Arne Vernon Astrup (born August 1, in Frederiksberg, 1955) is a Danish nutritionist, chief physician, researcher, author and professor. He is known as a researcher, communicator and author and has published more than 900 scientific articles.[1] In 2018 he was internationally recognised as one of the world's most cited researchers.[2] Arne Astrup has contributed to the identification of GLP-1 as a satiety hormone,[3] which has played a key role in the development of GLP-1 drugs for the treatment of obesity,[4] which has contributed to the success of Novo Nordisk A/S and their drug Wegovy.[5]
From 1990 to 2020 was head of the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. In the fall of 2016, the department was ranked by the internationally recognised Shanghai Ranking as the world's leading research environment in its field.[6]
Arne Astrup has achieved national and international recognition since the 1990s. He is known for being one of the most cited researchers in the world[8]. His work in the intersection between industry and academia has resulted in several controversies[9] that have made his name publicly known in the wider Danish population.[10]
Recognitions
Public attention: In the 1990s, Arne Astrup gained public attention due to his new methods for measuring appetite and energy intake.
Chairman of the National Nutrition Council: From 1993 to 2001, he was the chairman of the National Nutrition Council (replaced by the Council for Physical Activity and Nutrition in 2005) and contributed to the ban on industrially produced trans fats in Denmark in 2004.[8]
Academically active for 30 years: During an academic career spanning 30 years, Arne Astrup has primarily focused on research in appetite regulation, treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other conditions where nutrition and physical activity are significant.
GLP-1 as a satiety hormone: In 1996, together with Jens Juul Holst, he identified GLP-1 as a satiety hormone, leading to a patent that helped Novo Nordisk A/S develop GLP-1 analogs for severe obesity.[8]
World Obesity Federation: Astrup was president of the World Obesity Federation for four years (formerly The International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO)).[8][2]
OPUS Centre: Director of the OPUS Centre ("New Nordic Everyday Food") supported by the Nordea Foundation with DKK 100 million (2009–2014).
Obesity Reviews: Arne Astrup was the founding editor-in-chief of the English journal Obesity Reviews (from 1999 to 2010).[5][8]
Shanghai Rankings: Under his leadership, the Department of Sports and Nutrition at the University of Copenhagen was recognised as the world's leading institution in sports research by the Shanghai Ranking in 2018.[8]
900+ scientific articles: He has published more than 900 peer-reviewed scientific articles and over 1000 other academic texts, including abstracts, textbook chapters, and scientific letters.[4][5]
Among the world's most cited: Arne Astrup is internationally recognised as one of the world's most cited researchers. In 2018 Clarivate’s (Web of Science) named him among the most cited researchers in the world.[8]
Arne Astrup has a background in nutrition research, where he has worked with both experimental physiological and biochemical research as well as clinical treatment trials with subjects and patients. His scientific work has contributed to the understanding of human appetite regulation and energy metabolism, which has led to insights into adipose tissue deposition and body weight.[11][5]
GLP-1 as a satiety hormone in humans
In collaboration with Professor Jens Juul Holst, he discovered that GLP-1 acts as a satiety hormone in humans.[3][5] This discovery has played a key role in the development of GLP-1 drugs for the treatment of obesity, which has contributed to the success of Novo Nordisk A/S and their drug Wegovy.
Throughout his career, Astrup has also been a dedicated supervisor for 42 PhD students[5] and has contributed to research through an interdisciplinary perspective since his student days.
Activity
Despite being a department head for decades and hence not expected to be actively researching, Arne Astrup has published more than 900 scientific publications, as well as a number of scientific and popular science books throughout his career. As a result, in 2010 he was ranked number 5 in the international ranking of the world's most productive researchers in the field of overweight and obesity by ISIS Reuters. He is also a frequent contributor to leading medical journals such as The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Professionally, he is a trendsetter, which is why in 2018 he was included in Clarivate's exclusive list of the most cited researchers in the world.[5][7] A list that only 32 other researchers at the University of Copenhagen have made. He has also written columns and letters to the editor in Ekstra Bladet, 24 Timer and Ude og Hjemme, among others. He has received numerous honors for his research and was appointed Knight of Dannebrog in 1991 and Knight of the Order of Dannebrog 1st degree in 2012.
Through his work as head of the Department of Human Nutrition (and since 2012 the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports), Arne Astrup has had a significant influence on the development of the field of nutrition, including being the initiator of establishing the Master's programs in Human Nutrition, as well as Clinical Nutrition at the Danish Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (since 2007 part of the University of Copenhagen).
Arne Astrup is behind the EU diet project “Diogenes”,[12] supported by the EU Framework Program with 15 million euros, which showed that a diet with more protein and fewer carbohydrates could promote weight control in overweight people after weight loss. Together with Master of Science in Human Nutrition Christian Bitz, he has disseminated the principles of Diogenes in the book “The World's Best Diet”, which has sold over 100,000 copies and has been translated into 4 languages.
Criticism and Controversies
Astrup has faced criticism for combining his research responsibilities with personal economic interests on several occasions. For instance, he held a dual role with the company Neurosearch, acting as an advisor and owning stocks while publicly endorsing the company’s diet pill in his column, "Doktor Slank" ("Doctor Skinny").[13] This raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Following the negative publicity, Astrup sold his shares in Neurosearch, which were valued at approximately DKK 200,000.[13] He maintains that he was able to keep his professional and personal interests separate.
A person who divided the public
In public, Arne Astrup has been controversial over the years, and as a public figure he shares the waters. Some view Arne Astrup positively and value his scientific merits and popular impact in translating complex science into easily understandable messages. Others were critical and saw him as untrustworthy, partly on the grounds that he collaborated closely with industry, and that his scientifically based messages have often been so closely aligned with the interests of those who funded his research that he could be bought to say anything.
Career after academia
After eight years (2012-2020) as the head of the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen, Arne Astrup left the position on July 1, 2020 as he was appointed Senior Vice President and Head of the Obesity and Nutritional Sciences department at the Novo Nordisk Foundation where he has been responsible for leading a national initiative, which aims to prevent obesity and poor well-being in children[14]. Arne Astrup is a member of the Foundation's Executive Leadership Team.
Awards and Honours
Arne Astrup has received a number of Danish and international awards throughout his career, including:
Year
Award
1990
Danish Obesity Research Award
1990
Servier’s Award for Outstanding Obesity Research[15][16]
