Positions
- Professor
-
Medicine-Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States
- Staff Physician
-
Medical Care and Research Service Lines
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Houston, Texas United States
- Core Faculty
-
Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID)
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States
Addresses
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (Office)
-
Bldg 110, Rm 264
2002 Holcombe Blvd
Houston, TX 77030
United States
Education
- Fellowship at St Louis University School of Medicine
- 03/1994 - St Louis, Missouri United States
- Geriatric Medicine
- Residency at Washington University - Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- 06/1993 - St Louis, Missouri United States
- Internal Medicine
- Fellowship at Washington University - Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- 06/1991 - St Louis, Missouri United States
- Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
- MD from Cebu Institute of Medicine
- Cebu City, Philippines
Certifications
- Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
- American Board of Internal Medicine
- Geriatric Medicine
- American Board of Internal Medicine
Honors & Awards
- Academic Excellence in Clinical Research
- Physician Enterprise Vision Award (07/2023)
- Michael E. DeBakey M.D. Excellence in Research Award
- Baylor College of Medicine (05/2020)
- Clinical Trials Advisory Panel (CTAP) to the National Institute on Aging
- NIH - National Advisory Council on Aging (11/2016 - 10/2020)
- Clinical Integrative Diabetes and Obesity (CIDO) Study Section
- NIH - Scientific Review Panel Standing Member (01/2010 - 12/2014)
- Inducted to Fellowship
- Gerontological Society of America (11/2013)
- Most Outstanding Cebu Institute of Medicine Alumni (MOCA)
- 12/2007
- K23 Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award
- National Institute of Health (01/2001 - 12/2005)
- Inducted to Fellowship
- American College of Physicians (01/2001)
- Inducted to Fellowship
- American College of Endocrinology (01/1996)
- John M Kinney International Award for Nutrition and Metabolism
- 01/1992
Professional Interests
- Lifestyle, hormonal, and anabolic interventions to ameliorate sarcopenic obesity and frailty
Professional Statement
I am a physician-scientist with specialized training in geriatrics and endocrinology. I have extensive clinical and research experience focused on the effects of lifestyle interventions in reversing frailty among older adults with obesity. My clinical and translational laboratories explore hormonal, nutritional, and behavioral lifestyle interventions aimed at slowing down or reversing the metabolic and physical complications of aging, which include sarcopenic obesity and type 2 diabetes. I am committed to conducting research that informs practice guidelines regarding optimal treatment strategies for older adults dealing with obesity.Websites
Selected Publications
- Gonzales-Gil A, Barnouin Y, Celli A, Viola V, Villarreal M, Nava M, Sciuk A, Qualls C, Armamento-Villareal R, Villareal DT "Metabolic effects of testosterone added to intensive lifestyle intervention in older men with obesity and hypogonadism." J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024 Apr 12; Pubmed PMID: 38606934
- Gregori G, Paudyal A, Barnouin Y, Celli A, Segoviano-Escobar M, Armamento-Villareal R, Napoli N, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Indices of sarcopenic obesity are important predictors of finite element analysis-derived bone strength in older adults with obesity." Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Nov 7; Pubmed PMID: 38027147
- Panda S, Maier G, and Villareal DT "Targeting Energy Intake and Circadian Biology to Engage Mechanisms of Aging in Older Adults With Obesity: Calorie Restriction and Time-Restricted Eating." J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med. 2023 Jun 16;78:79-85. Pubmed PMID: 37325958
- Celli A, Barnouin Y, Jiang B, Blevins D, Colleluori G, Mediwala S, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Lifestyle Intervention Strategy to Treat Diabetes in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Diabetes Care. 2022;45(9):1943-1952. Pubmed PMID: 35880801
- Ho E, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Effect of Diet, Exercise, or Both on Biological Age and Healthy Aging in Older Adults with Obesity: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial." J Nutr Health Aging. 2022;26(6):552-557. Pubmed PMID: 35718862
- Waters DL, Aguirre L, Gurney AB, Sinacore DR, Fowler K, Gregori G, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Effect of Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, on Intermuscular and Visceral Fat and Physical and Metabolic Function in Older Adults with Obesity While Dieting." J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2022;77(1):131-139. Pubmed PMID: 33839788
- Gregori G, Celli A, Barnouin Y, Paudyal A, Armamento-Villareal R, Napoli N, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Cognitive Response to Testosterone Replacement added to Intensive Lifestyle Intervention in Older Men with Obesity and Hypogonadism: Prespecified Secondary Analyses of a Randomized Clinical Trial." Am J Clin Nutr. 2021; Pubmed PMID: 34375393
- Barnouin Y, Armamento-Villareal R, Celli A, Jiang B, Paudyal A, Nambi V, Bryant MS, Marcelli M, Garcia JM, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Testosterone Replacement Therapy Added to Intensive Lifestyle Intervention in Older Men With Obesity and Hypogonadism." J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Mar 8;(3):e1096-e1110. Pubmed PMID: 33351921
- Armamento-Villareal R, Aguirre L, Waters DL, Napoli N, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Effect of Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, on Bone Mineral Density and Bone Metabolism in Obese Older Adults While Dieting: A Randomized Controlled Trial." J Bone Miner Res. 2020;35:430-439. Pubmed PMID: 31797417
- Colleluori G, Aguirre L, Phadnis U, Fowler K, Armamento-Villareal R, Sun X, Brunetti L, Hyoung Park J, Kaipparettu BA, Purluri N, Auetumrongsawat V, Yarasheski K, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Aerobic Plus Resistance Exercise in Obese Older Adults Improves Muscle Protein Synthesis and Preserves Myocellular Quality Despite Weight Loss." Cell Metab. 2019;30(2):261-273. Pubmed PMID: 31279675
- Batsis JA, Villareal DT "Sarcopenic obesity in older adults: aetiology, epidemiology and treatment strategies." Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2018 Sep;14(9):513-537. Pubmed PMID: 30065268
- Villareal DT, Aguirre L, Gurney AB, Waters DL, Sinacore DR, Colombo E, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C "Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, in Dieting Obese Older Adults." N Engl J Med. 18;376:1943-55. Pubmed PMID: 28514618
- Colleluori G, Napoli H, Phadnis U, Armamento-Villareal R, Villareal DT "Effect of Weight Loss, Exercise, or Both on Undercarboxylated Osteocalcin and Insulin Secretion in Frail, Obese Older Adults." Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;(1):1-13. Pubmed PMID: 28951766
- Villareal DT, Chode S, Parimi N, Sinacore DR, Hilton T, Armamento-Villareal R, Napoli N, Qualls C, Shah K "Weight Loss, Exercise, or Both and Physical Function in Obese Older Adults." N Engl J Med. 2011;364:1219-1229. Pubmed PMID: 21449785
- Weiss EP, Jordan RC, Frese EM, Albert SG, Villareal DT "Effects of Weight Loss on Lean Mass, Strength, Bone, and Aerobic Capacity." Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2017 Jan;49:206-217. Pubmed PMID: 27580151
- Weiss EP, Albert SG, Reeds DN, Kress KS, McDaniel JL, Klein S, Villareal DT "Effects of Matched Weight Loss from Calorie Restriction, Exercise, or Both on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: a Randomized Intervention Trial." Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Sep;104:576-86. Pubmed PMID: 27465384
- Armamento-Villareal R, Aguirre LE, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Effect of Lifestyle Intervention on the Hormonal Profile of Frail, Obese Older Men." J Nutr Health Aging. 2016 Mar;20:334-40. Pubmed PMID: 26892583
- Villareal DT, Fontana L, Das SK, Redman L, Smith SR, Saltzman E, Bales C, Rochon J, Pieper C, Huang M, Lewis M, Schwartz AV; CALERIE Study Group "Effect of Two-Year Caloric Restriction on Bone Metabolism and Bone Mineral Density in Non-Obese Younger Adults: a Randomized Clinical Trial." J Bone Miner Res. 2016 Jan;40-51. Pubmed PMID: 26332798
- Weiss, E. P., Albert, S. G., Reeds, D. N., Kress, K. S., Ezekiel, U. R., McDaniel, J. L., Patterson, B. W., Klein, S., & Villareal, D. T "Calorie Restriction and Matched Weight Loss from Exercise: Independent and Additive Effects on Glucoregulation and the Incretin System in Overweight Women and Men." Diabetes Care. 2015; Pubmed PMID: 25877812
- Napoli N, Shah K, Waters D, Sinacore DR, Qualls C, Villareal DT. "Effect of Weight Loss, Exercise, or Both on Cognition and Quality of Life in Obese Older Adults." Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;100:189-198. Pubmed PMID: 24787497
- Armamento-Villareal R, Aguirre L, Napoli N, Shah K, Hilton T, Sinacore D, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Changes in Thigh Muscle Volume predict Bone Mineral Density Response to Lifestyle Therapy in Frail, Obese Older Adults." Osteop Int. 2014;25:551-558. Pubmed PMID: 23892583
- Shah,K, Armamento-Villareal,R, Parimi,N, Chode,S, Sinacore,D.R, Hilton,T.N, Napoli,N, Qualls,C. and Villareal, DT "Exercise Training in Obese Older Adults Prevents Increase in Bone Turnover and Attenuates Decrease in Hip BMD Induced by Weight Loss Despite Decline in Bone-Active Hormones." J Am Bone Miner Res. 2011;12:2851-2859. Pubmed PMID: 21786319
- Villareal DT, Smith GI, Sinacore DR, Shah K, Mittendorfer B "Regular Multicomponent Exercise Increases Physical Fitness and Muscle Protein Anabolism in Frail, Obese, Older Adults." Obesity. 2010;19:312-318. Pubmed PMID: 20489691
- Villareal DT, Koster J, Robertson H, Miyake K, Bell G, Patterson B, Nichols C, and Polonsky K. "Kir6.2 Variant E23K Increases ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel Activity and is Associated with Impaired Insulin Release and Enhanced Insulin Sensitivity in Adults with Normal Glucose Tolerance." Diabetes. 2009;58:1869-1878. Pubmed PMID: 19491206
- Villareal DT, Robertson H, Bell G, Patterson BW, Tran H, Wice B, and Polonsky KS "TCF7L2 Variant rs7903146 Affects the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes by Modulating Incretin Action." Diabetes. 2010;59:475-485. Pubmed PMID: 19934000
- Armamento-Villareal R, Sadler C, Napoli N, Shah K, Chode S, Sinacore DR, Qualls C, Villareal DT "Weight loss in obese older adults increases serum sclerostin and impairs hip geometry but both are prevented by exercise training." J Am Bone Miner Res. 2012;27:1215-1221. Pubmed PMID: 22392834
- Shah K, Stufflebam A, Hilton T, Sinacore D, Klein S, and Villareal DT "Diet and exercise interventions reduce intrahepatic fat content and improve insulin sensitivity in obese older adults." Obesity. 2009 Dec;17:2162-8. Pubmed PMID: 19390517
Funding
- Does Lifestyle Intervention in Obese Older Adults Improve Bone Quality? - #R01 DK109950 (06/01/2017 - 05/31/2025) Grant funding from NIH - NIDDK
- Lifestyle Intervention plus Metformin to Treat Frailty in Older Veterans with Obesity - #101 CX002161 (10/01/2020 - 09/30/2025) Grant funding from VA Merit Review
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