Dénes Molnár

Dr Dénes Molnár established the Childhood Nutrition Research Group at the Department of Paediatrics, University of Pécs in 1990. Two main lines characterise the research work of the group: 1. Infant nutrition with special interest in the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status of newborns and infants; 2. Childhood obesity. Recent work dealt with metabolic syndrome, oxidative stress, cardiovascular neuropathy, changes in hepatic and renal functions in childhood obesity. The genetic studies launched 10 years ago investigated the role of genetic polymorphism of candidate genes in the development of cardiovascular risk factors (hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance) and in changes of energy metabolism. In European projects the working group performed large-scale surveys focusing on prevention, intervention and causes of childhood obesity.