Nancy L. Keim

Nancy L. Keim is a Research Chemist at the USDA ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center (WHNRC) and an Adjunct Professor. She holds a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Wisconsin. Her research focuses on the interplay between diet, metabolic health, and body weight, with particular emphasis on carbohydrate metabolism, whole grains, dairy products, and the impact of physical activity on obesity prevention. Key areas include evaluating the effects of dietary carbohydrates on satiety and chronic disease risk, determining optimal physical activity levels for weight management, and investigating the metabolic consequences of fructose consumption.

Research Accomplishments

• Discovered that high dietary restraint in women correlates with reduced fat oxidation, increasing obesity risk.
• Identified leptin's role in hunger during calorie restriction, linking hormonal changes to appetite.
• Showed whole-grain meals improve lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
• Co-developed an electronic activity log for tracking physical activity in free-living subjects.
• Collaborated on studies demonstrating fructose-sweetened beverages induce insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides, and metabolic dysfunction.

Publications highlight trends in fructose toxicity, whole grain benefits, and the hormonal impacts of dietary patterns. Her work bridges clinical nutrition, endocrinology, and public health, addressing obesity and chronic disease prevention.