International Authority on Obesity and Diabetes One of the world's leading experts on the link between obesity and diabetes, Dr. Francine Kaufman is a Professor of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and Head of the Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Dr. Kaufman's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1980 and focuses on many aspects of diabetes, including prevention, treatment, and complications. Presently, she is chair of the NIH-funded STOPP-T2 trials, which investigate strategies to prevent and treat (The TODAY trial) Type 2 diabetes in children and youth. She was also a principle investigator in the Diabetes Prevention Trial-Type 1 and is now an investigator in TrailNet, the NIH study to try to prevent Type 1 diabetes and preserve beta cell function.

Advocate for workplace wellness Past president of the American Diabetes Association (2002-2003), Dr. Kaufman chaired the 2002 LA County Task force on Health and Fitness. Currently she serves on the California State Task Force on Youth Fitness and Workplace Wellness and was a delegate to the 2002 55th Assembly of the World Health Organization. She is the recipient of the Banting Medal for Service and the Outstanding Contribution to Children and Youth Award. Dr. Kaufman is one of only two pediatric endocrinologists in Southern California listed in the West Coast and Pacific region in "America's Top Doctors." She also is listed in Best Doctors in America®.

Published Medical Author The author of more than 150 medical articles, Dr. Kaufman has published extensively and developed many diabetes clinical innovations, including Extend Bar, a snack bar containing uncooked cornstarch that is used as an appetite suppressant and a hypoglycemic preventive in diabetes. She is also a tireless public advocate who was instrumental in banning the sale of soda in the LA Unified School District.

Dr. Kaufman recently released her first book, Diabesity: The Obesity-Diabetes Epidemic That Threatens America - And What We Must Do To Stop It. The book is a call to action to individuals, communities, healthcare, educators and government to begin to reverse the epidemics of obesity and diabetes that threaten the citizens of our country.

Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology, Dr. Kaufman earned her M.D. at Chicago Medical School.

Health, Nutrition, Diabetes,