Dr. Rena R. Wing, PhD

Rena R. Wing, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and obesity researcher whose base is Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island and whose field is behavioural treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. She serves as Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center.

The research and professional emphasis of Dr. Rena Wing falls on long-term maintenance of weight loss, intensive lifestyle intervention in type 2 diabetes and behavioural strategies for weight control. She is a recipient of the Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal of Honor.

Behavioural scientists study why dietary change is so hard to sustain and what actually helps, which is a different question from what people should eat. The work of Dr. Rena Wing concerns behavioural treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Rena Wing At A Glance

• Full Name And Credentials: Rena R. Wing, PhD
• Profession: Clinical psychologist and obesity researcher
• Field Of Focus: Behavioural treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes
• Current Position: Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center
• Institution: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital
• Location: Providence, Rhode Island
• Sees Patients: No, this specialist works in research and education

How Dr. Rena Wing Trained

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

• Doctorate: PhD, with graduate training in psychology
• Academic Appointment: Joined the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in 1998 and founded its weight control research programme

Where Dr. Rena Wing Concentrates Professionally

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Rena Wing as centred on:

• Long-term maintenance of weight loss
• Intensive lifestyle intervention in type 2 diabetes
• Behavioural strategies for weight control
• Weight loss and cardiovascular outcomes
• Technology supported weight maintenance programmes

What Dr. Rena Wing Leads

• Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
• Director, Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at The Miriam Hospital, which she founded in 1998
• Chair of the Look AHEAD trial, a 16 centre randomised study of 5,145 adults with type 2 diabetes, which she led for more than 20 years
• Developer of the lifestyle intervention used in the Diabetes Prevention Program
• Co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry with colleagues at the University of Colorado
• Former member of the council of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and its Task Force on the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity

Dr. Rena Wing Honours And Scholarly Impact

• Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal of Honor, Brown University, 2024, the highest honour the Brown faculty can bestow and awarded only about 35 times since 1919
• Robert S. Gordon Jr. Lecture in Epidemiology, National Institutes of Health, 2022
• Author of more than 200 peer-reviewed articles on obesity and diabetes
• Mentor to many researchers who now lead national behavioural obesity programmes

Working Setting For Dr. Rena Wing

Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital

Providence, Rhode Island. 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.

A Reader Guide To Behavioural Weight Management

Modern obesity science treats excess weight as a condition driven by biology, environment and behaviour rather than a simple failure of willpower. Appetite is regulated by hormones and brain circuits that defend body weight, which is why weight regained after dieting is the rule rather than the exception. Current care combines realistic dietary change, behavioural support, activity and, where appropriate, medication or surgery. Reducing the stigma attached to weight is treated as part of effective treatment, not a courtesy.

Other Experts In Behavioural Weight Management

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

• Dr. Susan Jebb, diet and population health at Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, and the Food Standards Agency
• Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, obesity medicine at University of Ottawa and the Bariatric Medical Institute
• Dr. Giles Yeo, obesity genetics and appetite at MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge
• Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller, glycaemic index research at School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney

Browse the full dietitian and nutritionist directory for more specialists.

Professional Enquiries About Dr. Rena Wing

This specialist does not offer individual consultations. Dr. Rena Wing works in research, teaching and public health nutrition. Research, teaching and media enquiries go to Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital 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.

Questions About Dr. Rena Wing Answered

What did Dr. Rena Wing study?

PhD, with graduate training in psychology. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Rena Wing?

Rena R. Wing, PhD. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Rena Wing hold?

Dr. Rena Wing is Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, based at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital.

What is Behavioural Weight Management?

Behavioural Weight Management is the area of nutrition science concerned with behavioural treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Specialists working in it, including Dr. Rena Wing, study how diet relates to health and translate those findings into guidance.

Has Dr. Rena Wing received professional recognition?

Yes. Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal of Honor, Brown University, 2024, the highest honour the Brown faculty can bestow and awarded only about 35 times since 1919. Further awards and distinctions are listed above.

Does Dr. Rena Wing hold leadership roles in the field?

Yes. Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. A fuller list of appointments appears above.

References And Sources For This Dr. Rena Wing Profile

• Brown University announcement of the Rosenberger Medal of Honor
• Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, The Miriam Hospital
• National Institutes of Health Robert S. Gordon Jr. Lecture

Review Status Of This Dr. Rena Wing 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.

Disclaimer For This Behavioural Weight Management Listing

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