Medifast Builds on Clinical Heritage with Addition of Three Members to its Scientific Advisory Board

OWINGS MILLS, Md., June 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Medifast, Inc. MED, a leading United States manufacturer and provider of clinically proven, portion-controlled weight-loss products and programs, today announced the addition of three new members to its Scientific Advisory Board: Simon Barquera, M.D., Ph.D.,  Susan Barr, Ph.D., R.D, and  Steven Heymsfield, M.D.

With the recent additions, Medifast's Scientific Advisory Board is now comprised of nine medical and scientific experts in the food science, nutrition, and weight management arena. As members of the Scientific Advisory Board, they are tasked with helping the company stay on top of emerging research and consumer trends, reviewing the effectiveness, safety and nutritional benefits of Medifast's products and programs, and assisting in the development of new products and programs.

"What sets us apart from other weight-loss companies is that our products and programs are rooted in medicine," said Michael MacDonald, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medifast. "Medifast was developed over 30 years ago by physicians and we remain committed to providing safe, clinically-proven weight management solutions. The addition of these esteemed health professionals reinforces that commitment and demonstrates our dedication to evolving with medical advancements."

"As Medifast expands its products and programs globally, it is important to elevate our international presence in the clinical and scientific community," said Linda Arterburn, Ph.D., Vice President of Scientific and Clinical Affairs of Medifast. "We are honored to now have representation from Mexico and Canada on our prestigious Scientific Advisory Board."

Simon Barquera, M.D., M.S., Ph.D.

Barquera is a medical surgeon and public nutrition researcher at the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico City. He has been a consultant for WHO, Pan American Health Organization, World Bank, International Food Policy Research Institute and the International Association of Agricultural Economists in the fields of nutrition, obesity and chronic diseases. Barquera is also President of the Nutrition Board of Professors at the Mexican School of Public Health and Director of the Nutritional Epidemiology Division at the Nutrition and Health Research Center. He is fellow member of the Obesity Society and of the Mexican National Academy of Medicine.

Susan Barr, Ph.D., R.D.

Barr is a professor at the University of British Columbia, where she teaches human nutrition. She has served as chairperson of the Institute of Medicine's Subcommittee on Interpretation and Uses of Dietary Reference Intakes and as a member of Health Canada committees working on revision of Canada's Food Guide and on dietary sodium reduction. She is a Fellow of the Dietitians of Canada.  Her research focuses on associations between nutrition, physical activity, and bone health in women.

Steven Heymsfield, M.D.

Heymsfield is the George A. Bray Chair in Nutrition and professor at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. He has both academic and industry experience and formerly served as President for The American Society of Clinical Nutrition and The American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and he now serves on the Council of The Obesity Society.  Heymsfield is well known for his expertise in basic science, clinical and population science related to weight and energy balance, and dietary supplements.

The new board members join Scientific Advisory Board Chairman Lawrence Cheskin, M.D., Associate Professor of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Director, Johns Hopkins Weight Control Center; and board members George Bray, M.D, Boyd Professor, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University; John Foreyt, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine; John E. Hayes, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Food Science and Director, Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University; Mark Messina, Ph.D., President of Nutrition Matters and Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University; and Sylvia B. Rowe, President  of SR Strategy and Adjunct Professor at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and  University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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About Medifast:

Medifast MED is the leading easy-to-use, clinically proven, portion-controlled weight-loss program. The company sells its products and programs via four unique distribution channels: 1) the Web and national call centers, 2) the Take Shape For Life personal coaching division, 3) Medifast Weight Control Centers, and 4) a national network of physicians. Medifast was founded in 1980 and is located in Owings Mills, Maryland. For more information, log onto www.MedifastNow.com.

SOURCE Medifast, Inc.