Sander Kersten, Ph.D. is the director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences and the Schleifer Family Professor at Cornell University. Dr. Kersten received his MSc degree in Human Nutrition from Wageningen University , Netherlands in 1993, and his Ph.D. degree in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cornell University in 1997. After a postdoctoral stay in the laboratory of Dr. Walter Wahli at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, he moved back to Wageningen University in 2000 with a career development grant from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was appointed to Associate Professor in 2006 and Full Professor in 2011. In 2014 he became Chair of the Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics group and in 2019 Chairman of the Division of Human Nutrition and Health at Wageningen University. In January 2024, he moved back to Ithaca as the director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences.
Nutrition for
Metabolic HealthCornell Certificate Program
Overview and Courses
Metabolic health is a global priority, with significant variation across regions influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. In this certificate program, you’ll have the opportunity to explore how modern environments — shaped by cultural, economic, and societal factors — contribute to rising rates of metabolic disorders.
Throughout the courses, you will gain insight into the interplay between genetics (nature) and environment (nurture), which is essential for addressing the root causes of poor metabolic health. Whether you’re a health professional or simply interested in enhancing personal wellness, you’ll have the opportunity to examine dietary choices that can help prevent or manage conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, learning about strategies to reduce these risks and exploring approaches to improve overall metabolic function.
This program emphasizes an individual-based approach to metabolic health research, offering you the chance to explore metabolic-friendly diets, evaluate the effectiveness of diet versus exercise, and discover effective health management tools to drive lifestyle changes. By the conclusion of the program, you’ll be well equipped with a deeper understanding of how precision nutrition can be used to tailor improvements for personal wellness and on your way to helping yourself and others live a healthier life.
The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.
Course list
Health is an intricate and multi-dimensional concept that encompasses more than just the absence of illness. It involves physical, mental, and social well-being, and it varies in definition across cultures and medical disciplines. Metabolism, on the other hand, refers to the biochemical processes that occur within living organisms to maintain life. In this course, you will examine metabolism and its role in energy balance, homeostasis, and the body's response to dietary intake and physical activity. You will discover metabolism's significance to an individual's overall health.
You will explore how metabolic health specifically addresses the body's efficiency in managing metabolic processes and coping with stressors such as diet, exercise, and sleep. You will also consider how the absence of conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, and hypertension can be indicators of metabolic health.
- Mar 5, 2025
- May 28, 2025
- Aug 20, 2025
- Nov 12, 2025
Rising obesity rates have sparked a debate about the role of environmental factors versus genetic factors in obesity. In this course, you will examine both types of factors and discover why the environment, encompassing everything from cultural and economic influences to government policies, is believed to significantly contribute to the increase in obesity rates.
You will also identify how genetic factors play a crucial role and why they make it so difficult for some to meet a goal weight. Why are some individuals more prone to obesity while others remain lean? You will examine reasons based on science and how these reasons may determine the best approach to weight management. There are multiple ways to combat obesity, and you will assess whether a collective approach or an individual approach is most effective in achieving overall metabolic health.
You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Foundations of Metabolic Health
- Mar 19, 2025
- Jun 11, 2025
- Sep 3, 2025
- Nov 26, 2025
To improve metabolic health, it is critical to reduce excess body fat. In this course, you will examine what's needed for sustained fat loss. Which is more effective: diet or exercise? You will explore the answer to that question and gain skills that will help you design a diet based on the scientific evidence.
Since losing weight is not the only indicator of good health, you will identify how dietary choices can improve overall health, even when weight loss is not the main goal. Advances in nutrition research point to new ways to achieve metabolic health, and you will discover how the innovation of precision nutrition could prove to be the most effective approach.
You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Foundations of Metabolic Health
- Assessing the Effects of Obesity
- Apr 2, 2025
- Jun 25, 2025
- Sep 17, 2025
- Dec 10, 2025
How It Works
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Faculty Author
Key Course Takeaways
- Gain actionable nutritional recommendations to improve metabolic health through discussion of the underlying science
- Develop an understanding of the four key components of metabolic health and the five ways to best measure it
- Draw a correlation between obesity and the numerous negative health conditions caused by it
- Examine the collective vs. individual approach to combating obesity and consider what role, if any, the government should play
- Discover the latest research findings on the innovative concept of precision nutrition
What You'll Earn
- Nutrition for Metabolic Health Certificate from Cornell’s College of Human Ecology
- 48 Professional Development Hours (4.8 CEUs)
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Who Should Enroll
- Dietitians
- Nutritionists
- Community and public health workers
- Health educators, coaches, and holistic providers
- Wellness coordinators, consultants, and nutrition program managers
- Sports medical professionals, including physical and occupational therapists, fitness trainers, and managers
- Social media influencers
- Science writers
- Anyone interested in personal wellness and living a healthier life
Request Information Now by completing the form below.
Nutrition for Metabolic Health
| Select Payment Method | Cost |
|---|---|
| $2,750 | |