Dale A. Schoeller, Ph.D.Dale A. Schoeller, Ph.D.

2005 Atwater Award, United States Department of Agriculture- Agricultural Research Service.


Emphasis Groups:
Biochemical & Molecular Nutrition
Human Nutrition

Principal Research Interest:
Energy metabolism and human obesity, body composition, and stable isotope techniques for macronutrient metabolism.

Research Summary:
The major focus of our research is human obesity. Over the past fifteen years, we have demonstrated that the major alteration in energy expenditure in obesity is that of physical activity. We have also demonstrated that there is a threshold of physical activity that protects women from the development of obesity and minimizes weight regain in those who have lost weight.

We are currently focusing research on the role of physical activity on lipid metabolism. We have shown that physical activity increases the oxidation of dietary fats consumed after the bout of exercise. Consistent with public health messages, we have demonstrated that the increase is similar for all types of exercise when performed for the same number of calories burned. In addition to furthering these studies, we will begin to perform more basic studies. These will identify the changes in hormonal regulation of muscle metabolism and the biochemical base of the protective effect of exercise on weight control.  In a second series of studies, we are investigating the mechanism of energy restriction on the prevention of the metabolic syndrome and increased longevity.

We are also investigating the interactions of diet and exercise with regard to how they influence the levels of gastrointestinal hormones that are central to the control of hunger and satiety.  These studies are aimed at elucidating the mechanisms through which exercise or other interventions helps to minimize the typical age related weight gain and even reduce body weight. The final research focus is the analysis of body composition. As with most of our research interests, this focus has grown from a beginning in stable isotope tracers, in this case a long-standing interest in the assessment of total body water by isotope dilution. Recently, this has become vital methodology in the development and validation of bioelectrical impedance analysis for the measurement of body water and compartmentalization into intracellular and extracellular water. We have validated the use of multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure very small changes in the volumes in extracellular and intracellular water. Having completed this analysis, we will now begin to apply bioelectrical impedance analysis. The primary areas in which we will assess utility are the assessment of malnutrition and the application of body composition analysis to assessment of nutritional status during space flight.


Representative Publications

Heymsfield SB, Harp JB, Reitman ML, Beetsch JW, Schoeller DA, Erondu N, Pietrobelli A. Why do obese patients not lose more weight when treated with low-calorie diets? A mechanistic perspective. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Feb;85(2):346-54.

Hansen KC, Zhang Z, Gomez T, Adams AK, Schoeller DA.R. Exercise increases the proportion of fat utilization during short-term consumption of a high-fat diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jan;85(1):109-16.

Blanc S, Schoeller DA, Bauer D, Danielson ME, Tylavsky F, Simonsick EM, Harris TB, Kritchevsky SB, Everhart JE. Energy requirements in the eighth decade of life. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Feb;79(2):303-10. [Abstract]

Subar AF, Kipnis V, Troiano RP, Midthune D, Schoeller DA, Bingham S, Sharbaugh CO, Trabulsi J, Runswick S, Ballard-Barbash R, Sunshine J, Schatzkin A. Using intake biomarkers to evaluate the extent of dietary misreporting in a large sample of adults: the OPEN study. Am J Epidemiol. 2003 Jul 1;158(1):1-13. [Abstract]

Bartok C, Atkinson RL, Schoeller DA. Measurement of nutritional status in simulated microgravity by bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy. J Appl Physiol. 2003 Jul;95(1):225-32. Epub 2003 Jan 31. [Abstract]

Votruba SB, Atkinson RL, Hirvonen MD, Schoeller DA. Prior exercise increases subsequent utilization of dietary fat. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002 Nov;34(11):1757-65. [Abstract]

Luke, A., Duraza-Arvizu, R.A., Rotimi, C.N., Iams, H., Schoeller, D.A., Adeyemo, A.A., Forrester, T.E., Wilks, R., Cooper, R.S.  Activity energy expenditure and adiposity among black adults in Nigeria and the United States. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 75:1045-1050, 2002 [Abstract]

Votruba, S.B., Blanc, S., Schoeller, D.A.  Pattern and cost of weight gain in previously obese women. Am. J. Physiol. 282:E923-E930, 2002 [Abstract]