Robert Lustig is an American paediatric endocrinologist, bestselling author and internationally recognised authority on obesity, nutrition, metabolism and public health. As Professor Emeritus of Paediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Robert has spent decades researching the relationship between diet, hormones and chronic disease. Widely regarded as one of the leading figures behind the global anti-sugar and real food movements, he is hired as a speaker for his evidence-based insights into nutrition, metabolic health, obesity prevention and the impact of modern food systems on human wellbeing.
Robert's academic journey began at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1976. He went on to receive his Doctor of Medicine from Cornell University Medical College in 1980 before completing a paediatric residency at St. Louis Children's Hospital in 1983. Following this, he undertook a clinical fellowship in paediatric endocrinology at UCSF and later spent six years at Rockefeller University as a post-doctoral fellow and research associate in neuroendocrinology. His specialist training laid the foundation for a career dedicated to understanding the hormonal and neurological factors driving obesity and metabolic disease.
Throughout his career, Robert held academic and clinical appointments at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital before joining UCSF. In 2001, he became a Professor at UCSF, where he specialised in neuroendocrinology and childhood obesity and served as Director of the WATCH (Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health) Programme. Alongside his research and teaching responsibilities, he became a leading advocate for public health reform, co-founding the Institute for Responsible Nutrition and contributing to numerous national and international initiatives focused on tackling obesity and improving nutrition policy. In 2013, he further expanded his expertise by completing a Master of Studies in Law at UC Hastings College of the Law.
Robert has authored more than 105 peer-reviewed scientific papers and 65 review articles, alongside several influential books, including Fat Chance, The Hacking of the American Mind, Metabolical and Fat Chance Cookbook. His landmark lecture, Sugar: The Bitter Truth, has attracted more than 25 million views worldwide and helped bring scientific discussions about sugar consumption into the mainstream. A former Chair of the Obesity Task Force of the Pediatric Endocrine Society and a member of numerous international health initiatives, Robert is hired as a speaker for his ability to translate complex science into practical strategies for improving health, well-being, and longevity.
