Nutrition, Health Behavior and Obesity Research Lab

About the Lab

The Nutrition, Health Behavior and Obesity Research Lab focuses on the study of obesity, as a complex, chronic disease arising from the interplay of physiological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms, with the goal of generating applied, high-quality interventions, that can meaningfully improve health outcomes and quality of life among people living with obesity and related chronic diseases.

The lab is based at the School of Public Health of the University of Haifa, and led by Dr. Tair Ben-Porat, the Director of the International Master of Public Health program. Research conducted in the lab integrates mechanistic, clinical, behavioral, and population-based approaches, with a strong emphasis on patient-centered research, cultural adaptation, reduction of health disparities, and real-world relevance.

Vision

The vision of the lab is to advance rigorous, impactful research that improves understanding of obesity and contributes to meaningful improvements in physical and mental health outcomes among individuals living with obesity and its related chronic conditions across the life course.

Guided by a public health framework, the lab conceptualizes obesity as a multifactorial chronic disease that requires integrated, multidisciplinary solutions. Core guiding principles include:

Integration of biological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms in the study of obesity and weight regulation
Systematic evaluation of physical, metabolic, nutritional, and mental health outcomes of medical treatments for obesity (i.e., obesity pharmacotherapy, surgical, and endoscopic procedures for weight loss)
Development and testing of theory-driven, multidomain, behavior-change interventions adjunct to medical treatments for obesity
Commitment to patient-centered care and research, addressing patient-reported outcomes, lived experience, and stakeholder engagement
Emphasis on cultural adaptation, health equity, and reduction of disparities in obesity care

Through this approach, the lab aims to generate evidence that informs clinical practice, supports tailored and individual obesity care, and contributes to health policy development in Israel and beyond.