Jacob J. Christensen is a clinical dietitian and researcher. His main research focus is how lifestyle, medication use, and genetics affect plasma lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors. He is particularly interested in how early-life exposure can influence later-life risk through factors such as cholesterol burden. He also studies the relationship between medication use during pregnancy and health outcomes for both mothers and offspring. Christensen also uses bioinformatic methods to analyze omics data in search of potential biomarkers for both dietary intake and cardiovascular risk. His research involves studying a diverse range of subjects, including healthy children and adults, pregnant women, and families with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). He utilizes data from dietary interventions, epidemiological studies, and the nationwide Norwegian national registries.
In addition to his research work, Christensen served on the NNR2023 (The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023) Committee, which recently published an updated scientific basis for the Nordic nutrient recommendations and food-based dietary guidelines. He was also involved in a Nordic collaborative project associated with the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA), conducting systematic reviews to evaluate the recommended upper intake levels for certain nutrients.