Email Share
Close
E-mail It

NOTE: Recipients' Email Address currently accepts only 5 email addresses separated by commas.

Dariush Mozaffarian

Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology

Department of Epidemiology

655 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
dmozaffa@hsph.harvard.edu

Education

B.S., Stanford University (Biological Sciences)
M.D., Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons (Medicine)
M.P.H., University of Washington School of Public Health (Epidemiology)
Dr.P.H., Harvard School of Public Health (Epidemiology)  (cropped.jpg)
Residency, Internal Medicine, Stanford University
Fellowship, Health Services, Puget Sound VA Health Care System

Fellowship, Cardiovascular Medicine, U. of Washington

Research

Dr. Mozaffarian's research interests are the effects of behavior and lifestyle, particularly dietary habits, on primary risk and secondary prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Areas of specific interest include:

1. Effects of omega-3 and trans fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes, intermediary phenotypes, and metabolic and physiologic pathways. Current projects include a large NIH-funded study to evaluate relationships of plasma phospholipid fatty acid biomarkers with multiple intermediary CVD risk factors and disease outcomes; and OPERA, a large multinational RCT of fish oil for prevention of atrial fibrillation in the U.S., Italy, and Argentina.

2. Policy issues related to fat consumption in developed and developing nations. Projects include work on the American Heart Association Trans Fat Initiative; the Task Force on Trans Fat Free Americas, Pan American Health Organization; and the United Nations FAO / WHO Expert Consultation on Fats and Fatty Acids in Human Nutrition to develop global recommendations for consumption of fats and fatty acids.

3. Quantitative analyses of risks and benefits of fish consumption. Current projects include a large NIH-funded study to evaluate relationships and interactions between mercury exposure, selenium intake, fish consumption, and incidence of CHD and stroke in men and women.

4. Global cardiovascular health. Current projects include leadership of the Nutrition in Chronic Diseases Expert Group of the Gates Foundation / WHO Global Burden of Disease project, to define the worldwide burden of chronic diseases related to nutritional risk factors; the development of a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a polypill-polylifestyle intervention to reduce incidence of CVD and diabetes in developing/transitional nations; and collaboration on a Doris Duke planning grant to develop a comprehensive CVD prevention community-based intervention in Tanzania to reduce CVD risk and combat cardiometabolic consequences of the epidemiologic transition.

5. The combined impact of multiple dietary and other lifestyle behaviors on cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Current projects include the effects of clinical and lifestyle risk factors, including the Mediterranean diet, on incidence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose following myocardial infarction; and the combined effects of lifestyle risk factors on incidence of diabetes in older adults.

Publications

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications:

  1. Lemaitre RN, King IB, Mozaffarian D, Kuller LH, Tracy RP, Siscovick DS. n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, fatal ischemic heart disease, and nonfatal myocardial infarction in older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;77:319-25.
  2. Mozaffarian D, Lemaitre RN, Kuller LH, Burke GL, Tracy RP, Siscovick DS. Cardiac benefits of fish consumption may depend on the type of fish meal consumed: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Circulation 2003;107:1372-7.
  3. Mozaffarian D, Kumanyika SK, Lemaitre RN, Olson JL, Burke GL, Siscovick DS. Cereal, fruit, and vegetable fiber intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease in elderly individuals: the Cardiovascular Health Study. JAMA 2003;289:1659-66.
  4. Mozaffarian D, Nye RG, Levy WC. Anemia predicts mortality in severe heart failure: the Prospective Randomized Amlodipine Survival Evaluation. J Am Coll Cardiol 2003;41:1933-9.
  5. Mozaffarian D, Bryson CL, Spertus J, McDonell MB, Fihn SD. Age, race, education, and comorbidities do not influence relationships of anginal symptoms with mortality: the Ambulatory Care Quality Improvement Project. Am Heart J 2003;146:1015-22.
  6. Erkkilä AT, Lichtenstein AH, Mozaffarian D, Herrington DM. Fish intake is associated with a reduced progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80:626-32.
  7. Mozaffarian D, Pischon T, Hankinson SE, Rifai N, Joshipura K, Willett WC, Rimm EB. Dietary intake of trans-fatty acids and systemic inflammation in women. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:606-12.
  8. Mozaffarian D, Nye RG, Levy WC. Statin therapy is associated with lower mortality in severe heart failure. Am J Cardiology 2004;93:1124-9.
  9. Mozaffarian D, Psaty BM, Rimm EB, Lemaitre RN, Burke GL, Lyles MF, Lefkowitz D, Siscovick DS. Fish intake and risk of incident atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2004;110:368-73.
  10. Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB, Herrington DM. Dietary fats, carbohydrate, and progression of coronary atherosclerosis among postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80:1175-84.
  11. Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB, King IB, Lawler RL, McDonald GB, Levy WC. Trans fatty acids and systemic inflammation in heart failure. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80:1521-25.
  12. Ahmadi AJ, Saari JC, Mozaffarian D, Garwin GG, Tarbert KJ, Orcutt JC, Hargiss JL, Sires BS. Decreased Carotenoid Content in Preaponeurotic Orbital Fat of Patients With Involutional Ptosis. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2005;21:46-51.
  13. Huehnergarth K, Mozaffarian D, Sullivan MD, Crane BA, Wilkinson C, Lawler RL, McDonald GB, Fishbein DP, Levy WC. Usefulness of relative lymphocyte count as an independent predictor of death/urgent transplant in heart failure. Am J Cardiol. 2005;95:1492-5.
  14. Erkkilä AT, Herrington DM, Mozaffarian D, Lichtenstein AH. Cereal fiber and whole-grain intake are associated with reduced progression of coronary-artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease. Am Heart J. 2005;150:94-101.
  15. Mozaffarian D, Ascherio A, Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Siscovick DS, Rimm EB. Interplay between intermediate-chain n-3, long-chain n-3, and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease in men. Circulation. 2005;111:166-73.
  16. Mozaffarian D, Longstreth WT, Lemaitre RN, Manolio T, Kuller LH, Burke GL, Siscovick DS. Fish consumption and stroke risk in elderly individuals: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:200-6.
  17. Mozaffarian D, Bryson CL, Lemaitre CL, Burke GL, Siscovick DS. Fish intake and risk of incident heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005;45:2015-21.
  18. Mozaffarian D, Geelen A, Brouwer IA, Geleijnse JM, Zock PL, Katan MB. The effect of fish oil on heart rate in humans: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Circulation 2005; 112:1945-52.
  19. Mozaffarian D, Minami E, Letterer RA, Lawler RL, McDonald GB, Levy WC. The effects of atorvastatin (10 mg) on systemic inflammation in heart failure. Am J Cardiol. 2005;96:1699-704.
  20. Mozaffarian D. Electron-beam computed tomography coronary calcium – A useful test to screen for coronary heart disease? JAMA. 2005;294:2897-901.
  21. Ioannou GN, Weiss NS, Boyko EJ, Mozaffarian D, Lee SP. Elevated serum alanine aminotransferase activity and calculated risk of coronary heart disease in the United States. Hepatology. 2006;43:1145-51.
  22. Mozaffarian D, Gottdiener JS, Siscovick DS. Intake of tuna or other broiled or baked fish vs. fried fish and cardiac structure, function, and hemodynamics. Am J Cardiol. 2006;97:216-22.
  23. Levy WC, Mozaffarian D, Linker DT, Sutradhar SC, Anker SD, Cropp AB, Anand I, Maggioni A, Burton P, Sullivan MD, Pitt B, Poole-Wilson PA, Mann DL. The Seattle Heart Failure Model: Prediction of survival in heart failure. Circulation. 2006;113:1424-33.
  24. Mozaffarian D, Katan MB, Ascherio A, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. New Engl J Med. 2006;354:45-57.
  25. Mozaffarian D, Prineas RJ, Stein PK, Siscovick DS. Dietary fish and n-3 fatty acid intake and cardiac electrocardiographic parameters in humans. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:478-84.
  26. Lemaitre RN, King IB, Mozaffarian D, Sotoodehnia N, Rea TD, Kuller LH, Tracy RP, Siscovick DS. Plasma phospholipid trans fatty acids, fatal ischemic heart disease, and sudden cardiac death in older adults. The Cardiovascular Health Study. Circulation. 2006 Jul 18; in press.
  27. Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB. Fish intake, contaminants, and human health: Evaluating the risks and the benefits. JAMA. 2006;296:1885-99.
  28. Mozaffarian D, Abdollahi M, Campos H, HoushiarRad A, Willett WC. Consumption of trans fats and estimated effects on coronary heart disease in Iran. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007; Jan 31, Epub ahead of print.
  29. Mozaffarian D, Anker SD, Anand I, Linker DT, Sullivan MD, Cleland JGF, Carson PE, Maggioni AP, Mann DL, Pitt B, Poole-Wilson PA, Levy WC. Prediction of mode of death in heart failure: The Seattle Heart Failure Model. Circulation. 2007; in press.

Reviews, Letters, Editorials:

  1. Mozaffarian D. An elective in tropical medicine: Eldoret, Kenya. Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Med Soc 1997;60:27-31.
  2. Mozaffarian D. Unstable angina and non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes. Current Practice of Medicine 1999;2:2191-9.
  3. Mozaffarian D. Unstable Angina and Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction. In Gotto A (ed.): Diseasedex(tm) - General Medicine, December 18, 2002. Micromedex, Greenwood Village, Colorado. http://www.mdx.com/products/diseasedexgeneral/
  4. Siscovick DS, Lemaitre RN, Mozaffarian D. The Fish Story: a diet-heart hypothesis with clinical implications: n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, myocardial vulnerability, and sudden death. Circulation 2003;107:2632-4.
  5. Mozaffarian D, Fried LP, Burke GL, Fitzpatrick A, Siscovick DS. Lifestyles of older adults: Can we influence cardiovascular risk in older adults? Am J Geriatr Cardiol 2004;13:153-60.
  6. Mozaffarian D. Does alpha-linolenic acid intake reduce the risk of coronary heart disease? A review of the evidence. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005;11:24-30.
  7. Mozaffarian D, Longstreth WT, Lemaitre RN, Manolio T, Kuller LH, Burke GL, Siscovick DS. Fish consumption and stroke risk. Cardiol Rev. 2005;22:20-5.
  8. Mozaffarian D. Effects of dietary fats versus carbohydrates on coronary heart disease: A review of the evidence. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2005;7:435-45.
  9. Ding EL, Mozaffarian D. Optimal dietary habits for the prevention of stroke. Semin Neurol. 2006;26:11-23.
  10. Lemaitre RN, King IB, Mozaffarian D, Sootodehnia N, Siscovick DS. Trans-fatty acids and sudden cardiac death. Atheroscler Suppl. 2006;7:13-5
  11. Mozaffarian D. Trans fatty acids – Effects on systemic inflammation and endothelial function. Atheroscler Suppl. 2006;7:29-32.
  12. Mozaffarian D, Siscovick DS, Willett WC. Understanding the risks and benefits of fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake. BMJ 2006; March 28; published online at http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/332/7544/752.
  13. von Schacky C, Harris WS, Mozaffarian D, Kris-Etherton PM. ISSFAL Expert Panel - Response to Cochrane review of the risks and benefits of omega-3 fats for mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. ISSFAL Newsletter 2006;13(2):3-6. Available at: http://www.issfal.org.uk/HooperRebuttal.asp
  14. Mozaffarian D. Low-fat diet and cardiovascular disease. JAMA. 2006;296:279-80; author reply 280-1.
  15. Willett WC, Mozaffarian D. Trans fats in cardiac and diabetes risk: An overview. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Reports 2007;1:16-23.
  16. Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB. Risks and benefits of fish intake. JAMA. 2007;297:585-6; author reply.
  17. Mozaffarian D. JELIS, fish oil, and cardiac events. Lancet. 2007;369:1062-3.
  18. Mozaffarian D. Fish oil and prevention of atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007; in press.