Advisory Council

At Nutrisystem, it's our goal to remain on top of emerging industry trends and up-to-date on the latest weight loss studies in order to bring you an effective, quality program. That's why we've hand-picked nationally-renowned experts in the weight loss field to lead the way, helping us make sure that our programs are nutritionally beneficial and optimal for your weight loss.

Gary D. Foster, PhD.—Council Chair

Dr. Foster heads up our council and has extensive experience as a leader in the field of obesity research. He is the Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education, and Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Temple University, as well as an esteemed author of over 100 publications on the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity. His field of research includes the evaluation of prevention treatments for obesity and the behavioral and biological effects of dieting and weight loss.

James O. Hill, PhD.

Dr. Hill boasts a very well-respected and extensive career in the field of obesity research. He is currently the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition, and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Colorado. In addition to serving on numerous government panels he is a former President of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity. Along with Dr. Foster, he has published over 250 scientific articles and book chapters in the area of obesity, and was recognized for all of his achievements by receiving a prestigious MERIT award from the National Institutes of Health.

Donna Ryan, M.D.

Dr. Ryan is an Associate Executive Director for Clinical Research and Professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a division of the Louisiana State University System. Her main area of expertise involves clinical research in obesity prevention and treatment. She has spearheaded several projects including LOSS (Louisiana Obese Subjects Study), a randomized comparison of intensive medical approaches for morbid obesity.

Dr. Jay Satz, VP of Research and Development and Scientific Affairs

Dr. Jay Satz, a true pioneer in the weight-loss category, is the Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Nutrisystem. A key developer of the Nutrisystem food program since 1978, Dr. Satz has a proven track record of innovative thinking and breakthrough approaches in nutrition and dietary science.

A graduate of Temple University School of Medicine, Dr. Satz has a diverse background in the fields of medicine, nutrition and public health, beginning his professional career studying diseases at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. While there, Dr. Satz discovered that his true passion was in nutrition, and he has been involved with this category ever since.

Upon leaving the public health sector, Dr. Satz found his home at a visionary company that would soon be known as Nutrisystem. Dr. Satz immediately applied his knowledge of health and medicine and helped create an innovative diet program that was unlike anything in the marketplace. In particular, Dr. Satz was one of the first individuals to create calorie-controlled, shelf-stable, portion-controlled foods.

Identifying a void in the weight loss market, Dr. Satz conceived of a program that was not only grounded in advanced scientific and nutritional principles, but was also shelf-stable, thus enabling customers to take their food anywhere. This was universally lauded as a major breakthrough. The notion of portion-controlled, shelf-stable food remains the ribbon that has held the Nutrisystem program together throughout the years, as Dr. Satz and his team continue to apply their research toward improving Nutrisystem's offerings.

Upon his return to Nutrisystem in 2003—after a hiatus during which he developed several products for leading companies in both the medical and weight-loss fields—Dr. Satz revamped the company's program. He maintained the integrity of the original program, but changed the food formulations to adhere to the low Glycemic Index.

This innovation of the core program gave Nutrisystem a distinct edge over competitors, as Nutrisystem was the first to market with a low Glycemic Index weight-loss program. The program delivered its promises to thousands of customers, and Nutrisystem found significant weight-loss among its users with the new formula.

Under the supervision of Dr. Satz, Nutrisystem now offers 170 delicious, healthy foods and a variety of programs to fit various lifestyles including Nutrisystem Flex, Nutrisystem Select and the Nutrisystem Diabetic Program. Named by Forbes.com as one of "America's most famous diet gurus," Dr. Satz continues to develop Nutrisystem's programs on the front lines of many nutritional breakthroughs.

Judith Korner, M.D., PhD.

Judith Korner, M.D., Ph.D. is Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Columbia University and Attending Physician at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Dr. Korner received her medical degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University where she also obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics. She completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine, served as Chief Medical Resident, and completed her fellowship in Endocrinology at Columbia University Medical Center. She is board certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism. Dr. Korner's research is focused on the pathophysiology and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. She has NIH funding to investigate peptide hormones that control hunger and food intake, particularly in association with bariatric surgery. She is a Principal Investigator of a randomized trial of medical management vs gastric bypass surgery for the treatment of diabetes. She has published original research as well as chapters and review articles on weight regulation. She is the Director of the Weight Control Center at Columbia University Medical Center that specializes in the medical treatment of obesity or excessive weight gain.