New Search

Name:	Heidi Michels Blanck
Position:	Epidemiologist of CDC
Degree:	Ph.D., Emory University, 1999
Programs:	NHS, Adjunct Member
Phone:	770 488-5638
Address:	CDC, MS K-26, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE , Atlanta, GA 30341
Email:	HBlanck@cdc.gov
Research Descriptions:
Short:	Weight control practices; fruit and vegetable consumption; hemochromatosis.
Long:	Current research includes: Successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on long-term lifestyle changes such as reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity. However, because these changes are difficult, easily obtained nonprescription weight loss products, including both over-the counter drugs and herbal supplements, and prescription diet pills are an appealing alternative to the increasingly overweight U.S. population. I am involved in research that examines the relationship between use of weight loss products, both prescription and nonprescription and lifestyle choices for weight loss including diet and physical activity. This data is collected as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Hemochromatosis is a condition in which the body accumulates excess amounts of iron. Hereditary hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic diseases in humans. In the U.S., as many as one million people have evidence of hemochromatosis, and up to one in every ten people may carry the gene for the disorder. Serious and sometimes fatal health problems may result from the excess iron that accumulates in the body. Diseases associated with hemochromatosis are arthritis, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, heart failure, and liver cancer. Research activities I am involved in include (1) determining the proportion of people with hemochromatosis who will become symptomatic and determining factors that modify disease progression, (2) evaluating the risks, benefits, and effectiveness of different methods of case detection, for example measurement of serum transferrin and serum ferritin versus genotype analysis, and follow-up. There is strong evidence that healthful dietary patterns are important in preventing chronic disease including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. "5 A Day for Better Health" is a comprehensive, coordinated, national nutrition program to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables to 5 or more servings a day by the year 2010. I am part of the working group that has activities (1) to identify and evaluate policy and environmental changes that promote fruit and vegetable consumption at state and local levels and (2) develop tools to assess policy and environmental factors that influence fruit and vegetable consumption. Between 1990 and 1993, about 83,000 ethnic Nepalese fled the country of Bhutan in fear of new citizenship laws and consequent ethnic persecution. Ultimately these refugees were settled in seven camps in Nepal. I was part of the CDC team that conducted a cross-sectional nutritional survey in October 1999 in the seven Bhutanese refugee camps. I have examined the relation of angular stomatitis and B vitamin status and am currently analyzing the relation of vitamin A and iron status in adolescent refugees aged 10 to 19 years.