- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 60 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees nutrition services, staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and providing expert answers to nutrition questions.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She's active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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May 4, 2011
What your scale won't tell you
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
As surprising as it may sound, a normal weight or normal body mass index (BMI) isn't a guarantee of good health.
Someone who has a BMI in the acceptable range may still have an unacceptably high percentage of body fat. This is called normal weight obesity. Too much fat tissue puts you at risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, associated with type 2 diabetes, among other chronic diseases.
You may be thinking, "Oh great, one more thing to worry about." But look at this way: If you're working at maintaining or losing weight, you're already on the right track. A healthy diet and exercise are exactly what you need to do to control not only your weight but also your body fat percentage.
If you aren't eating a balanced diet or getting any exercise, you may want to talk with your doctor about adopting a healthier lifestyle. Your scale may not suggest it, but your heart will thank you.
To your health,
Katherine
9 comments posted
May 17, 2011 12:30 a.m.
Nice suggestions! Especially the gateway foods one...I think that is key. . Meal planning is necessary for good health. I defiantly follow these instructions. Too much fat tissue puts you at risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, associated with type 2 diabetes, among other chronic diseases. A healthy diet and exercise are exactly what you need to do to control not only your weight but also your body fat percentage. Thanks for sharing.. First aid training Toronto
- First aid training Toronto
May 15, 2011 4:28 p.m.
It has always been a battle with my weight. I was a 9lbs baby and i quickly took 8 ounces of formula/feeding the first days of my life! now it's been 9months since I've been eating clean and exercising 5days/week doing weight lifting and cardio.But still i only lost 10 lbs. I buildt a lot of muscle mass, i can really feel the change in my clothes but still it is so frustrating that my BMI is still 29 (overweight). guess i have to look back and see what is not working.... To all the people who are striving i can feel your pain...But I really enjoying it because i get to sculpt my body the way i want it to be.And guess what? at 190 and 5'7'' I can see my abs designing gradually!
- Issa
May 7, 2011 6:22 p.m.
I find this interesting. I am 5"8 and weigh generally about 165 and my BMI range tells me that I am overweight. Yet I stay physically active and eat a generally healthy diet. I actually consulted my doctor about this because I felt a little worried about this and he explained to me the same thing. I guess the confusion would be if it is not a good means to calculate your fat, then why is being it used? Plus I was told that the BMI does not take in affect for your age, race and physically amount of activity. The best thing I think would be just to be well rounded eat healthy and exercise and get regular check ups on your health.
- AmberH
May 4, 2011 7:48 p.m.
Isn't it well known that BMI is a poor measurement tool for obesity? It can be very inaccurate. I've seen a lot of people who are "normal" on the BMI scale but have lots of excess fat.
- Tom
April 5, 2011 1:39 a.m.
There are several ways to measure and monitor body compositions. The scales that give you a reading typically only measure the lower half of your body via electrical resistance. If you have calloused feet, dry skin, or an unbalanced fat distribution, then you will be getting erroneous readings. I have one such scale, and it even calculates daily caloric intake for weight maintenance based on the numbers. I've found the best way to monitor fat is a combination of weight, inches, and skin calipers.
- Kevin
August 16, 2010 2:00 a.m.
This is why it is so important for EVERYONE, regardless of weight, to follow the physical activity guidelines that includes weight lifting (ie. strength training) twice a week - in addition to "cardio" - walking/running/biking/hiking etc.
- Lorraine
August 8, 2010 2:10 p.m.
I was one of those, could eat anything and would lose weight. When I was an adolescent they put me on special vitamins, food was burning off or passing (with diarrhea) faster than I could eat. This continued through my life. Then at the age of 36, my weight was 105 at 5'9". At 30 my weight was at 85. At 36 I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. My Thyroid was over producing and the ponds were pouring off. I had the RAI (Radio Active Iodine) Treatment. Layman terms I drank this radiation to dissolve my thyroid. About five years later and many other illness my weight started to increase. Partially from depression and lack of good eating habits and lack of exercise and my thyroid or lack of the synthetic hormones were not producing enough and my weight started to increase until I weighed 200lbs. I needed to put a stop to this. My cholesterol levels were threw the roof. I changed my eating habits and started gardening (my favorite hobby) for exercise. I dropped down to 140. Getting my weight and to stabilize became very hard. Going from just about a perfect body (38,25,34) to someone who I did not recognize has been hard for me. I was very vain about my body the tightness and tone of my body I took pride in it. A lot of other illness has took a toll on my body including two major back last year and being bound to a wheelchair, depression. However I have lost 15 pounds in the past few months and I have physical therapy 3X's a week. I will succeed in this battle in weight.
- Wendy
July 29, 2010 12:40 p.m.
Is there any other way to tell other than buying a scale?
- Krissy
July 29, 2010 11:19 a.m.
Actually, my Tanita scale *does* tell me my Body Fat Percentage, at least a consistent estimate of it. (There are specific scale usage rules that lead to more accurate results.)
- JohnJ
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