Dr. Carlos A. Monteiro, MD, PhD

Carlos A. Monteiro, MD, PhD, is a physician and public health nutrition epidemiologist affiliated with School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, specialising in ultra-processed food and public health nutrition. Dr. Carlos Monteiro holds the post of Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Public Health.

Particular areas of attention include ultra-processed food and chronic disease; the Nova food classification system; and dietary transition and obesity in low and middle income countries. Recognition for this work includes the William Philip T. James Award.

Physician researchers in nutrition hold a medical qualification and spend their careers generating evidence rather than, or as well as, treating individual patients. The research of Dr. Carlos Monteiro concerns ultra-processed food and public health nutrition.

Dr. Carlos Monteiro Specialty And Institution Summary

• Full Name And Credentials: Carlos A. Monteiro, MD, PhD
• Profession: Physician and public health nutrition epidemiologist
• Field Of Focus: Ultra-processed food and public health nutrition
• Current Position: Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Public Health
• Institution: School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo
• Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Sees Patients: No, this specialist works in research and education

Dr. Carlos Monteiro Degrees And Accreditation

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

• Medical Degree: Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, 1967 to 1972
• Postgraduate: Master’s degree in preventive medicine, 1977
• Doctorate: Doctorate in public health, 1979
• Fellowship: Postdoctoral research at Columbia University, 1979 to 1981

Fields Dr. Carlos Monteiro Works In

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Carlos Monteiro as centred on:

• Ultra-processed food and chronic disease
• The Nova food classification system
• Dietary transition and obesity in low and middle income countries
• Food systems and nutrition policy
• Traditional dietary patterns

Positions, Editorial And Advisory Roles Of Dr. Carlos Monteiro

• Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Public Health, School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, where he was appointed full professor in 1989
• Founder of the University of Sao Paulo Centre for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, which he coordinated from 1990 to 2023
• Coined the term ultra-processed food in 2009 and led the team that developed the Nova food classification system, now used in hundreds of studies worldwide
• Member of the World Health Organization Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group on Diet and Health from 2010 to 2023
• Has advised the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization
• Worked in the nutrition department of the World Health Organization in Geneva from 1990 to 1992, and was a visiting professor at the universities of Bonn and Geneva
• Lead author of a Lancet series on ultra-processed food and health

Dr. Carlos Monteiro Research Output And Awards

• William Philip T. James Award, World Obesity Federation, presented at the International Congress on Obesity in 2024 for outstanding contributions to obesity prevention and surveillance
• Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences since 2008 and full member of the Academy of Sciences of the State of Sao Paulo since 2012
• Named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher
• Named by The Washington Post among 50 people expected to shape society in 2025
• Author or co-author of more than 260 indexed articles with an h-index above 70
• Profiled by The Lancet as a pioneer of research on ultra-processed foods

Dr. Carlos Monteiro Appointments By Location

School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo, Brazil. 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.

About Ultra Processed Food Research As A Field

Food policy and public health nutrition look beyond the individual plate to the system that fills it: how food is produced, priced, marketed, labelled and regulated. Work in this area has shaped front of pack labels, restrictions on marketing to children, reformulation targets and school food standards. It also studies the rising share of diets made up of ultra processed products, and what that displacement of traditional foods means for health.

More Specialists In Ultra Processed Food Research

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

• Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, food as medicine and nutrition policy at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and Tufts Medical Center
• Dr. Marion Nestle, food policy and nutrition politics at New York University Steinhardt School
• Dr. Frank Hu, nutritional epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School
• Dr. Junshi Chen, nutrition and food safety science at China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment

Browse the full dietitian and nutritionist directory for more specialists.

Enquiries And Professional Contact For Dr. Carlos Monteiro

This specialist does not offer individual consultations. Dr. Carlos Monteiro works in research, teaching and public health nutrition. Dr. Carlos Monteiro is a medically trained epidemiologist whose career has been in population nutrition research and food policy. Research, teaching and media enquiries go to School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo 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.

Your Questions About Dr. Carlos Monteiro

Does Dr. Carlos Monteiro see patients?

No. Dr. Carlos Monteiro works in research, teaching and public health rather than individual consultations, and does not offer private appointments. For one to one dietary advice, see a registered dietitian or nutritionist licensed in your own country.

What did Dr. Carlos Monteiro study?

Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, 1967 to 1972. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Carlos Monteiro?

Carlos A. Monteiro, MD, PhD. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Carlos Monteiro hold?

Dr. Carlos Monteiro is Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Public Health, based at School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo.

What is Ultra Processed Food Research?

Ultra Processed Food Research is the area of nutrition science concerned with ultra-processed food and public health nutrition. Specialists working in it, including Dr. Carlos Monteiro, study how diet relates to health and translate those findings into guidance.

Has Dr. Carlos Monteiro received professional recognition?

Yes. William Philip T. James Award, World Obesity Federation, presented at the International Congress on Obesity in 2024 for outstanding contributions to obesity prevention and surveillance. Further awards and distinctions are listed above.

Sources Used For This Profile Of Dr. Carlos Monteiro

• World Health Organization biography
• World Obesity Federation award announcement
• University of Sao Paulo School of Public Health

Review Status Of This Dr. Carlos Monteiro Profile

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.

Notice To Readers Of The Dr. Carlos Monteiro 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.