Dr. Christopher D. Gardner, PhD

Christopher D. Gardner, PhD, is a nutrition scientist and clinical trialist at Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California, where the focus of his work is randomised nutrition trials, dietary patterns and food systems. The current appointment of Dr. Christopher Gardner is Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine and Director of Nutrition Studies.

Particular areas of attention include randomised controlled trials of dietary patterns and weight loss; plant based and vegetarian diets; and diet, inflammation and the gut microbiome.

Nutrition scientists design and run the studies that establish how food affects health, from laboratory work on single nutrients to trials and cohorts involving thousands of people. The work of Dr. Christopher Gardner sits in randomised nutrition trials, dietary patterns and food systems.

Dr. Christopher Gardner Profile Summary

• Full Name And Credentials: Christopher D. Gardner, PhD
• Profession: Nutrition scientist and clinical trialist
• Field Of Focus: Randomised nutrition trials, dietary patterns and food systems
• Current Position: Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine and Director of Nutrition Studies
• Institution: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine
• Location: Stanford, California
• Sees Patients: No, this specialist works in research and education

Dr. Christopher Gardner Education And Professional Qualifications

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Undergraduate: BA in philosophy, Colgate University, 1981
• Graduate Degree: MA in nutrition science, University of California, Berkeley
• Doctorate: PhD in nutrition science, University of California, Berkeley, 1993
• Fellowship: Postdoctoral fellowship in cardiovascular disease epidemiology, Stanford University

What Dr. Christopher Gardner Specialises In

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Christopher Gardner as centred on:

• Randomised controlled trials of dietary patterns and weight loss
• Plant based and vegetarian diets
• Diet, inflammation and the gut microbiome
• Food systems change in schools, hospitals and worksites
• Motivating dietary change beyond health messaging

Professional Roles And Advisory Work Of Dr. Christopher Gardner

• Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine, Stanford University, appointed 2017
• Director, Nutrition Studies Group, Stanford Prevention Research Center
• Director, Stanford Prevention Research Center Postdoctoral Research Fellow Training Program
• Co-founder of the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, a network of about 70 universities using dining halls as research settings
• Teaches Human Nutrition, Food and Society, and Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems at Stanford
• Principal investigator on NIH funded randomised dietary trials including the A TO Z and DIETFITS studies

Professional Recognition Of Dr. Christopher Gardner

• Appointed to an endowed Stanford professorship supporting disease prevention research
• Led the first independent long-term head to head trial of raw garlic and garlic supplements
• Published a widely reported twin study comparing vegan and omnivorous diets in 2023
• More than three decades of federally funded randomised nutrition trials

Location Details For Dr. Christopher Gardner

Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine

Stanford, California. This is an academic and research base rather than a patient clinic. Enquiries about research, teaching or media are handled by the institution rather than by this directory.

Randomised Nutrition Trials Explained

Randomised nutrition trials test a dietary pattern by assigning people at random to one approach or another, which removes much of the bias that affects observational studies. They are difficult to run well, because people cannot be blinded to what they are eating and few trials can continue for decades. Done carefully, they settle questions that survey data cannot, and they have repeatedly shown that the quality of a diet matters more than the ratio of fat to carbohydrate on its own.

Specialists To Compare With Dr. Christopher Gardner

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of nutrition:

• Dr. David Katz, lifestyle and preventive medicine at True Health Initiative and Tangelo
• Dr. Joel Fuhrman, nutritional medicine at Private family medicine practice in New Jersey and the Eat To Live Retreat
• Dr. Michael Greger, plant based nutrition at NutritionFacts.org
• Dr. Neal Barnard, plant based nutrition at George Washington University School of Medicine and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Browse the full dietitian and nutritionist directory for more specialists.

Collaboration And Enquiry Details For Dr. Christopher Gardner

This specialist does not offer individual consultations. Dr. Christopher Gardner works in research, teaching and public health nutrition. Research, teaching and media enquiries go to Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine directly. For personal dietary advice, see a dietitian or nutritionist registered in your own country, or use the enquiry button on this page and we will point you towards a practising specialist in the directory.

What People Ask About Dr. Christopher Gardner

What are the qualifications of Dr. Christopher Gardner?

Christopher D. Gardner, PhD. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Christopher Gardner hold?

Dr. Christopher Gardner is Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine and Director of Nutrition Studies, based at Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine.

What is Randomised Nutrition Trials?

Randomised Nutrition Trials is the area of nutrition science concerned with randomised nutrition trials, dietary patterns and food systems. Specialists working in it, including Dr. Christopher Gardner, study how diet relates to health and translate those findings into guidance.

Has Dr. Christopher Gardner received professional recognition?

Yes. Appointed to an endowed Stanford professorship supporting disease prevention research. Further awards and distinctions are listed above.

Does Dr. Christopher Gardner hold leadership roles in the field?

Yes. Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine, Stanford University, appointed 2017. A fuller list of appointments appears above.

Can I rely on dietary advice published by Dr. Christopher Gardner?

Published work by Dr. Christopher Gardner is peer reviewed and sourced, and is a reasonable guide to the evidence. It is not personal medical advice. Anyone who is pregnant, taking medication for blood sugar or blood pressure, or living with kidney, liver or digestive disease should get individual advice before changing their diet.

References Supporting This Dr. Christopher Gardner Profile

• Stanford Medicine faculty profile
• Stanford Prevention Research Center
• Menus of Change University Research Collaborative

Editorial Standards For This Dr. Christopher Gardner Listing

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Reader Notice For This Randomised Nutrition Trials Profile

Information only, not medical or dietary advice, and not a listing for appointments. For individual guidance, see a registered dietitian or your own doctor.