Dr. Mona Keshtkaran

Mona has developed her skills and gained years of experience to become an expert on various aspects of body composition, clinical nutrition and metabolism. Assessment of human body composition is a central component in the assessment of nutritional status. 

​There is increasing recognition of the need to measure body composition in patients. First, the rising prevalence of obesity in patients is concerning and has increased the request for measuring fat mass in pediatric and adults population. Second, body composition can be used as a marker of nutritional status and well-being, and monitoring changes in body composition of patients indicates whether nutritional state is declining or improving. Third, measurement of body composition is essential for optimum clinical care during hospitalization because, the size of the Fat Free Mass is an important index of energy and fluid requirements.

Mona received her doctorate degree from University of Southampton, England. Her PhD focused on growth and body composition in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The center of her studies was to apply a nutritional lens to study the way diseases alter the demand for energy and nutrients in under-nourished patients. Furthermore, her research looked into how standardized approaches to organizing and delivering nutritional care can manage the underlying disease processes, meet the nutritional demands of the patient and lead to better growth, development and longer-term outcomes.