Meena Shah, PhD

Appointment

Meena Shah, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Texas Christian University and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Nutrition, UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Education

Dr. Shah received her B.Sc. with Commendation in Nutrition and Dietetics from Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology and her Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of London, London, England. Dr. Shah was an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota before coming to Texas. She worked as a Research Associate in the Division of Rheumatic Diseases at UT Southwestern Medical Center and as an Instructor at the University of Texas at Arlington prior to her current positions at Texas Christian University, and Department of Nutrition, UT Southwestern
Medical Center.

Research Accomplishments

Dr. Shah's doctorate research involved investigating whether post-obese women have a lower metabolic rate than normal lean controls of matching body size and the type of exercise that is most acceptable and effective in increasing metabolic rate. She measured 24-hour metabolic rate on different days at different levels of activity using a room respirometer.

Dr. Shah's major contribution at the University of Minnesota was to write a grant to study whether a low-fat ad-libitum diet would be more acceptable (palatability, satiety, and quality of life) than a low calorie diet and that it will result in better weight loss maintenance. The proposal was accepted by the National Institutes of Health, and approximately $700,000 was approved for the 18 month intervention study.

At UT Southwestern Medical Center, Division of Rhuematic Diseases, Dr. Shah developed and tested the acceptability and effectiveness of a culturally sensitive cholesterol lowering diet program to lower LDL cholesterol in minority patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Dr. Shah also focus tested the culturally sensitive menus that she developed in a separate group of low-income Hispanic and African-American subjects.

Dr. Shah is currently working with Dr. Garg at UT Southwestern Medical Center to investigate the effect of fish oil supplements, sitostanol, and dietary intervention to treat hyperlipedemia in HIV patients on protease inhibitor combination therapy.

Professional Societies, Awards, and Achievements
Dr. Shah is a member of the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, the American Society for Nutritional Sciences, and the Fort Worth Dietetic Association.

Articles:
1. Geissler CA, Miller DS, Shah M. The daily energy expenditure of the post obese and the lean. Am J Clin Nutr 1987;45:914-920.

2. Shah M, Geissler CA, Miller DS. Metabolic rate during and after aerobic exercise in post-obese and lean women. Europ J Clin Nutr 1988;42:455-464.

3. Shah M, Miller DS, Geissler CA. Lower metabolic rates of post-obese versus lean women: thermogenesis, basal metabolic rate and genetics. Europ J Clin Nutr 1988;42:741-752.

4. Shah M, Jeffery RW, Hannan PJ, Onstad L. Relationship between socio-demographic and behavior factors, and body mass index in a population with high-normal blood pressure: Hypertension Prevention Trial. Europ J Clin Nutr 1989;43:583-596.

5. Shah M, Jeffery RW, Laing B, Savre SG, VanNatta M, Strickland D: Hypertension Prevention Trial (HPT): Food pattern changes resulting from intervention on sodium, potassium, and energy intake. J Am Diet Assoc 1990;90:69-76.

6. Shah M, Jeffery RW: Is obesity due to overeating and inactivity, or to a defective metabolic rate? A review. Annals Behavioral Med 1991;13:73-81.

7. Shah M, Hannan PJ, Jeffery RW: Secular trends in body mass index in the adult population of three communities from the upper mid-western part of the USA: The Minnesota Heart Health Program. Int J Obes 1991;15:499-503.

8. Jeffery RW, Shah M: Dietary fat and obesity. 1992 Surgeon General's Report on Diet and Health.

9. Shah M, French S., Jeffery RW, McGovern P, Forster JL, Lando HA: Correlates of high calorie/fat foods in a worksite population: The Healthy Worker Project. Addictive Behaviors 1993;18:583-594.

10. Shah M, McGovern P, French S, Baxter J: Comparison of a low fat ad-libitum complex carbohydrate and a low energy diet in moderately obese women. Am J Clin Nutr 1994; 59:980-984.

11. Lehmann MH, Thomas A, Nabih M, Stainman RT, Fromm BS, Shah M, Norsted SW: Sudden death in recipients of first generation implantable cardioverter defibrillator: Analysis of terminal events. J Intervent Cardiol 1994; 7:487-503.

12. Shah M, McGovern M, Baxter J, Garg A: Nutrient and food intake in obese women on a low-fat or low-calorie diet. Am J Health Prom 1996; 10(3): 179-182.

13. Shah M, Garg A: High fat- and high-carbohydrate diets and energy balance. Diab Care 1996; 19(10): 1142-1152.

14. Shah M, Coyle Y, Kavanaugh A, Adams-Huet B, Lipsky P. Development and initial evaluation of a culturally sensitive cholesterol lowering diet program for Mexican- and African-American Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Care and Research 2000;13(4):205-212.

15. Shah M, Kavanaugh A, Coyle Y, Adams-Huet B, Lipsky P. The effect of a culturally sensitive cholesterol-lowering diet program on lipid and lipoproteins, body weight, nutrient intakes, and quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. (J. of Rhematology, In press (Oct 2002))

16. Shah M, Huet BA, Kavanaugh A, Coyle A, Lipsky P. The effect of a culturally sensitive cholesterol-lowering diet program on nutrients intakes and diet quality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (in preparation).

Abstracts and Seminars:

1. Geissler CA, Miller DS, Shah M. Lower daily metabolic rates in post-obese than in lean subjects. Proc Nutr Soc 1987;46(2):82A.

2. Shah M, Jeffery RW, Hannan PJ. Secular trends of obesity in the mid-western adult population from 1980 to 1987: The Minnesota Heart Health Program. North American Society for the Study of Obesity; Bethesda, Maryland, September 1989.

3. Hannan P, Shah M, Jeffery RW. Changes in distribution of Midwest overweightness. American Heart Association. Washington, D.C., 1989.

4. Lehmann MH, Thomas A, Jackson K, Stainman RT, Shah M, Schuger C, Meissner MD, Mosteller R: Long-term outcome with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy in an investigator-edited database of 876 patients. Am Heart Assoc; November 1990.

5. Lemmer JH Jr., Augelli NV, Bradley S, Drews TA, Shah M, Daniels K, Kienzle MG: Internal defibrillation energy requirements early following patch electrode implantation. Am Heart Assoc; November 1991.

6. Shah M, Garg A. High fat and high carbohydrate diets and energy balance: A review. UT Southwestern Medical Center, Endocrine Grand Rounds, April 1996.

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