a relationship between weight loss plan and well being is what actually acquired me hooked on vitamin.”
Lichtenstein went on to earn a science masters on the Pennsylvania State and a science doctorate at Harvard, and embark on an extended profession exploring the connection between what we eat and the way our physique responds. She subsequently obtained an honorary doctoral diploma from the College of Japanese Finland (formally Kuopio College). A “grand dame of vitamin,” because the Washington Put up referred to as her, Lichtenstein has volunteered for the American Coronary heart Affiliation for greater than 40 years, beginning on the state degree and increasing to the nationwide degree.
For her service and efforts to assist individuals dwell longer, more healthy lives, Lichtenstein will likely be honored Thursday, Might 2, with the AHA’s Meritorious Achievement Award throughout its nationwide awards ceremony. The net occasion will happen from 6 to eight p.m. Central. The award is given yearly to people or organizations which have rendered an vital service to the affiliation.
Lichtenstein is senior scientist and director of the Cardiovascular Vitamin Group on the Jean Mayer USDA Human Vitamin Analysis Middle on Getting old at Tufts College in Boston and the Staney N. Gershoff Professor of Vitamin Science and Coverage . She’s additionally worn a variety of hats as an AHA volunteer.
Since 1984, she’s helped form the strategic course of the group by serving as a volunteer chief and champion of vitamin science, analysis and translation. She’s engaged with an extended listing of prestigious committees, together with the AHA Vitamin Committee (vice-chair 2000-2003; chair 2003-2006), creating and selling well-designed vitamin applications that assist forestall and deal with heart problems.
She’s led or been an writer of greater than 40 AHA scientific statements, advisories and tips, together with working group chair of the 2021 AHA Dietary Steerage to Promote Cardiovascular Well being Scientific Assertion, which emphasizes a heart-healthy weight loss plan beginning early in life.
She was a member of the writing group for the AHA 2017 Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Illness Presidential Advisory, and 2023’s Meals Is Drugs Presidential Advisory, which requires vitamin interventions and insurance policies to enhance well being.
In the present day, she serves as Chair of the Vitamin Publications Committee and is a member of the AHA Vitamin Committee’s Extremely-processed Meals Vitamin Committee writing group.
Because the science of wholesome consuming has developed, together with her personal analysis laboratory’s work, Lichtenstein has helped to unfold the phrase about evolving findings on fats, ldl cholesterol and sugar, in addition to different components, and their relationship to cardiovascular threat components. Whereas information of vitamin has improved drastically, she believes there’s nonetheless a dire want to enhance well being literacy, particularly in faculties.
“Until we educate kids, early and sometimes, within the fundamentals ideas of meals and vitamin, all our work goes to go for naught,” she mentioned.
“There’s such a tsunami of misinformation about vitamin on social media that it makes the American Coronary heart Affiliation that rather more vital, as a result of they’re an authoritative supply. Every time I am requested for credible sources of knowledge, I say, ‘Go on the AHA web site. there’s a huge quantity of shopper pleasant info.”
Lichtenstein mentioned she’s optimistic that increasingly more individuals are shifting in direction of a dietary sample that emphasizes fruits, greens, entire grains, low and nonfat dairy merchandise, fish and plant sources of protein, with minimal quantities of salt and added sugar. However it would possibly take some further nudging.
“We have to make the default possibility the healthiest possibility,” she mentioned. “If individuals are served entire wheat buns, entire wheat pasta and pizza crust made with entire wheat, they’d in all probability eat it.”
4 many years after she started volunteering for the AHA, Lichenstein encourages others to donate their time and vitality to help the group’s mission.
“It is a terrific alternative to work with sensible, attention-grabbing individuals and broaden your perspective,” she mentioned. “And it is a very welcoming atmosphere the place your voice is heard and appreciated. While you work with the Coronary heart Affiliation, you actually do really feel that you simply’re contributing to one thing optimistic. It is a win-win scenario.”