Dr. Walter C. Willett, MD, MPH, DrPH

Walter C. Willett, MD, MPH, DrPH, is a physician and nutritional epidemiologist based at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, recognised internationally for work in nutritional epidemiology, diet and chronic disease prevention. He holds the position of Fredrick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition.

Work in this area concentrates on diet and cardiovascular disease risk; dietary patterns and type 2 diabetes prevention; and nutrition and cancer risk. He is a recipient of the Prince Mahidol Award in Public Health.

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. Walter Willett concerns nutritional epidemiology, diet and chronic disease prevention.

Key Facts About Dr. Walter Willett

• Full Name And Credentials: Walter C. Willett, MD, MPH, DrPH
• Profession: Physician and nutritional epidemiologist
• Field Of Focus: Nutritional epidemiology, diet and chronic disease prevention
• Current Position: Fredrick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition
• Institution: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Sees Patients: No, this specialist works in research and education

Qualification Record For Dr. Walter Willett

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

• Undergraduate: BS in food science, Michigan State University, 1966
• Medical Degree: MD, University of Michigan Medical School, 1970
• Graduate Degree: MPH, Harvard School of Public Health, 1973
• Doctorate: DrPH in epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 1980

Dr. Walter Willett Professional Focus

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Walter Willett as centred on:

• Diet and cardiovascular disease risk
• Dietary patterns and type 2 diabetes prevention
• Nutrition and cancer risk
• Measurement of diet in large population studies
• Sustainable and planetary health diets

Academic Leadership Of Dr. Walter Willett

• Fredrick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
• Chair of the Harvard Chan Department of Nutrition from 1991 to 2017
• Principal investigator on the Nurses’ Health Study II, one of the largest prospective diet and health cohorts in the world
• Author of Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, a widely read guide to evidence based eating
• Adviser on the redesign of United States food guidance and of Harvard University food services

Awards And Honours Received By Dr. Walter Willett

• Prince Mahidol Award in Public Health, 2025
• Elected member of the National Academy of Medicine
• Among the most cited nutrition scientists in the world, with more than four decades of research on diet and disease
• Honoured at Harvard Chan School with a dedicated symposium marking 25 years as department chair

Location And Affiliation Of Dr. Walter Willett

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School

Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Nutritional Epidemiology

Nutritional epidemiology studies what large groups of people actually eat and what happens to their health over years or decades. Because it is rarely possible to randomise thousands of people to one diet for twenty years, this field relies on careful long term cohorts, repeated dietary measurement and statistical methods that account for confounding. Its strength is scale and real life relevance. Its limit is that it shows association rather than proof, which is why single headline findings should always be read alongside the wider body of evidence.

Experts With Knowledge Comparable To Dr. Walter Willett

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

• 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
• Dr. Mathilde Touvier, nutritional epidemiology at INSERM, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, and the Centre of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics
• Dr. Carlos Monteiro, ultra processed food research at School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo

Browse the full dietitian and nutritionist directory for more specialists.

Enquiries And Professional Contact For Dr. Walter Willett

This specialist does not offer individual consultations. Dr. Walter Willett works in research, teaching and public health nutrition. Research, teaching and media enquiries go to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School 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.

Dr. Walter Willett Frequently Asked Questions

What does Dr. Walter Willett specialise in?

Dr. Walter Willett is a physician and nutritional epidemiologist whose work centres on nutritional epidemiology, diet and chronic disease prevention. Particular areas of focus include diet and cardiovascular disease risk; and dietary patterns and type 2 diabetes prevention.

Where is Dr. Walter Willett based?

Dr. Walter Willett works at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.

Does Dr. Walter Willett see patients?

No. Dr. Walter Willett 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. Walter Willett study?

MD, University of Michigan Medical School, 1970. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Walter Willett?

Walter C. Willett, MD, MPH, DrPH. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Walter Willett hold?

Dr. Walter Willett is Fredrick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, based at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School.

Citations And Further Reading On Dr. Walter Willett

• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health faculty profile
• Harvard Catalyst Profiles research record
• Harvard Chan Department of Nutrition

Accuracy, Sourcing And Review Date For Dr. Walter Willett

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.

Please Note Before Acting On The Dr. Walter Willett 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.