Walter Willett

Dr. Walter Willett, MD, DrPH., (born in 1945 in Hart, Michigan) is an American physician and nutrition researcher. Currently, Dr. Willett is the Fredrick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition in the Department of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, and is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Willett is the 'Principal Investigator' of the second Nurses' Health Study. He has published over 1,000 scientific articles regarding various aspects of diet and disease and is the second most cited author in clinical medicine. In the public eye, Dr. Willett is perhaps best known for his 2001 book Eat, Drink and be Healthy, which presents nutritional information and recommendations based on the currently available body of nutrition science. The book is also critical of many popular misconceptions about diet and nutrition, including ideas presented by guidelines from American organizations such as the USDA. Dr. Willett is frequently quoted by the media in articles regarding nutrition.

Education

 * M.D., 1970, University of Michigan Medical School
 * M.P.H. 1973, Harvard School of Public Health
 * Dr.P.H., 1980, Harvard School of Public Health, Epidemiology.
 * Chair, 1991, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health

Influence on Harvard meal plans and cafeterias
Dr. Willett has been actively involved in helping Harvard University food services to update their offerings along current nutritional guidelines. While his work has influenced the menu choices, students and Dr. Willett himself have noted that the menus still have a long way to go to reflect the currently available nutrition science.

List of published works

 * Nutritional Epidemiology 1998 ISBN 0-19-512297-6
 * Eat, Drink and be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide To Healthy Eating 2001 ISBN 0-684-86337-5
 * Over 1,000 scientific articles