Researcher Profile Detail
Dr. Ken Stark
BSc (Toronto), MSc (Guelph), PhD (Guelph), Post Doc (NIH)
Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo
Director, Laboratory of Nutraceutical & Nutritional Research, University of Waterloo
Research Scientist, Gender & Sex Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease, Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement Team
Research Scientist, Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging
BIOGRAPHY
The use of food for healthy aging has the potential to optimize health in an aging population. Dr. Ken Stark's research interests are focused on enhancing nutrients in the diets of the elderly to reduce the burden of chronic disease, while remaining sensitive to the mealtime environment. Specifically, his research is examining strategies to increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in aging populations, which may prevent several age-related morbidities, including cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and macular degeneration.
Dr. Stark's research can be divided into three major themes:
- The development of high throughput methods for fatty acid research and clinical assessment.
- The metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly the impact of gender on DHA.
- Dietary strategies to increase the intakes of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the impact of dietary interventions on health.
KEY PUBLICATIONS
Fratesi, J.A., Hogg, R.C., Young-Newton, G.S., Patterson, A.C., Charkhzarin, P., Thomas, K.B., Sharratt, M.T., and Stark, K.D. Direct quantification of omega-3 fatty acid intake of Canadian residents of a long-term care facility. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. 2009, 34, 1-9.
Kitson, A.P., Patterson, A.C., Izadi, H. and Stark, K.D. Pan-frying salmon in an eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enriched margarine prevents EPA and DHA loss. Food Chemistry, 2009, 114, 927-932.
Patterson, A.C. and Stark, K.D. Direct determinations of the fatty acid composition of daily dietary intakes incorporating nutraceuticals and functional food strategies to increase n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2008 Oct, 27(5), 538-546.
Stark, K.D. Analytical implications of routine clinical testing for omega-3 fatty acid biomarkers. Lipid Technology, 2008, 20, 177-179.
Armstrong, J.M., Metherel, A.H., and Stark, K.D. Direct microwave transesterification of fingertip prick blood samples for fatty acid determinations. Lipids, 2008, 43, 187-196.
Stark, K.D. The percentage of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) in total HUFA as a biomarker for omega-3 fatty acid status. Lipids, 2008, 43, 45-53.
CONTACT INFORMATION
| Email: | kstark@uwaterloo.ca |
| Phone: | 519.888.4567 ext. 37738 |
| Address: | Department of Kinesiology |