Rima Chakaroun has received the award for her clinical research focusing on obesity, the microbiome, nutrition and sex-specific obesity trajectories. A specialist in internal medicine and endocrinology at the University of Leipzig Medical Center, she contributes to multidisciplinary obesity programmes that offer comprehensive treatment plans, helps coordinate a weight management initiative and works to help patients make lasting lifestyle changes.
“By 2035, half the population is expected to be obese. Middle-aged women will be particularly affected, and their risk of cardiovascular disease will increase,” says Dr Chakaroun. Although men are often thought to have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, women with obesity-related diabetes have a 50 per cent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. “However, prevention strategies rarely take into account the specific biology of women,” says Dr Chakaroun, who is also a researcher at the Wallenberg Laboratory in Gothenburg.
Studies show that the gut microbiome plays an important role in the development of obesity and the function of adipose tissue. However, the effects may be different in men and women. Dr Chakaroun explains: “This is why our research focuses on one central question: how does the microbiome influence differences in obesity and cardiovascular disease risk between men and women – and can these findings improve health?”
“It is a great honour to receive this award. It underlines the commitment of clinician-scientists like myself who are working to destigmatise obesity and develop personalised, state-of-the-art treatments. Most importantly, however, it provides a valuable platform for dialogue with key players in obesity research across Europe and beyond,” says Dr Chakaroun. World Obesity Day is on 4 March.