David Jacobs
· Mayo Professor of Public HealthUniversity of Minnesota · Epidemiology & Community Health
Active 1956–2026
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About
David Jacobs is the Mayo Professor of Public Health and a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Community Health. His research extensively focuses on cardiovascular health, particularly the development and progression of coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis. He has contributed to major longitudinal studies such as the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), investigating risk factors and biomarkers related to heart disease and physical activity. Jacobs' work also addresses broader public health concerns including liver disease, insulin resistance, and the impact of lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity on chronic disease risk. His research aligns with multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including those targeting poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, and climate action. Jacobs has been involved in numerous funded projects and has a prolific publication record, contributing to the understanding of disease mechanisms and prevention strategies in diverse populations.
Research topics
- Internal medicine
- Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Cardiology
- Surgery
- Gerontology
- Pediatrics
- Environmental health
Selected publications
Association of Dysanapsis With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Older Adults
JAMA · 2020 · 190 citations
Importance: Smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet much of COPD risk remains unexplained. Objective: To determine whether dysanapsis, a mismatch of airway tree caliber to lung size, assessed by computed tomography (CT), is associated with incident COPD among older adults and lung function decline in COPD. Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective cohort study of 2 community-based samples: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Lung…
Diabetes Care · 2020 · 42 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingOBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between change in plant-centered diet quality and type 2 diabetes risk and change in body size. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: > 2,434). Plant-centered diet quality was measured using the A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS); a higher score favors nutritionally rich plant foods. Cox regression models were used to assess diabetes risk, and linear regression models were used to examine change in body size. RESULTS: < 0.001) during the same period, but not with s…
Lung function impairment and risk of incident heart failure: the NHLBI Pooled Cohorts Study
European Heart Journal · 2022 · 35 citations
AIMS: The aim is to evaluate associations of lung function impairment with risk of incident heart failure (HF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were pooled across eight US population-based cohorts that enrolled participants from 1987 to 2004. Participants with self-reported baseline cardiovascular disease were excluded. Spirometry was used to define obstructive [forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) <0.70] or restrictive (FEV1/FVC ≥0.70, FVC <80%) lung physiology. The incide…
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2023 · 18 citations
BACKGROUND: The potential role for choline metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in cardiovascular disease (CVD) has garnered much attention, but there have been limited data from diverse population-based cohorts. Furthermore, few studies have included circulating choline and betaine, which can serve as precursors to TMAO and may independently influence CVD. OBJECTIVE: We quantified prospective associations between 3 choline metabolites and 19-y incident CVD in a population-based cohort and t…
The Lancet Global Health · 2025-08-20 · 13 citations
articleOpen accessBACKGROUND: With the increasing global burden of type 2 diabetes, prevention strategies that target prediabetes, a state of hyperglycaemia that puts individuals at high risk of type 2 diabetes, are required. We aimed to estimate global rates of transition from prediabetes to normoglycaemia or type 2 diabetes, stratified by age, sex, and race and ethnicity. We also aimed to quantify the effect of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors on these transitions. METHODS: In this pooled analysis of…
Recent grants
NIH · $2.7M · 2015
NIH · $210k · 2004
NIH · $494k · 2010
Frequent coauthors
- 1155 shared
France Bellisle
- 1155 shared
Philip C. Calder
NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre
- 1154 shared
John C. Mathers
Newcastle University
- 1154 shared
O Kennedy
- 1154 shared
Chris J. Seal
F-star (United Kingdom)
- 1154 shared
Susan J. Whiting
University of Saskatchewan
- 1116 shared
Weeks Zdravics
Université Sorbonne Paris Nord
- 1116 shared
Jonathan Norton
Saskatoon Medical Imaging
Awards & honors
- Member, Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health
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