Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty typically have an academic or research appointment at another institution and contribute or collaborate with one or more School of Medicine faculty members or programs.
Adjunct rank detailsRenata Belfort De Aguiar, MD, PhD
Associate Professor AdjunctDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Titles
Associate Professor Adjunct
Biography
Renata Belfort De Aguiar, MD, PhD, treats diabetes and transplant patients and has a special focus on the relationship between obesity and diabetes.
“Obesity is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States and one of the major risk factors for type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Belfort De Aguiar, who is an assistant professor of medicine (endocrinology) at Yale School of Medicine. She points out that the reasons why people eat poorly is still largely misunderstood. “My research looks into the influence of changes in circulating blood glucose on the activation of brain regions associated with the desire for and intake of high-calorie foods in obese patients with type 2 diabetes.”
Research is driving treatment, and Dr. Belfort De Aguiar likes to reassure patients by telling them about the ever-expanding array of clinical and technical support for diabetes, including new medications and devices.
Last Updated on November 23, 2023.
Appointments
Endocrinology
Associate Professor AdjunctPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Belfort De Aguiar Lab
- Diabetes Center
- Diabetes Research Center
- Endocrinology
- Internal Medicine
- MR Core
- Obesity Research Working Group
Education & Training
- Residency
- Boston University (2008)
- PhD
- Federal University of Rio De Janeiro (2004)
- MS
- Federal University of Rio De Janeiro (2000)
- MD
- Federal University of Rio De Janeiro (1993)
Research
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Obesity; Prediabetic State
ORCID
0000-0002-4357-0447
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Renata Belfort De Aguiar's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Renata Belfort De Aguiar's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Renata Belfort De Aguiar is interested in exploring.
Rajita Sinha, PhD
Dongju Seo, PhD
Todd Constable, PhD
Catherine Yeckel, PhD
Elizabeth Sanchez Rangel, MD
Janice Jin Hwang, MD
24Publications
919Citations
Obesity
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Publications
2025
Measurement of brain glucose metabolism in obesity and diabetes
Hwang J, Bini J, Belfort-DeAguiar R. Measurement of brain glucose metabolism in obesity and diabetes. Diabetologia 2025, 68: 1879-1888. PMID: 40711543, PMCID: PMC12361331, DOI: 10.1007/s00125-025-06491-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsBrain glucose metabolismNon-invasive neuroimaging techniquesMeasures of brain glucose metabolismGlucose metabolismNeuroimaging techniquesPathological state of diabetesPositron emission tomographyBrain imagingBrainState of diabetesEmission tomographyPathological statesPhysiological manipulationsInsulin levelsPharmacotherapies for Binge Eating Disorder: Systematic Review and Network Meta‐Analysis
Costa G, Assunção B, Belfort‐DeAguiar R, Nunes J. Pharmacotherapies for Binge Eating Disorder: Systematic Review and Network Meta‐Analysis. Obesity Reviews 2025, 26: e13936. PMID: 40344489, DOI: 10.1111/obr.13936.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsBinge Eating DisorderTolerability of pharmacological interventionsBinge-eating episode frequencyEating disorder scoresMedication discontinuation ratesOverall effect sizePharmacological treatment optionsBinge-eating episodesCompulsive overeatingPsychiatric diagnosisDisorder scoresEpisode frequencyLisdexamfetamineAssessment instrumentsRecurrent episodesEffect sizeAdverse eventsPhysical healthDasotralineDiscontinuation ratesRemission rateDerSimonian-Laird random-effects modelPharmacological interventionsLandscape of pharmacotherapyBinge
2024
Low‐calorie diet‐induced weight loss is associated with altered brain connectivity and food desire in obesity
Hoang H, Lacadie C, Hwang J, Lam K, Elshafie A, Rosenberg S, Watt C, Sinha R, Constable R, Savoye M, Seo D, Belfort‐DeAguiar R. Low‐calorie diet‐induced weight loss is associated with altered brain connectivity and food desire in obesity. Obesity 2024, 32: 1362-1372. PMID: 38831482, PMCID: PMC11211061, DOI: 10.1002/oby.24046.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsFunctional magnetic resonance imagingIntrinsic connectivity distributionDiet-induced weight lossBrain connectivityAssociated with altered brain connectivityLow-calorie dietEating behavior changesShort-term low-calorie dietRight hippocampusTemporal cortexBrain networksWeight lossBrain clustersEffects of diet-induced weight lossGroup differencesFood desireGlucose levelsDiagnosis of type 2 diabetesBehavioral changesMagnetic resonance imagingType 2 diabetesBrainLeptin levelsFood intakeResonance imaging
2023
1541-P: Sympathetic Nervous System Activity in Response to Food Ingestion Is Impacted by Obesity
CHUNG T, DEAJON-JACKSON J, BINI J, SONG H, SANCHEZ RANGEL E, YECKEL C, HWANG J, STACHENFELD N, BELFORT-DEAGUIAR R. 1541-P: Sympathetic Nervous System Activity in Response to Food Ingestion Is Impacted by Obesity. Diabetes 2023, 72 DOI: 10.2337/db23-1541-p.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSympathetic nervous system activityMuscle sympathetic nerve activityMixed meal testNormal weightNervous system activityDistribution volume ratioPET-CTHeart rateSympathetic nerve activitySystem activityIngestion of foodMSNA increasesEndogenous NEMeal testNE releaseNerve activityOB subjectsObesity altersKidney diseaseDeltoid muscleLean individualsOB individualsNE transporterObeseFood ingestionA global research priority agenda to advance public health responses to fatty liver disease
Lazarus J, Mark H, Allen A, Arab J, Carrieri P, Noureddin M, Alazawi W, Alkhouri N, Alqahtani S, Arrese M, Bataller R, Berg T, Brennan P, Burra P, Castro-Narro G, Cortez-Pinto H, Cusi K, Dedes N, Duseja A, Francque S, Hagström H, Huang T, Wajcman D, Kautz A, Kopka C, Krag A, Miller V, Newsome P, Rinella M, Romero D, Sarin S, Silva M, Spearman C, Tsochatzis E, Valenti L, Villota-Rivas M, Zelber-Sagi S, Schattenberg J, Wong V, Younossi Z, Livers H, Lazarus J, Mark H, Allen A, Arab J, Carrieri P, Noureddin M, Alazawi W, Alkhouri N, Alqahtani S, Arrese M, Bataller R, Berg T, Brennan P, Burra P, Castro-Narro G, Cortez-Pinto H, Cusi K, Dedes N, Duseja A, Francque S, Hagström H, Huang T, Wajcman D, Kautz A, Kopka C, Krag A, Miller V, Newsome P, Rinella M, Romero D, Sarin S, Silva M, Spearman C, Tsochatzis E, Valenti L, Villota-Rivas M, Zelber-Sagi S, Schattenberg J, Wong V, Younossi Z, Aberg F, Adams L, Al-Naamani K, Albadawy R, Alexa Z, Allison M, Alnaser F, Alswat K, Alvares-da-Silva M, Alvaro D, Alves-Bezerra M, Andrade R, Anstee Q, Awuku Y, Baatarkhuu O, Baffy G, Bakieva S, Bansal M, Barouki R, Batterham R, Behling C, Belfort-DeAguiar R, Berzigotti A, Betel M, Bianco C, Bosi E, Boursier J, Brunt E, Bugianesi E, Byrne C, Cabrejos M, Caldwell S, Carr R, Fernández M, Castera L, Castillo-López M, Caussy C, Cerda-Reyes E, Ceriello A, Chan W, Chang Y, Charatcharoenwitthaya P, Chavez-Tapia N, Chung R, Colombo M, Coppell K, Cotrim H, Craxi A, Crespo J, Dassanayake A, Davidson N, De Knegt R, de Ledinghen V, Demir M, Desalegn H, Diago M, Dillon J, Dimmig B, Dirac M, Dirchwolf M, Dufour J, Dvorak K, Ekstedt M, El-Kassas M, Elsanousi O, Elsharkawy A, Elwakil R, Eskridge W, Eslam M, Esmat G, Fan J, Ferraz M, Flisiak R, Fortin D, Fouad Y, Freidman S, Fuchs M, Gadano A, Gastaldelli A, Geerts A, Geier A, George J, Gerber L, Ghazinyan H, Gheorghe L, Kile D, Girala M, Bee G, Goossens N, Graupera I, Grønbæk H, Hamid S, Hebditch V, Henry Z, Hickman I, Hobbs L, Hocking S, Hofmann W, Idilman R, Iruzubieta P, Isaacs S, Isakov V, Ismail M, Jamal M, Jarvis H, Jepsen P, Jornayvaz F, Sudhamshu K, Kakizaki S, Karpen S, Kawaguchi T, Keating S, Khader Y, Kim S, Kim W, Kleiner D, Koek G, Komas N, Kondili L, Koot B, Korenjak M, Kotsiliti E, Koulla Y, Kugelmas C, Kugelmas M, Labidi A, Lange N, Lavine J, Lazo M, Leite N, Lin H, Lkhagvaa U, Long M, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Lozano A, Macedo M, Malekzadeh R, Marchesini G, Marciano S, Martinez K, Vázquez S, Mateva L, Mato J, Nlombi C, McCary A, McIntyre J, McKee M, Mendive J, Mikolasevic I, Miller P, Milovanovic T, Milton T, Moreno-Alcantar R, Morgan T, Motala A, Muris J, Musso C, Nava-González E, Negro F, Nersesov A, Neuschwander-Tetri B, Nikolova D, Norris S, Novak K, Ocama P, Ong J, Ong-Go A, Onyekwere C, Padilla M, Pais R, Pan C, Panduro A, Panigrahi M, Papatheodoridis G, Paruk I, Patel K, Gonçalves C, Figueroa M, Pérez-Escobar J, Pericàs J, Perseghin G, Pessoa M, Petta S, de Oliveira C, Prabhakaran D, Pyrsopoulous N, Rabiee A, Ramji A, Ratziu V, Ravendhran N, Ray K, Roden M, Romeo S, Romero-Gómez M, Rotman Y, Rouabhia S, Rowe I, Sadirova S, Alkhatry M, Salupere R, Satapathy S, Schwimmer J, Sebastiani G, Seim L, Seki Y, Serme A, Shapiro D, Sharvadze L, Shaw J, Shawa I, Shenoy T, Shibolet O, Shimakawa Y, Shubrook J, Singh S, Sinkala E, Skladany L, Skrypnyk I, Song M, Sookoian S, Sridharan K, Stefan N, Stine J, Stratakis N, Sheriff D, Sundaram S, Svegliati-Baroni G, Swain M, Tacke F, Taheri S, Tan S, Tapper E, Targher G, Tcaciuc E, Thiele M, Tiniakos D, Tolmane I, Torre A, Torres E, Treeprasertsuk S, Trenell M, Turcan S, Turcanu A, Valantinas J, van Kleef L, Velasco J, Vesterhus M, Vilar-Gomez E, Waked, Wattacheril J, Wedemeyer H, Wilkins F, Willemse J, Wong R, Yilmaz Y, Yki-Järvinen H, Yu M, Yumuk V, Zeybel M, Zheng K, Zheng M. A global research priority agenda to advance public health responses to fatty liver disease. Journal Of Hepatology 2023, 79: 618-634. PMID: 37353401, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.04.035.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsModels of careNon-communicable diseasesResearch prioritiesPublic health policiesPublic health threatIn-person meetingsPriority agendaGlobal health communityHealth policyNon-clinical researchIn-personFatty liver diseaseHealth communityHealth threatMultidisciplinary groupConsensus processQualtrics XMNon-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseDisease burdenResponse to awarenessResearch agendaCommunity perspectivesDelphi methodologyPublic healthWritten feedback263-LB: Food Intake Impacts on Insulin Secretion, Resistance, and Glucose Variability in Free-Living Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
PAULA COMARELLA A, BELFORT-DEAGUIAR R. 263-LB: Food Intake Impacts on Insulin Secretion, Resistance, and Glucose Variability in Free-Living Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes 2023, 72 DOI: 10.2337/db23-263-lb.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Approach to the Patient With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Belfort-DeAguiar R, Lomonaco R, Cusi K. Approach to the Patient With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. The Journal Of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2022, 108: 483-495. PMID: 36305273, DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac624.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseEarly diagnosisFatty liver diseaseLiver diseaseSodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitorsGlucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonistsHigher risk of cirrhosisClinically significant liver fibrosisPeptide 1 receptor agonistsEarly diagnosis of fibrosisCotransporter-2 inhibitorsLiver transplant recipientsSignificant liver fibrosisRecurrent nonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseCardiometabolic risk factorsManagement of patientsAssociated with obesityDiagnosis of fibrosisManagement of obesityWeight loss programTreatment of NASHType 2 diabetesObesity pharmacotherapyAsymptomatic patientsExtrahepatic complications232-OR: Alterations in Decision-Making Neurocircuits during Hypoglycemia in Patients with T1DM
DEAJON-JACKSON J, RANGEL E, LACADIE C, GREENE A, BELFORT-DEAGUIAR R, CONSTABLE T, ROTHMAN D, HWANG J. 232-OR: Alterations in Decision-Making Neurocircuits during Hypoglycemia in Patients with T1DM. Diabetes 2022, 71 DOI: 10.2337/db22-232-or.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDorsal anterior cingulate cortexGroup x Session interactionFunctional connectivityOrbitofrontal cortexControl subjectsNon-diabetic control subjectsHealthy control subjectsState functional connectivityDirect neuronal connectionsRegional brain activityAnterior cingulate cortexSeed-based analysisBOLD-fMRI scanningHyperinsulinemic euglycemicHypoglycemic clampT1DM patientsSession interactionT1DM subjectsGlucose levelsT1DMHypoglycemiaNeurocognitive changesNeuronal connectionsCingulate cortexCognitive function
2021
PPAR‐γ‐induced changes in visceral fat and adiponectin levels are associated with improvement of steatohepatitis in patients with NASH
Gastaldelli A, Sabatini S, Carli F, Gaggini M, Bril F, Belfort‐DeAguiar R, Positano V, Barb D, Kadiyala S, Harrison S, Cusi K. PPAR‐γ‐induced changes in visceral fat and adiponectin levels are associated with improvement of steatohepatitis in patients with NASH. Liver International 2021, 41: 2659-2670. PMID: 34219361, PMCID: PMC9290929, DOI: 10.1111/liv.15005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNon-alcoholic steatohepatitisHistological benefitAssociated with improvementsImprovement of steatohepatitisDisease Activity ScorePeroxisome proliferator-activated receptorWeight gainFat weight gainProliferator-activated receptorsDouble-blindHypocaloric dietHistological improvementMagnetic resonance spectroscopy/imagingLiver biopsyDisease activityAdiponectin levelsTreatment patientsActivity scoreFat distributionLiver histologyVF/SCVisceral fatMetabolic variablesPlaceboPatientsImplementing a pharmacist-led transition of care model for posttransplant hyperglycemia
Do V, Haakinson D, Belfort-DeAguiar R, Cohen E. Implementing a pharmacist-led transition of care model for posttransplant hyperglycemia. American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy 2021, 78: 1207-1215. PMID: 33821878, PMCID: PMC8083386, DOI: 10.1093/ajhp/zxab151.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsKidney transplant recipientsCollaborative practice agreementPosttransplant hyperglycemiaED visitsPreimplementation groupTransplant recipientsPractice agreementExact testPharmacist-led transitionsPharmacist-run serviceEmergency department visitsPrimary care providersFisher's exact testAcademic medical centerNumber of interventionsStudent's t-testPostimplementation groupPrimary endpointSecondary endpointsStandard careDepartment visitsAcute phaseTransplant pharmacistsPreimplementation dataTransplant providers
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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Activities
activity Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
2013 - PresentJournal ServiceRevieweractivity Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism
2015 - PresentJournal ServiceRevieweractivity Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
2017 - PresentJournal ServiceRevieweractivity International Journal of Obesity
2018 - PresentJournal ServiceRevieweractivity Section of Endocrinology Gender Equity Task Force
2018 - PresentCommitteesCommittee Member
Honors
honor Mentor-Based Minority Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
08/01/2007National AwardAmerican Diabetes Assoc. / Takeda PharmaceuticalsDetailsUnited States
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