Christopher Gardner, PhD

Christopher Gardner, PhD, is a nutrition scientist and the Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine. For 26 years at Stanford, he has studied what to consume and what to avoid for optimal health, and how best to motivate individuals to achieve healthy dietary behaviors. He has served on many committees for organizations such as the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association and has conducted and published dozens of human nutrition intervention trials. Among his most cited studies are the A TO Z (2007) and the DIETFITS (2018) weight loss diet trials. His ongoing trials involve examining the impact of dietary changes on the gut microbiome and inflammation/immune function. Current research interests include collaborating with chefs and dining operators as research partners in an effort to identify strategies to optimize the intersection of taste, health, environmental sustainability, and social justice in institutional food settings (e.g., universities, hospitals, worksites). Professor Gardner teaches several food and nutrition classes, including an online nutrition science course recently launched through the Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning.