David B. Allison
| David Bradley Allison | |
|---|---|
 David B. Allison speaking at an awards presentation | |
| Born |
1963 New York City[1] |
| Fields | Biostatistics |
| Institutions | University of Alabama, Birmingham |
| Alma mater | Vassar College, Hofstra University |
| Thesis | Toward an empirically derived typology of obese persons (1990) |
| Notable awards | Lilly Scientific Achievement Award from the Obesity Society (2002), Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring[1] |
David Bradley Allison (born 1963) is an American obesity researcher, biostatistician, and psychologist. He is Distinguished Professor, Quetelet Endowed Professor of Public Health, and Associate Dean for Science of the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
Career
Education
- 1985 – B.A., Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York
- 1987 – M.A., Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
- 1990 – PhD., Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
- 1991 – Post-Doc, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- 1994 – Fellowship, Columbia University and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
According to data analyzed by the journal Nature, Allison has ranked in the top 10 for most federally funded grants.[2] Allison has been described as one of the leading skeptics regarding commonly issued nutrition advice.[3] Author Judith Stern wrote "He is also known for challenging conventional ideas, exploring novel hypotheses, and holding himself and others to rigorous standards of evidence."[1] Although Allison has had some critics regarding his stance on questioning the link between consuming any one particular food and obesity, he has been defended by others and praised for his strong adherence to solid scientific practice. [4][5][6][7]
Allison is the founding Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in Genetics.[8] He also serves as a frequent consultant and expert witness in the legal setting.[9]
Alleged conflicts of interest
In 2008, Allison resigned as president-elect of the Obesity Society after signing an affidavit (expert report) stating that there was insufficient scientific evidence available to determine whether a proposed a law to require calorie counts to be listed on restaurant menus would be effective in reducing obesity levels. The New York Times reported that Allison's affidavit "ran counter to the conventional thinking in his field" and provoked criticism from some members of the Society.[9] In 2011, ABC News ran a story about Allison. The story quoted him as saying there was too little "solid evidence" to support a link between soft drink consumption and obesity. The article noted that "...critics say his skepticism stems from his financial ties to entities such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and the American Beverage Association..."[10]
Allison was featured in the 2014 documentary film Fed Up, which criticized him for being funded by food companies. Allison responded that "the film-makers’ behavior seems counter to thoughtful dialogue," although he added that he had not seen the film yet and so could not provide a detailed response. [11]
References
- 1 2 3 Stern, Judith (2009). Obesity: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO. p. 148.
- ↑ "NIH Grants" (PDF). nature.com.
- ↑ "Peter Whoriskey: Why we’re so confused about healthy food". dallasnews.com.
- ↑ "Feds about to withdraw warnings concerning cholesterol". washingtonpost.com.
- ↑ "Scientist Exposes Bias in Obesity Research". forbes.com.
- ↑ "Presidential Award Winning Scientist has the last word". forbes.com.
- ↑ "Researchers Seek a Mysterious Culprit". phys.org.
- ↑ Editorial Board
- 1 2 Saul, Stephanie (4 March 2008). "Menu Fight Over Calories Leads Doctor to Reject Post". New York Times. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Harris, Dan (21 June 2011). "Is 'Big Food's' Big Money Influencing the Science of Nutrition?". ABC News. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Linnekin, Baylen (17 May 2014). "What Fed Up Gets Wrong About the Food Industry". Reason. Retrieved 4 August 2015.