MWH Specialists Dr Verena Tan

Dr Venena

DR VERENA TAN

Dietitian
Visiting Consultant

Ph.D., M.Nutr.Diet., B.Sc. Hons I,

Dietitian

Dr Verena Tan is an experienced dietitian with more than 14 years of diverse and well-rounded experience in medical nutrition therapy, clinical research, product formulation and development, writing and education. She has extensive experience in providing expert clinical nutrition advice to manage the diets of health conditions in areas such as cardiology, diabetes, gastroenterology, geriatrics, intensive care medicine, weight management, renal nutrition and many more. In particular, she has special interests in infant and maternal nutrition and cardiovascular health. She is also passionate about the emerging and exciting role of nutrigenomics in preventative health. Awarded the prestigious Singapore Public Service Commission Scholarship, Dr Tan attended King’s College London, UK where she graduated top of her cohort, with a First-Class Honours Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition. With a Ministry of Health scholarship, she subsequently earned her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Sydney, Australia. With a passion to find better and scientifically-proven ways to help people eat well and live healthier, she decided to embark on her doctoral study. In 2016, she completed her Ph.D. from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore on an A*STAR scholarship. Her doctoral (Ph.D.) research focused on carbohydrate quality and metabolic function and has since authored over fourteen scientific publications and presentations. Dr Tan started her career as a clinical dietitian in a tertiary hospital in Singapore before moving to a polytechnic as a lecturer in nutrition. Whilst completing her doctoral studies, she was headhunted by the private sector as a senior nutrition scientist for multi-national food companies. Dr Tan believes in an integrated approach to good health by focusing on the whole person and empowering individuals to be their own health advocates. Her philosophy is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach; but rather a lifelong lifestyle of being active and making sound food choices. With a plethora of (mis)information in social media, her goal is to share nutrition knowledge, sieve out facts from untruths and make science simple to guide everyday applications. Dr Tan had numerous media releases and publications on print media and was invited for media interviews on radio and television. She is an engaging and dynamic speaker at public forums and scientific conferences. As a mother of 2 rambunctious kids, she loves

Areas of Expertise

Her nutrition expertise includes infant and maternal nutrition, food allergies and intolerances, cardiovascular nutrition, diabetes and insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and with a special interest in the emerging field of nutrigenomics and personalized nutrition.

Qualification

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D., 2016); Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
  • Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (M.Nutr.Diet., 2004); University of Sydney, Australia.
  • Bachelor of Nutrition (First-Class Honours) (B.Sc. Hons I, 2002); King’s College London, UK.

Professional memberships

  • Accredited practising dietitian (Dietitian Association of Australia)
  • Registered dietitian of Singapore (Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association) • International member (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, US)

Accredited courses

  • Food Allergies and Intolerances: Medical Nutrition Therapy (Dietitian Association of Australia and Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Australia)
  • Food as Medicine: Food and Inflammation (Monash University, Australia)
  • Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health (The University of Arizona College of Medicine, US)

Publications
Original research papers
1. A. Ghosh, I. Shaikh, V. Satyavrat, P. Pote, S. Shinde, Y. Berde, Y.L. Low, V.M.H. Tan, D. Huynh. Effect of oral nutritional supplement on growth and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections in picky eating children at nutritional risk: a randomised controlled trial. Journal of International Medical Research Jun 2018; 46(6): 2186-2201.
2. A. Ghosh, I. Shaikh, V. Satyavrat, P. Pote, S. Shinde, Y. Berde, Y.L. Low, V.M.H. Tan, D. Huynh. Continuation of oral nutritional supplementation supports continued growth in nutritionally at-risk children with picky eating behaviour: A post-intervention, observational follow-up study. Journal of International Medical Research Jul 2018; 46(7): 2615–2632
3. D.S.Q. Ooi, V.M.H. Tan (co-first), S.G. Ong, C.K. Heng, Y.H. Chan, Y.S. Lee. Differences in AMY1 gene copy numbers derived from blood, buccal cells and saliva using quantitative and droplet digital PCR methods: flagging the pitfall. PLoS ONE; Jan 2017, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170767
4. V.M.H. Tan, S.Q. Ooi, J. Kapur, T. Wu, Y.H. Chan, J. Henry, Y.S. Lee. The role of digestive factors in determining glycemic response in a multi-ethnic Asian population. European Journal of Nutrition Jul 2016; 55 (4): 1573-81.
5. V.M.H. Tan, Y.S. Lee, K. Venkataraman, E.Y.H. Khoo, E.S. Tai, M.K.S. Leow, C.M. Khoo. Ethnic differences in insulin sensitivity, post-meal glycemic and insulin responses: The Singapore Adults Metabolism Study. Nutrition and Diabetes Jul 2015; 5 (7): e173.
6. V.M.H. Tan, T. Wu, C.J. Henry, Y.S. Lee. Glycaemic and insulin responses, glycaemic index and insulinaemic index values of rice between three Asian ethnic groups. British Journal of Nutrition Apr 2015; 113 (8): 1228-36.
7. Y. Lee, M.F.F. Chong (co-first), J.C.J. Liu, C. Libedinsky, J.J. Gooley, S. Chen, T. Wu, V. Tan, M. Zhou, M.J. Meaney, Y.S. Lee, and M.W.L. Chee. Dietary disinhibition modulates neural valuation of food in fed and fasted states. American Journal Clinical Nutrition May 2013; 97 (5): 919-925

Review paper
1. J.Y. Toh, V.M.H. Tan, P.C.Y. Lim, S.T. Lim and M.F.F. Chong. Flavonoids from Fruit and Vegetables: A Focus on Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Current Atherosclerosis Reports 2013; 15 (12): 368

Oral and poster presentations
1. V.M.H. Tan, A. Ghosh, B. Kishore, I. Shaikh, V. Satyavrat, Y. Berde, Y.L. Low, D. Huynh (2015). Continuation of Oral Nutritional Supplementation Impacts Growth and Energy Intake in Nutritionally At-Risk Children with Picky Eating Behavior. (Oral presentation at the Abbott Nutrition Asia R&D forum Annual Meeting, Singapore, 16 Nov 2015)
2. V.M.H. Tan, T. Wu, C.J. Henry, Y.S. Lee (2015). Glycemic index of rice do not differ between Asian ethnic groups. (Oral presentation at the 9th Asian Pacific Congress of Clinical Nutrition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 26-29 Jan 2015)
3. V.M.H. Tan, K. Venkataraman, E.S. Tai, Y.S. Lee, M.K.S. Leow, C.M. Khoo. (2013) Glycemic responses following a mixed-meal tolerance test among Chinese, Malay
and Asian-Indians in Singapore. (Poster presentation at the 20th International Congress of Nutrition, Granada, Spain, 15-20 Sept 2013)
4. V. Tan, F.Y. Ong, Y.L. Tan, K. Venkataraman, K. Bhaskaran, J.I. Mann, K.O. Lee, E.S. Tai, Y.S. Lee, E.Y.H. Khoo. (2012). Ethnic differences in dietary glycemic measures of individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Singapore. (Oral presentation at the International Congress of Dietetics 2012, Sydney, Australia, 5-8 Sept 2012)
5. Y. Lee, C. Libedinsky, J.C.J. Liu, M. Zhou, V. Tan, M.F.F. Chong, M. Meaney, Y.S. Lee, M.W.L. Chee. (2012). Neural valuation of food under fed and fasted conditions. (Poster presentation at the Organization of Human Brain Mapping, 10th June 2012)
6. V. Tan, M.F.F. Chong, R. Choo, K. Bhaskaran, J.I. Mann, K.O. Lee, E.S. Tai, E.Y.H. Khoo, Y.S. Lee. (2011). Determining the dietary glycaemic index of Chinese adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Singapore. Annals of the Academy of Singapore Nov 2011; 40 (Supplement) no.11: S53