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Jo-Anne M. Rizzotto, M.Ed, R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E.
Jo-Anne Rizzotto, MEd, RDN, LDN, CDCES, is Director of Educational Services at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. She is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator with over 25 years of clinical, research, management and industry experience and is a key member of the clinic leadership team. Jo-Anne is co-chair and an active member of the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators Exam Board. Jo-Anne has a proven track record of managing many facets of quality assurance and improvement with documented outcomes including advancing the use of technologies in the clinic for the management of diabetes. Jo-Anne establishes, directs and manages all aspects of diabetes education programs including overall direction, content, design, delivery, budgeting and staff management. She ensures all programs and staff delivering education meet the highest quality standards and do so with the highest level of efficiency and effectiveness. Jo-Anne participates in and has been the co-principle investigator in numerous clinical research studies. Jo-Anne chairs and participates in a variety of high level selection committees, clinical guideline committees, publication review committees and academic promotion committees. She also chairs the quality committee with the General Counsel at the Joslin in addition to the Clinic policy and procedure committee.
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Q:
I have been reading about conjugated linoleic acid and its benefits. It seems that the results are good in animals, but as far as I've found, no substantiated positive tests in humans. Have you heard otherwise?
A:
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid found naturally in meat, poultry, eggs and dairy foods. Supplements of CLA, which contain much more CLA than food sources, are currently sold as a fat burner for weight loss and are derived from sunflower oil. There is some evidence, although limited, that conjugated linoleic acid supplements can increase fat loss in overweight people. It's not clear how CLA helps the body burn fat. One study found that CLA may help the body burn and lose fat by increasing energy expenditure. The consensus from 17 published studies in human subjects is that CLA does not affect body weight or body composition. In addition, CLA may adversely affect blood glucose and blood lipid levels; safety and toxicity levels haven't yet been established. Until more is known, CLA supplementation in people should be considered with caution. Check with your health care professional before taking a CLA supplement.
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