Early Career Network Spotlight: Meet Julianne Jundanes from Norway
Great to meet you Julianne! Thank you. I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) based in Trondheim, Norway. Last year I won the “young investigator prize” at the Norwegian Association for the study of Obesity. My academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in human movement science and a master’s degree in clinical health science – obesity and health, both from NTNU. I have previously worked as a research assistant exploring potential factors contributing to suboptimal weight loss following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
It will be helpful to hear about your work on Lipedema.
Lipedema, primarily affecting females, is frequently misdiagnosed as obesity or lymphedema. it involves the buildup of excess subcutaneous adipose tissue mainly in the lower extremities. This disorder brings daily challenges as pain, tenderness, and reduced mobility, and has significant impact on their quality of life. However, recent research suggests that a ketogenic diet may offer pain relief by reducing inflammation and edema, and/or modulating metabolic and hormonal functions associated with lipedema. My Ph.D. project aims to explore the effects of a ketogenic diet on pain intensity and quality of life with lipedema. To achieve this, we’ve designed a study where participants are randomly assigned to either a ketogenic diet or an isoenergetic non-ketogenic low-energy diet. Both diets are matched in terms of energy intake and protein content. We are also exploring changes in body composition, inflammation, adipose tissue, and examining subcutaneous adipose tissue area using MRI scans. By investigating the effects of ketogenic diets on pain and quality of life in women with lipedema, our study contributes to increasing knowledge on potential dietary interventions for managing this challenging condition.
Fascinating. Can you share information about your future plans and work?
There are still many knowledge gaps in the understanding of lipedema. Moreover, there is a need to dig deeper into the long-term effects of dietary interventions, on pain management and quality of life in females with lipedema. One area of interest is to continue working with the efficacy of different kind of low carbohydrate diets and weight loss and the effect on pain. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms behind diet-induced pain relief must be explored. It remains to be determined if it is attributed to ketosis (β-hydroxybutyrate) and other dietary components, such as anti-inflammatory fatty acids.