Edith Feskens studies nutrition, obesity and type 2 diabetes. After completing her studies on Human Nutrition in Wageningen, she obtained her PhD in Leiden in 1991 on nutrition and diabetes. After this, she worked for the RIVM. In 2008 she was appointed professor at Wageningen University & Research. Her research domain has currently expanded to include national nutrition and sustainability. 'I have had a fascination with nutrition since childhood. Because food tastes good, but also because of what it does in the body. My grandmother and father suffered from diabetes. I studied diabetes for my PhD and later discovered I too have an elevated hereditary risk of diabetes. That makes it all the more real, particularly because you want to postpone or prevent the disease for as long as possible. Diabetes is a chronic condition that is closely linked to food, and thus, can be easily influenced. In developing countries, diabetes is an increasing problem. I hope those countries can learn from our experiences and prevent diabetes from becoming the common issue it is in our country.'
One in every fifteen Dutch inhabitants has diabetes. This chronic condition is linked to our eating habits. That is why Wageningen scientists study how nutrition can contribute to preventing or treating diabetes. Cutting back on processed meats and increasing the intake of vegetables is proven to be effective. This fact…