R. James Barnard, Ph.D.
For more than 30 years, Dr. James Barnard has studied the role of diet and exercise in preventing and controlling diseases that are epidemic in industrialized societies.
Distinguished Professor Emeritus,
Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa
- UCLA, Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology
- Consultant, Pritikin Longevity Center
- Author of 200+ studies focusing on diet, exercise, and disease prevention
- Professional Societies: American College of Sports Medicine; American Physiological Society; American Heart Association, Council on Circulation; American Diabetes Association, Professional Section
For more than 30 years, Dr. James Barnard has studied the role of diet and exercise in preventing and controlling diseases that are epidemic in industrialized societies. His more than 100 studies on the Pritikin Program, an approach that advocates daily aerobic activity and a low-fat eating plan rich in unrefined carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, have been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the Archives of Internal Medicine, Diabetes Care, and the New England Journal of Medicine. They have documented the results of the Pritikin Program, which include:
- Reducing virtually all modifiable heart disease risk factors including cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, and insulin levels
- Lowering blood pressure to normal, medication-free levels
- Controlling diabetes and, for many, reducing or eliminating the need for drugs and insulin injections
- Eliminating the need for heart surgery and relieving angina pain
- Reducing key risk factors for breast and prostate cancer
Because of his groundbreaking research, Dr. Barnard has received numerous honors and awards, including the President’s Lecturer, American College of Sports Medicine National Meeting, 1995; and the Cureton Tutorial Lecture, American College of Sports Medicine National Meeting, 2002.
Over the past four decades, Dr. Barnard has been awarded more than 20 research grants from several nonprofit health organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Nathan Pritikin Research Foundation.
Recently, Dr. Barnard completed a book that summarizes in laymen’s terms the scientific rationale for the Pritikin Program, titled Understanding Common Diseases and the Value of the Pritikin Eating and Exercise Program.