KANNAPOLIS — The UNC-Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute will present several nutrition-science seminars in April.
The Frontiers in Nutrition series brings in leading experts to present their research in sessions “designed to help people eat better and live healthier lives,” according to information provided by the Research Institute.
The seminars will take place Tuesdays beginning April 1. There will be no session April 15 due to the spring holiday. They’ll be 7-8:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building, 201 N. Main St. at the N.C. Research Campus.
The series is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and registration is required. Register at uncnri.org/appetite_form.asp or call 704-250-5000. For those unable to attend in person, the seminars will be webcast at uncnri.org/webcast .
The seminars are:
• April 1 — “Uric Acid: A new Look at an Old Risk Factor for Gout and Cardio-renal Disease,” presented by Dr. Saroja Voruganti.
Increased uric acid in blood is a risk factor for kidney and heart disease and gout. Diet and alcohol intake, physical activity and genetic factors affect uric acid balance in the body. Learn about research into the genetic factors that by themselves, or in interaction with diet and physical activity, affect uric acid.
• April 8 — “This is Your Brain on Sugar!” presented by Dr. Kyle Burger
Many people know that eating too much sugar can cause weight gain. Recent research shows that eating or drinking a lot of sugar is not only bad for your general health, but also affects your brain. Using brain-imaging techniques, we can now show how people’s brains react to sugar and how that relates to their habits.
• April 22 — “Berries and Brain: Partners in Life and Longevity,” presented by Dr. Carol Cheatham and Kelly Sheppard.
Foods are fuel for the brain. If one doesn’t eat well, the brain does not function well. Properties in berries have been studied for their ability to support memory. Evidence of the importance of eating berries and other colorful foods will be presented.