Dr. Jasminka Ilich-Ernst

Dr. Jasminka Ilich-Ernst is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition (FACN). She is an inducted member of the Bosnian & Herzegovinian-American Academy of Arts and Sciences (BHAAAS). Dr. Ilich-Ernst earned her Ph.D. in Medicinal Sciences at The Ohio State University and the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and her master’s degree in Nutrition from the University of Utah.
Now retired from full-time faculty duties, Dr. Ilich-Ernst continues to be actively engaged in research and collaboration. She currently serves as a collaborating faculty member at the Center on Better Health and Life for Underserved Populations at FSU and as a visiting professor at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Dr. Ilich-Ernst’s research focuses on clinical studies in older women with nutritional interventions incorporating behavioral modification and physical activity to improve bone and body composition. She identified and coined the term “osteosarcopenic obesity syndrome,” which describes the simultaneous deterioration of bone and muscle tissues with adipose tissue expansion, now recognized globally. Her work also includes outreach to underserved communities to promote education and health interventions aimed at obesity prevention, cardiovascular risk reduction, and lifestyle improvement.