Keith T. Ayoob, Ed.D., is a pediatric nutritionist and clinical practitioner. He serves as director of the nutrition clinic at the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at Einstein and the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore.
Dr. Ayoob’s work focuses on obesity in children. His clinical approach takes into consideration the immediate social context of a child’s obesity problems, and includes treatment—through counseling and motivational exercises—that focuses on family dynamics. His main research interests are treating and preventing obesity; preventing type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular health; feeding problems, both physical and behavioral; and the nutritional effects of drugs commonly prescribed to children for a variety of behavioral issues.
Dr. Ayoob was instrumental in developing the NuVal nutritional scoring system, a food evaluation algorithm designed to improve consumers’ ability to quickly and accurately rate an item’s health value. He co-designed the global nutrition policy for the Walt Disney Corporation, which was strongly endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama. He coauthored, with Barbara Hoffman, The Uncle Sam Diet: The 4-Week Eating Plan for a Thinner, Healthier America, which promotes healthy eating and an active lifestyle.
Dr. Ayoob is a fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a coauthor of its position paper on food and nutrition myths and misinformation, and he has testified before Congress on the marketing of diet pills to children. Frequently called upon by the media as an expert resource, he is a recipient of the New York State Dietetic Association’s Award for Excellence in Media.
