Romy Conzade

Research Interest

The objective of my PhD research is to examine the impact of low micronutrient status on the risk for muscle wasting and mortality in older people. The focus is on vitamin D, folic acid, vitamin B12 and iron. Specific aims are:

1. to determine the prevalence and determinants of low micronutrient status in seniors aged 65 or more of the KORA-Age study,
2. to investigate consequences of vitamin and mineral supplement intake on micronutrient status, and
3. to analyze the potential cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between micronutrient deficiencies and sarcopenia, defined as the decline of muscle mass and strength associated with increasing age.

Supervisors

Prof. Dr. Barbara Thorand
Prof. Dr. Eva Grill
Prof. Dr. med. Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, DrPH

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

2016-presentPhD candidate in Medical Research: Epidemiology & Public Health, LMU Munich, Germany
Doctoral fellowship: Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
2012-2014 Master of Science in Food Science, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Major in Food Quality and Safety, Minor in Public Health Nutrition
2013-2014 Visiting Graduate Student, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
Master thesis on iron overload disease prevention
2008-2012 Bachelor of Science in Food Science, ETH Zürich, Switzerland

WORK EXPERIENCE

2014-2016Consultant, Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses
World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland
2014 Intern, Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses
World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland

 Publications

Conzade, R.; Koenig, W.; Heier, M.; Schneider, A.; Grill, E.; Peters, A.; Thorand, B. Prevalence and Predictors of Subclinical Micronutrient Deficiency in German Older Adults: Results from the Population-Based KORA-Age Study. Nutrients 2017, 9, 1276.