About

Lama Mattar

Associate Professor of Nutrition
Program Coordinator, Honors, Beirut

Dr. Lama Mattar earned her BSc and MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and a PhD in Nutrition from the University of Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris. She later pursued a postdoctoral fellowship. She is currently an associate professor of nutrition and coordinator of the Honors Program at LAU.

Guided by the conviction that nutrition is central to disease prevention and treatment, Dr. Mattar has worked across clinical, academic and policy spheres to advance public health. Her clinical experience spans specialized units in the USA, Switzerland, France and Lebanon. She has also been a founding board member of the Lebanese Order of Dietetics and continues to champion interdisciplinary, evidence-based approaches to nutrition education and practice.

Research Interests

Dr. Mattar’s teaching and research reflect a strong commitment to academic excellence, innovation and student mentorship. She has taught at undergraduate and graduate levels at AUB and LAU, developing and coordinating numerous courses and programs. She is currently leading curriculum reform that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and active learning methodologies into nutrition education.

Her work bridges science, advocacy and implementation in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those addressing health, equity and food security. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, presented at major international conferences, and secured research funding from UNICEF, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization. With more than 15 years of international experience, she has served as consultant and technical lead on public health nutrition and physical activity projects, contributing to international guidelines and capacity-building tools for health care providers in emergency and resource-limited settings.

Her contributions have been recognized through honors including the Research Excellence Fellowship from King’s College London, the Knight’s Medal from the Principality of Monaco and the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship from the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. She has also been recognized by LAU’s School of Arts and Sciences as a multitalented faculty member.

SDGs Research Mapping

Dr. Lama Mattar conducts research relevant to the following SDGs:

Selected Publications

National and International Guidelines and Guidance

  1. Changing the game: strengthening health and well-being through sport events. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/379228/9789240101357-eng.pdf?sequence=1
  2. WHO implementation guidance on emergencies capacity-building: approaches for just-in-time learning response to health emergencies. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/379019
  3. Nutrition and Physical Activity Interventions Provided by Nutrition and Exercise Practitioners for the General Population: An Evidence-Based Practice Guideline From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Council on Exercise. Robinson, R., Nitschke, N., Tovar, A.,  Mattar, L, Gottesman, K., Hamlett, P., Rozga, M. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2023,ISSN 2212-2672, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2023.04.004.
  4. French National Guidelines for Anorexia Nervosa. Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS)/ Association Française pour le Développement des Approches Spécialisées dans les Troubles du Comportement Alimentaire (AFDAS-TCA), http://www.has-sante.fr/portail/jcms/c_985715/anorexie-mentale-prise-en-charge (France, Sept 2010).

Selected Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals

  1. Mattar L, Delaunay AL, Berthoz S, Duquesnoy M, Iceta S, Lalane C; EVHAN group; Hanachi M, Godart N. Exploring the Interplay Between Thyroid Hormone Levels and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Anorexia Nervosa. Brain Behav. 2025 Jul;15(7):e70685. doi: 10.1002/brb3.70685. PMID: 40641314; PMCID: PMC12246554.
  2. Rahi B, Al Mashharawi F, Harb H, El Khoury-Malhame M, Mattar L. Food Insecurity and Coping Mechanisms: Impact on Maternal Mental Health and Child Malnutrition. Nutrients. 2025; 17(2):330. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020330
  3. Zeeni N, Abi Kharma J, Malli D, Khoury-Malhame M, Mattar L. Exposure to Instagram junk food content negatively impacts mood and cravings: a randomized controlled trial. Appetite 2024 Jan 14; 195:107209. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107209
  4. Mattar, L., Hassan, H., Kalash, N., Malli, D., Diab-El-Harake, M., Nassour, S., Jomaa, L. Assessing the nutritional content and adequacy of food parcels among vulnerable Lebanese during a double crisis: COVID-19 pandemic and an economic meltdown (2023). Public Health Nutrition, 1-13. doi:10.1017/S1368980023000241
  5. Kalash, N., Harb, H., Mattar, L. et al. Determinants of body image disturbance and disordered eating behaviors among self-identified LGBTQ individuals.  Journal of Eating Disorders 11, 87 (2023). doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00810-2
  6. Hassan H, Rizk Y, Chalak A, Abiad MG, Mattar L*.  Household food waste generation during COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented economic crisis: The case of Lebanon. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research Volume 14, 2023, 100749, ISSN 2666-1543, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100749.
  7. Abi Nader P, Hadla R, Majed L, Mattar L, Sayegh S. Results from the Lebanese 2022 report card on physical activity for children and youth (2023). Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness; 21(1):14-19. DOI: 10.1016/j.jesf.2022.10.007. PMID: 36349302; PMCID: PMC9634469.
  8. El Chaar, D., El Khoury, C., Mattar, L. AND/ASPEN and GLIM Malnutrition Diagnostic Tools Identify Similar Malnutrition-Related Risk Factors.  Current Developments in Nutrition, 2022, 6(Supplement_1), 563-563.
  9. El Chaar, D., Mattar, L., Fakih El Khoury, C. AND/ASPEN and the GLIM Malnutrition Diagnostic Criteria have a High Degree of Criterion Validity and Reliability for the Identification of Malnutrition in a Hospital Setting: A Single-Center Prospective Study. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition, 2022, 10.1002/jpen.2347. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpen.2347
  10. Nitschke E, Gottesman K, Hamlett P, Mattar L, Robinson J, Tovar A, Rozga M. Impact of Nutrition and Physical Activity Interventions Provided by Nutrition and Exercise Practitioners for the Adult General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2022 Apr 21;14(9):1729. doi: 10.3390/nu14091729. PMID: 35565696; PMCID: PMC9103154.
  11. Mattar L, Abi Kharma J., Hanach N., Mashharawi Fr., Zeeni N. Violence Against Women in Adulthood Is Associated with Increased Disordered Eating Behaviors and Risk of Eating Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study Violence and Gender 2021-08-27. DOI: 10.1089/vio.2021.0021
  12. Zeeni N., Abi Kharma J, Mattar L.  Social Media Use and Posting: Associations with Body Image Dissatisfaction and Dietary Behavior in Pregnant Women. Current Psychology, 2021.

Communication and International Conferences 

  1. Mattar L. and Dagher L. The Interplay of Energy Poverty and Food Insecurity: How Social, Cultural, and Political Dynamics Shape Household Nutrition. 18th European Public Health Conference 2025, Helsinki, Finland. Poster presentation
  2. K. Ouaijan, L. Nasreddine, L. Mattar, J. Abi Kharma. Comparison of two pediatric nutrition screening tools in hospitalized children and their association with length of stay. 46th ESPEN Congress on Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism 2024, Milan, Italy. Poster presentation.
  3. L. Mattar, F. Talih, C. Antoun, H. Harb. Sleep, diet, and chrononutrition: Studying the dual effect of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) on sleep and dietary habits. 46th ESPEN Congress on Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism 2024, Milan, Italy. Poster presentation
  4. B. Rahi, H. Harb, F. Mashharawi, M. El Khoury, L. Mattar. Food Insecurity in Lebanon: Impact on maternal mental health and coping mechanisms. 45th ESPEN Congress on Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism 2023, Lyon, France. Poster presentation
  5. D. El Chaar, C. Fakih, and L. Mattar. Fat - Free Muscle Index, Nutrition Focused Physical Examination and Handgrip Strength Identified Similar Muscles Losses in Male and Female Hospitalized Malnourished Patients. 45th ESPEN Congress on Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism 2023, Lyon, France. Poster presentation
  6. Kalash, N., Harb, H., Mattar, L. et al. Determinants of body image disturbance and disordered eating behaviors among self-identified LGBTQ individuals. 45th ESPEN Congress on Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism 2023, Lyon, France. Poster presentation
  7. M. Hanachi, L. Mattar, M. Dicembre, L.S. Nguyen, M. Duquesnoy, J.C. Melchior, A. Fayssoil. Is Serum Citrulline a Good Marker of Hemodynamic Status in Malnourished Patients with Anorexia Nervosa? 45th ESPEN Congress on Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism 2023, Lyon, France. Poster presentation
  8. Mattar L., Fakih C., Al Chaar D. Screening and Diagnosis of Malnutrition in a Hospital Care Setting Prior and After Multidisciplinary Educational intervention. American Society for Nutrition 2020, Seattle, USA. Poster presentation
  9. Mattar L., Abi Kharma J, Hanach N, Zeeni N. Violence against Women in Adulthood is associated with Increased Disordered Eating Behaviors and Risk of Eating Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED) 2020, Sydney, Australia. Poster presentation
  10. Ouaijan K, Juvelekian G, Ghattas N, Mattar L. Indicators of optimal nutrition support in intensive care unit can be improved by a multifaceted intervention: implementation of a defined protocol and multidisciplinary rounds. European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) 2019, September 2019, Poland. Poster presentation

Book Chapters

  1. Jeammet P, Godart N, Mattar L. Anorexie Mentale, in Manuel de Psychiatrie, JD Guelfi and F Rouillon (Eds); Masson-Paris 2011.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris IV), France.
  • MSc American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
  • BSc American University of Beirut, Lebanon.