D. Mark Hegsted
Encyclopedia
David Mark Hegsted was an American
nutritionist
who studied the connections between food consumption and heart disease. His work included studies that showed that consumption of saturated fat
s led to increases in harmful cholesterol
, leading to the development of dietary guidelines intended to help Americans achieve better health through improved food choices.
. He graduated in 1936 from the University of Idaho
and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy
in biochemistry
in 1940 from the University of Wisconsin. He came to the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health
in 1942, after spending a year at Abbott Laboratories
as a research chemist. He was named as a professor of nutrition in 1962 and remained at Harvard until 1978.
Research performed by Hegsted in the early 1960s studied the relationships between changes in diet and serum levels of cholesterol. The "Hegsted equation" he developed showed that cholesterol and saturated fats from sources such as eggs and meat in the diet raised harmful cholesterol levels, monounsaturated fat
s had little effect and polyunsaturated fat
s from sources such as nuts and seeds lowered levels. Results from these studies were published in 1965 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
, to what was describe by The New York Times
as "great acclaim". In combination with research performed independently by Ancel Keys
, these results led to recommendations advocating decreased dietary consumption of saturated fats.
His efforts to encourage the United States Department of Agriculture
to inform the public about changes in diet included his involvement in drafting Dietary Goals for the United States, a 1977 report from the United States Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs
that suggested that increased consumption of fruits, grains and vegetables could help cut the risk of heart attacks and other diseases. It was the predecessor of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans updated twice each decade by the federal government.
In 1978, he was hired by the Department of Agriculture as Administrator of Human Nutrition, serving in that post until 1982. He was hired by Harvard Medical School
in 1982 as Associate Director for Research at the New England Regional Primate Research Center.
Hegsted was elected as a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
. The author of over 400 published papers and other works, he served as editor of Nutrition Reviews from 1968 until 1978. He served on bodies advising the National Institutes of Health
and the National Research Council
in the United States, and internationally to the Food and Agriculture Organization
and the World Health Organization
.
A resident of Westwood, Massachusetts
, Hegsted died there at age 95 on June 16, 2009. He was survived by a son, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild. He was widowed in 1998 at the death of his wife, Maxine Scow Hegsted.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nutritionist
Nutritionist
A nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. Different professional terms are used in different countries, employment settings and contexts — some examples include: nutrition scientist, public health nutritionist, dietitian-nutritionist, clinical...
who studied the connections between food consumption and heart disease. His work included studies that showed that consumption of saturated fat
Saturated fat
Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms...
s led to increases in harmful cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...
, leading to the development of dietary guidelines intended to help Americans achieve better health through improved food choices.
Biography
Hegsted was born on March 25, 1914 in Rexburg, IdahoRexburg, Idaho
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,257 people, 4,274 households, and 2,393 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,534.4 people per square mile . There were 4,533 housing units at an average density of 928.4 per square mile...
. He graduated in 1936 from the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
in 1940 from the University of Wisconsin. He came to the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health
Harvard School of Public Health
The Harvard School of Public Health is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University, located in the Longwood Area of the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of Mission Hill, which is next to Harvard Medical School. HSPH is considered a significant school focusing on health in the...
in 1942, after spending a year at Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories is an American-based global, diversified pharmaceuticals and health care products company. It has 90,000 employees and operates in over 130 countries. The company headquarters are in Abbott Park, North Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded by Chicago physician, Dr....
as a research chemist. He was named as a professor of nutrition in 1962 and remained at Harvard until 1978.
Research performed by Hegsted in the early 1960s studied the relationships between changes in diet and serum levels of cholesterol. The "Hegsted equation" he developed showed that cholesterol and saturated fats from sources such as eggs and meat in the diet raised harmful cholesterol levels, monounsaturated fat
Monounsaturated fat
In biochemistry and nutrition, monounsaturated fats or MUFA are fatty acids that have one double bond in the fatty acid chain and all of the remainder of the carbon atoms in the chain are single-bonded...
s had little effect and polyunsaturated fat
Polyunsaturated fat
In nutrition, polyunsaturated fat, or polyunsaturated fatty acid, are fatty acids in which more than one carbon–carbon double bond exists within the representative molecule. That is, the molecule has two or more points on its structure capable of supporting hydrogen atoms not currently part of the...
s from sources such as nuts and seeds lowered levels. Results from these studies were published in 1965 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal in the field of clinical nutrition.According to the Journal Citation Reports, it has a 2009 impact factor of 6.307, ranking it third among 66 journals in the category "Nutrition & Dietetics".The journal was...
, to what was describe by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as "great acclaim". In combination with research performed independently by Ancel Keys
Ancel Keys
Ancel Benjamin Keys was an American scientist who studied the influence of diet on health. In particular, he hypothesized that different kinds of dietary fat had different effects on health....
, these results led to recommendations advocating decreased dietary consumption of saturated fats.
His efforts to encourage the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
to inform the public about changes in diet included his involvement in drafting Dietary Goals for the United States, a 1977 report from the United States Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs
United States Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs
The United States Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs was a select committee of the United States Senate between 1968 and 1977. It was sometimes referred to as the McGovern committee, after its only chairperson, Senator George McGovern of South Dakota.-Formation and members:The...
that suggested that increased consumption of fruits, grains and vegetables could help cut the risk of heart attacks and other diseases. It was the predecessor of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans updated twice each decade by the federal government.
In 1978, he was hired by the Department of Agriculture as Administrator of Human Nutrition, serving in that post until 1982. He was hired by Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
in 1982 as Associate Director for Research at the New England Regional Primate Research Center.
Hegsted was elected as a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. The author of over 400 published papers and other works, he served as editor of Nutrition Reviews from 1968 until 1978. He served on bodies advising the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
and the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
in the United States, and internationally to the Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
and the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
.
A resident of Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
, Hegsted died there at age 95 on June 16, 2009. He was survived by a son, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild. He was widowed in 1998 at the death of his wife, Maxine Scow Hegsted.