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Dr. Karanja's primary area of research is nutrition and chronic
disease prevention, with a special focus on minority populations. While at the
CHR, she has been an investigator in a number of clinical trials designed to
test the efficacy of various dietary strategies on blood pressure reduction.
The most notable of these is the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension study
(DASH), funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
DASH compared a diet that was high in fruits, vegetables, and low in fat to a
typical American diet and a diet only high in fruits and vegetables. The DASH
diet lowered blood pressure to the same extent as medication.
Dr Karanja is the principal investigator of the Portland WINS clinical center.
WINS is a clinical trial to determine the efficacy of dietary fat reduction in
addition to systemic adjuvant therapy in the management of patients with
invasive breast cancer. Dr. Karanja is also exploring the possibility of
delivering cancer preventive strategies in an HMO setting. This study uses a
computerized, touch-screen system to assess dietary intake, which is then used
by health care professionals to deliver short-targeted messages to the patient
in primary care settings. Dr. Karanja’s other research interests include
exploring ways to improve minority access to preventive services and the
feasibility challenges of placing such services in minority communities.
Dr. Karanja received an M.S. in Human Nutrition and Food Service Management in
1980 and a Ph.D. in 1984 in Human Nutrition from the University of Nebraska.
She is a research associate professor of medicine in the division of
Endocrinology/metabolism and Clinical Nutrition at Oregon Health Sciences
University. While an assistant professor at OHSU, she worked with animal models
of hypertension to develop and test the effect of various nutrients on blood
pressure reduction.
Current Studies:
Recently Completed Studies:
E-mail:
Njeri.Karanja@kpchr.org
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