Sonja Y. Hess

  • Assistant Project Scientist, Department of Nutrition

3253 Meyer

(530) 752-1992

syhess@ucdavis.edu

Email

Education

  • MSc, Food Science Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland, 1998
  • Ph.D. Human Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland, 2003

Research Interests

Dr. Hess’ research emphasizes the assessment of public health strategies to control micronutrient deficiencies in lower-income countries, specifically 1) population-based studies to assess zinc status, and 2) evaluation of the impact of zinc-related intervention programs. She is further interested in studying interactions between zinc and other micronutrients.

Dr. Hess serves as Executive Officer of the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group whose objectives are to promote increased global awareness of the problem of zinc deficiency and implement activities to reduce or eliminate this problem.

Publications

  • Hess SY, Peerson JM, King J, Brown KH (2007) Use of serum zinc concentration as an indicator of population zinc status. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 28, S403-S429.
  • Brown KH, Wessells KR, Hess SY. Zinc bioavailability from zinc-fortified foods. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research, in press.
  • Hess SY, Thurnham D, Hurrell RF (2005) Influence of provitamin A carotenoids on iron, zinc and vitamin A status. HarvestPlus Technical Monograph Series 6, p 1-28. Washington, DC. International Food Policy Research Institute and International Center for Tropical Agriculture.
  • Zimmermann MB, Winichagoon P, Gowachirapant S, Hess SY, Harrington M, Chavasit V, Lynch SR, Hurrell RF (2005) A comparison of the efficacy of wheat-based snacks fortified with ferrous sulphate, electrolytic iron, or hydrogen-reduced elemental iron: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial in Thai women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 82, 1276-1282.
  • Zimmermann MB, Ito Y, Hess SY, Fujieda K, Molinari L (2005) High thyroid volume in children with excess dietary iodine intakes. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 81, 840-844.
  • Zimmermann MB, Molinari L, Staubli-Asobayire F, Hess SY, Chaouki N, Adou P, Hurrell RF (2005) Serum transferrin receptor and zinc protoporphyrin as indicators of iron status in African children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 81, 615-623.
  • Hess SY, Zimmermann MB (2004) The effect of micronutrient deficiencies on iodine nutrition and thyroid metabolism. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 74, 103-115.
  • Zimmermann MB, Hess SY, Molenari L, de Benoist B, Delange F, Braverman L, Fujieda K, Ito Y, Jooste PL, Moosa K, Pearce EN, Pretell EA, Shishiba Y (2004) New reference values for thyroid volume by ultrasound in iodine-sufficient schoolchildren: A WHO/NHD IDD Study Group Report. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 79, 231-237.
  • Hurrell RF, Hess SY (2004) Role for micronutrient interactions in the epidemiology of micronutrient deficiencies: interactions of iron, iodine and vitamin A. In: Micronutrient deficiencies during the weaning period and the first years of life. Nestlé Nutrition Workshops Series: Infant Nutrition. (Pettifor, J. & Zlotkin, S., eds.), pp. 1-19. Karger AG, Basel.
  • Hess SY (2003) Interactions between iodine and iron deficiencies. Thesis/Dissertation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Switzerland. Diss ETH No. 15002.
  • Zimmermann MB, Hess SY, Adou P, Torresani T, Wegmüller R, Hurrell RF (2003) Thyroid size and goiter prevalence after introduction of iodized salt: a 5-y prospective study in schoolchildren in Côte d'Ivoire. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 77, 663-667.
  • Hess SY, Zimmermann MB, Adou P, Torresani T, Hurrell RF (2002) Treatment of iron deficiency in goitrous children improves the efficacy of iodized salt in Côte d'Ivoire. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 75, 743-748.
  • Hess SY, Zimmermann MB, Arnold M, Langhans W, Hurrell RF (2002) Iron deficiency anemia reduces thyroid peroxidase activity in rats. Journal of Nutrition 132, 1951-1955.
  • Hess SY, Zimmermann MB, Torresani T, Bürgi H, Hurrell RF (2001) Monitoring the adequacy of salt iodization in Switzerland: a national study of school children and pregnant women. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 55, 162-166.
  • Hess SY, Zimmermann MB, Brogli S, Hurrell RF (2001) A national survey of iron and folate status in pregnant women in Switzerland. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 71, 268-273.
  • Zimmermann MB, Molinari L, Spehl M, Weidinger-Toth J, Podoba J, Hess S, Delange F (2001) Toward a consensus on reference values for thyroid volume in iodine-replete schoolchildren: results of a workshop on inter-observer and inter-equipment variation in sonographic measurement of thyroid volume. European Journal of Endocrinology 144, 213-220.
  • Hess SY, Zimmermann MB (2000) Thyroid volumes in a national sample of iodine-sufficient Swiss school children: comparison with the World Health Organization/International Council for the control of iodine deficiency disorders normative thyroid volume criteria. European Journal of Endocrinology 142, 599-603.
  • Zimmermann MB, Hess SY, Hurrell RF (2000) A national study of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 6-12 y-old Swiss children: body mass index, body-weight perceptions and goals. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54, 568-572.
  • Zimmermann M, Saad A, Hess S, Torresani T, Chaouki N (2000) Thyroid ultrasound compared with World Health Organization 1960 and 1994 palpation criteria for determination of goiter prevalence in regions of mild and severe iodine deficiency. European Journal of Endocrinology 143, 727-731.
  • Hess SY, Zimmermann MB, Staubli-Asobayire F, Tebi A, Hurrell RF (1999) An evaluation of salt intake and iodine nutrition in a rural and urban area of the Côte d'Ivoire. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 53, 680-686.