Tim Spector

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Tim Spector
OBE FMedSci
BornJuly 1958 (age 67–68)
Alma materSt Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Occupations
  • Professor of genetic epidemiology
  • science writer
  • co-founder of Zoe Ltd[1]

Timothy David Spector OBE FMedSci (born 1958) is a British epidemiologist, medical doctor, and science writer, working on the relationship between nutrition, the gut microbiome, and health. He argues against low-fat diets and fad diets,[2][3] and instead advocates for a Mediterranean-style diet that is heavily plant-based, high in fibre, limits ultra-processed foods, and includes a diversity of plants.[4][5][2]

Biography

[edit | edit source]

Spector was born in North London[6] in July 1958.[7] His mother was an Australian physiotherapist and competitive swimmer; his father was Walter Graham Spector (1924–1982), a pathologist.

After being privately educated at University College School, London, Spector trained in medicine at St Bartholomew's hospital medical school.

He rose to the position of consultant rheumatologist, before turning to genetic epidemiology, the study of genetic factors in health and disease, in 1992.[6]

Spector is professor of genetic epidemiology and director of the TwinsUK registry at King's College London.[8] He is a specialist in twin studies, genetics, epigenetics, and microbiome and diet.[9][10]

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to the Covid-19 response.[11] He was also appointed Senior Investigator at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).[12]

Twin studies

[edit | edit source]

Spector's team at King's College have, since 1992, enrolled 15,000 sets of identical twins in the TwinsUK studies, leading to many studies on the heritability of diseases and disorders. Spector states the goal is "to understand nature versus nurture".[6]

The Diet Myth

[edit | edit source]

Spector's book The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat was published in 2015.[13] The book explains how gut microbiotas may interact with different dietary habits and how the gut microbiome can determine health and longevity.[14][15][16][17] It received positive reviews in science journals.[16][18] Spector argues for a diet that increases gut microbe diversity. To do this he recommends increasing fibre content, avoiding junk food and ultra-processed foods, and experimenting with different fresh foods.[2][5]

Spoon Fed

[edit | edit source]

In his book Spoon Fed (2020), Spector discusses how microbes may affect mental health.[19]

COVID Symptom Study

[edit | edit source]
Main article: COVID Symptom Study

In March 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, Spector made use of twins already taking part in a genetic study to begin an investigation of COVID-19 symptoms. Working with researchers at King's College, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, an app used by twins to record nutrition was used as the basis for the COVID Symptom Study app to allow members of the public to make a daily record of their symptoms and state of health.[20] By July 2020 the app had more than 4 million users,[21] and the next month the project received grant funding from the Department of Health and Social Care.[22] Development and operation of the app involves Zoe Global Limited (now Zoe Limited), a nutrition advice company co-founded by Spector in 2017.[20][23]

Spector became the public face of the study, releasing periodic summaries via YouTube from June 2020 onwards.[24]

Selected publications

[edit | edit source]
logo
Scholia has a profile for [[:toolforge:scholia/Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 2822: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).|Tim Spector (Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 2822: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).)]].
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).[25]
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).[26]
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ "Advice against eating fat was wrong. It is time the experts admitted it". Spectator Health. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ a b "From 30 vegetables a week to faecal transplants: Keeping your gut microbiome happy is the key to healthy eating". The Independent. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ "The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  14. ^ "Magical microbes – how to feed your gut". The Guardian. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  15. ^ "'The Diet Myth,' 'The Good Gut' and 'The Hidden Half of Nature'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  16. ^ a b Handysides, Stuart. (2016). Books: The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat. British Journal of General Practice 66 (648): 378–379.
  17. ^ "Tim Spector: Go with your gut". British Medical Journal. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  18. ^ Craig, Jeffrey M. (2016). Myths Microbes and Manipulation—Sensible Advice From the Diet Inspector: A Review of The Diet Myth by Tim Spector. Twin Research and Human Genetics 19 (4): 404-405.
  19. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  20. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  21. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  22. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  23. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  24. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  26. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]
  • Official website
  • Tim Spector publications indexed by Google Scholar
  • Tim Spector on TwitterLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 153: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Tim_Spector&oldid=10383966"