Wesley Smith, PhD

University of Miami

Miami, Florida

Wesley Smith, PhD, joined the faculty at the University of Miami in 2007, and is currently Chair of the Undergraduate Exercise Physiology Program and Director of the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Human Performance. In 1997, he graduated from Salisbury University with a BS in Exercise Physiology. Dr. Smith then attended the University of Florida, where he earned an MS in Exercise Physiology and began work on his PhD. Dr. Smith transferred to the University of Miami, where he dedicated his research time toward the betterment of muscle testing in the elderly and exploration of new exercise strategies specifically designed to combat age-associated functional decline. To this end, he developed an inexpensive, easy-to-use field test which can quantify lower body muscle power in seniors. Dr. Smith used the research as his dissertation and completed his doctoral degree at the University of Miami. After being hired as a Clinical Assistant Professor, he concentrated on converting the exercise physiology program to a more applied academical model and fostered a growing graduate program in nutrition. He has worked to enhance these academic programs by wielding an applied form of research called Guardrails. This service-based method of research has 3 goals: serve patients and optimize healthcare systems; assist students in learning from practical application and patient interaction; and provide evidence for the efficacy of physical activity, nutrition, and wellness programming.

Talks by Wesley Smith, PhD

Fred’s Verdict: The Role of Obesity in Negative Health Outcomes

Posted by Wesley Smith, PhD | Apr 2020

Fred H. Bartlit, Jr., JD, founder of Bartlit Beck LLP and co-founder of StrongPath, talks with Wesley Smith, PhD, Chair of the Undergraduate Exercise Physiology Program at the University of Miami and the Chief of Product Development for StrongPath, about the role of obesity, in particular visceral obesity, in negative health outcomes. Fred leads with new information about obesity being a serious risk factor in severe COVID-19 cases. He states that obese patients are being hospitalized with COVID-19 at three times the rate of non-obese patients. Noting that obesity has long been linked to myriad comorbid conditions, Wesley highlights the importance of looking at visceral obesity, which is the deeper fat around internal organs and stems largely from inactivity and a highly processed diet. He further observes that the current standard for categorizing body composition, BMI, should be reconsidered. For example, a change in BMI may not be directly related to a healthy loss in weight, especially if a patient experiences a corresponding loss in strength. Wesley advocates for a simple waist circumference measurement because this measure is correlated with an increased risk of metabolic disease and cardiovascular disease. For men this means a waist circumference measuring 40 inches or higher and for women it is 35 inches or higher. He adds that metabolic obesity is a key component of a pre-diabetic state. Fred concludes by advising an emphasis on strength-building over just weight loss as this focuses on empowering individuals to seek positive gains.

Fred’s Verdict: Exercise as a Replacement for “Fight or Flight” and Its Impact on Brain Health

Posted by Wesley Smith, PhD | Mar 2020