Renata Belfort De Aguiar, MD, PhD
Associate Professor AdjunctDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Endocrinology
Primary
About
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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.
Appointments
Endocrinology
Associate Professor AdjunctPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Belfort De Aguiar Lab
- Diabetes Center
- Diabetes Research Center
- Endocrinology
- Internal Medicine
- MR Center
- 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
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Obesity; Prediabetic State
- View Lab Website
Belfort Lab
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
Elizabeth Sanchez Rangel, MD
Fangyong Li, MS, MPH
James Dziura, MPH, PhD
5Publications
569Citations
Obesity
Publications
2019
In a Free-Living Setting, Obesity Is Associated With Greater Food Intake in Response to a Similar Premeal Glucose Nadir
Kim J, Lam W, Wang Q, Parikh L, Elshafie A, Sanchez-Rangel E, Schmidt C, Li F, Hwang J, Belfort-DeAguiar R. In a Free-Living Setting, Obesity Is Associated With Greater Food Intake in Response to a Similar Premeal Glucose Nadir. The Journal Of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2019, 104: 3911-3919. PMID: 31087061, PMCID: PMC6667277, DOI: 10.1210/jc.2019-00240.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsFood intakeGlucose levelsNW individualsOB individualsPremeal glucoseCGM glucose levelsNormal-weight individualsBlood glucose levelsContinuous glucose-monitoring systemGreater food intakeInterstitial glucose levelsGlucose-monitoring systemGlucose nadirsWeight individualsGlucose profilesObeseFood logsEffect of glucoseHealthy individualsFree-Living SettingsIntakePostprandial ratesObesityLevel stimuliPredictive effect
2018
Food Cues and Obesity: Overpowering Hormones and Energy Balance Regulation
Belfort-DeAguiar R, Seo D. Food Cues and Obesity: Overpowering Hormones and Energy Balance Regulation. Current Obesity Reports 2018, 7: 122-129. PMID: 29619632, PMCID: PMC5959777, DOI: 10.1007/s13679-018-0303-1.BooksCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEnergy balance regulationFood cuesObesity epidemicBalance regulationTreatment of obesityDevelopment of obesityPoor treatment outcomesFood cue exposureFood cue reactivityPurpose of ReviewInModern obesogenic environmentFood cue responsesObese individualsWeight managementTreatment outcomesFood intakeCue-elicited responsesPsychosocial interventionsObesityConventional treatmentObesogenic environmentCue exposurePhysiology of feedingCue reactivityHormone
2013
Effects of Fructose vs Glucose on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Brain Regions Involved With Appetite and Reward Pathways
Page KA, Chan O, Arora J, Belfort-DeAguiar R, Dzuira J, Roehmholdt B, Cline GW, Naik S, Sinha R, Constable RT, Sherwin RS. Effects of Fructose vs Glucose on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Brain Regions Involved With Appetite and Reward Pathways. JAMA 2013, 309: 63-70. PMID: 23280226, PMCID: PMC4076145, DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.116975.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsRegional cerebral blood flowCerebral blood flowGlucose ingestionFructose ingestionFructose consumptionBlood flowGlucagon-like polypeptide-1Weight gainRegional CBF changesPrevalence of obesityHigh-fructose dietHealthy adult volunteersLower peak levelsConsumption of fructoseMagnetic resonance imaging sessionPosterior cingulate cortexWhole-brain analysisEffects of fructoseFunctional connectivity analysisSatiety hormonesSecondary outcomesDrink ingestionSystemic glucoseVoxel-level analysisInsulin resistance
2011
Circulating glucose levels modulate neural control of desire for high-calorie foods in humans
Page KA, Seo D, Belfort-DeAguiar R, Lacadie C, Dzuira J, Naik S, Amarnath S, Constable RT, Sherwin RS, Sinha R. Circulating glucose levels modulate neural control of desire for high-calorie foods in humans. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2011, 121: 4161-4169. PMID: 21926468, PMCID: PMC3195474, DOI: 10.1172/jci57873.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsHigh-calorie foodsGlucose levelsHyperinsulinemic euglycemic-hypoglycemic clampsBrain regionsFunctional MRIMedial prefrontal cortexMedial prefrontal cortex activationRisk of overeatingLevels of glucosePostprandial reductionPrefrontal cortex activationObese subjectsNonobese individualsMild hypoglycemiaWorldwide epidemicCortex activationPrefrontal cortexFood cuesFood motivationFood stimuliNeural controlObesityInhibitory controlBehavioral measuresVisual cues
2006
A placebo-controlled trial of pioglitazone in subjects with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
Belfort R, Harrison SA, Brown K, Darland C, Finch J, Hardies J, Balas B, Gastaldelli A, Tio F, Pulcini J, Berria R, Ma JZ, Dwivedi S, Havranek R, Fincke C, DeFronzo R, Bannayan GA, Schenker S, Cusi K. A placebo-controlled trial of pioglitazone in subjects with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The New England Journal Of Medicine 2006, 355: 2297-307. PMID: 17135584, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa060326.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
activity Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Journal ServiceReviewerDetails2013 - Presentactivity Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Journal ServiceReviewerDetails2015 - Presentactivity Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
Journal ServiceReviewerDetails2017 - Presentactivity International Journal of Obesity
Journal ServiceReviewerDetails2018 - Presentactivity Section of Endocrinology Gender Equity Task Force
CommitteesCommittee MemberDetails2018 - Present
News
News
- April 17, 2023
Seo & Belfort De Aguiar, and Yogev & Tomita Honored With 2023 Kavli Innovative Research Awards
- July 06, 2022Source: Yale Medicine
My Diabetes Journey: A Cautionary Tale
- August 09, 2021
Meet Yale Internal Medicine: Renata Belfort de Aguiar, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology); Vice Chief, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Endocrinology)
- May 12, 2021
Discoveries & Impact (May 2021)
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