Dr. Klaas Westerterp is a distinguished authority in human metabolic physiology and energetics research with an internationally recognized career spanning several decades. He currently holds the position of Professor of Human Energetics at Maastricht University Medical Center where he has established himself as a pivotal figure in nutritional science and metabolic research. Affiliated with NUTRIM, the School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, his scholarly journey has been centered at Maastricht University, cultivating a world-class research program examining human energy balance. Dr. Westerterp's institutional leadership has positioned Maastricht as a premier global destination for cutting-edge metabolic research and clinical applications.
Dr. Westerterp's pioneering research on total energy expenditure has fundamentally reshaped scientific understanding of human metabolism, with his meticulous studies establishing gold standard methodologies for measuring physical activity and energy balance in free-living individuals. His development and refinement of the doubly labeled water technique for assessing energy expenditure has become the benchmark methodology adopted by researchers worldwide, generating over 51,520 citations according to Google Scholar. His systematic investigations into the relationship between physical activity and body weight regulation have challenged conventional wisdom and provided evidence-based insights that inform public health recommendations globally. The practical applications of his work extend to clinical interventions for obesity and metabolic disorders, influencing treatment protocols across multiple healthcare systems through his extensive publication record in leading scientific journals.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Westerterp has been instrumental in mentoring generations of scientists and building collaborative research networks across Europe and internationally. He has served in editorial capacities for major journals in nutrition and metabolism, helping to shape scientific discourse through rigorous peer review standards while advancing methodological approaches in the field. His current research continues to explore the complex interplay between energy expenditure, physical activity patterns and metabolic health in diverse populations, with particular focus on precision approaches to metabolic assessment. Dr. Westerterp remains actively engaged in translating basic research findings into practical applications for public health policy and clinical practice, ensuring his decades of systematic inquiry continue to inform innovative approaches to managing obesity and related metabolic conditions worldwide.
