Lisa M. Troy, PhD

Lisa M. Troy, PhD, is a Scientist III at Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and an adjunct Assistant Professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University. Her research interests include the effect of overall diet quality and components of a healthful diet on under-nutrition, obesity, metabolic syndrome and risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. She is also interested in how government programs and policies affect food security, diet quality and public health outcomes. Toward accomplishing these goals, Dr. Troy and her colleagues at Tufts University developed an index to measure adherence to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This index has been used in epidemiologic studies to examine how a diet consistent with federal guidelines relates to bone mineral density and the prevention of chronic diseases of aging including hip fracture, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome. The index was updated for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Dr. Troy has extensive international experience in nutrition program monitoring/evaluation. She has also developed educational materials for use by nutrition program managers world-wide. Dr. Troy serves on the steering committee of the Massachusetts Food Policy Alliance to promote the development of a food policy for the state. She is the former President of Gaining Ground, a non-profit organization that addresses the problem of food insecurity through small-scale, local agricultural production.