Dennis T. Villareal, MD

Professor

Email

dennis.villareal@bcm.edu

Positions

Professor: Medicine-Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

Staff Physician: Medical Care and Research Service Lines
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Houston, Texas, United States

Core Faculty: Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID)
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

Addresses

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (Office): Bldg 110, Rm 264
2002 Holcombe Blvd
Houston, TX, 77030
United States

Education

Fellowship at St Louis University School of Medicine: 03/1994 - St Louis, Missouri, United States; Geriatric Medicine

Residency at Washington University - Barnes-Jewish Hospital: 06/1993 - St Louis, Missouri, United States; Internal Medicine

Fellowship at Washington University - Barnes-Jewish Hospital: 06/1991 - St Louis, Missouri, United States; Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism

MD from Cebu Institute of Medicine: Cebu City, Philippines

Certifications

Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism: American Board of Internal Medicine

Honors & Awards

Academic Excellence in Clinical Research: Physician Enterprise Vision Award (07/2023)

Michael E. DeBakey M.D. Excellence in Research Award: Baylor College of Medicine (05/2020)

Clinical Trials Advisory Panel (CTAP), National Institute on Aging: National Institutes of Health, Panel Member (11/2016 - 10/2020)

Clinical Integrative Diabetes and Obesity (CIDO) Study Section: National Institutes of Health, Standing Member (01/2010 - 12/2014)

K23 Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award: National Institute of Health (01/2001 - 12/2005)

Elected Fellow: Gerontological Society of America (FGSA, 2013) American College of Physicians (FACP, 2001) American College of Endocrinology (FACE, 1996)

John M Kinney International Award for Nutrition and Metabolism: (01/1992)

Professional Interests

Lifestyle, hormonal, and metabolic interventions to prevent or ameliorate sarcopenic obesity, frailty, and age-related decline in older adults.

Professional Statement

I am a physician-scientist with specialized training in geriatrics and endocrinology. My research focuses on lifestyle interventions, particularly weight loss and exercise, to improve physical function and health outcomes in older adults with obesity. In my clinical and translational research, I investigate nutritional, behavioral, and metabolic strategies to prevent or ameliorate age-related conditions, including sarcopenic obesity and type 2 diabetes. My goal is to translate this research into effective treatment strategies that promote healthy aging and preserve physical independence in older adults.

Websites

VIICTR Publications List

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Faculty

Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID)

Selected Publications

Nava ML, Viola V, Aguilar M, Bryant MS, Nambi V, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Metformin added to lifestyle intervention for physical function in older adults with obesity (DEMFOS trial): a randomised controlled trial " Lancet Healthy Longev. 2026 Jul ; 100883.
Pubmed PMID: 42532077.
Gregori G, Mediwala S, Liebschner M, Kim D, Bryant MS, Klonis N, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Bone Quality Response to Lifestyle Intervention in Older Adults with Obesity (LIMB-Q Trial): a Randomized Controlled Trial " Lancet Healthy Longev. 2025 Sep 30; 6 : 100761.
Pubmed PMID: 40976254.
Viola V, Samanta T, Nava M, Celli A, Armamento-Villareal R, Nguyen N, Colleluori G, Barnouin Y, Napoli N, Qualls C, Kaipparettu B, Villareal DT. " Testosterone Modulation of Muscle Transcriptomic Profile During Lifestyle Therapy in Older Men with Obesity and Hypogonadism " J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2025 Feb 16; 1 : e13697.
Pubmed PMID: 40035362.
Villareal DT, Aguirre L, Gurney AB, Waters DL, Sinacore DR, Colombo E, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C. " Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, in Dieting Obese Older Adults " N Engl J Med. 2017 18; 376 : 1943-55.
Pubmed PMID: 28514618.
Villareal DT, Chode S, Parimi N, Sinacore DR, Hilton T, Armamento-Villareal R, Napoli N, Qualls C, Shah K. " Weight Loss, Exercise, or Both and Physical Function in Obese Older Adults " N Engl J Med. 2011 ; 364 : 1219-1229.
Pubmed PMID: 21449785.
Celli A, Barnouin Y, Jiang B, Blevins D, Colleluori G, Mediwala S, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Lifestyle Intervention Strategy to Treat Diabetes in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial " Diabetes Care. 2022 ; 45 (9) : 1943-1952.
Pubmed PMID: 35880801.
Colleluori G, Aguirre L, Phadnis U, Fowler K, Armamento-Villareal R, Sun X, Brunetti L, Hyoung Park J, Kaipparettu BA, Purluri N, Auetumrongsawat V, Yarasheski K, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Aerobic Plus Resistance Exercise in Obese Older Adults Improves Muscle Protein Synthesis and Preserves Myocellular Quality Despite Weight Loss " Cell Metab. 2019 ; 30 (2) : 261-273.
Pubmed PMID: 31279675.
Barnouin Y, Armamento-Villareal R, Celli A, Jiang B, Paudyal A, Nambi V, Bryant MS, Marcelli M, Garcia JM, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Testosterone Replacement Therapy Added to Intensive Lifestyle Intervention in Older Men With Obesity and Hypogonadism " J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Mar 8; (3) : e1096-e1110.
Pubmed PMID: 33351921.
Waters DL, Aguirre L, Gurney AB, Sinacore DR, Fowler K, Gregori G, Armamento-Villareal R, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Effect of Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, on Intermuscular and Visceral Fat and Physical and Metabolic Function in Older Adults with Obesity While Dieting " J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2022 ; 77 (1) : 131-139.
Pubmed PMID: 33839788.
Armamento-Villareal R, Aguirre L, Waters DL, Napoli N, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Effect of Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, on Bone Mineral Density and Bone Metabolism in Obese Older Adults While Dieting: A Randomized Controlled Trial " J Bone Miner Res. 2020 ; 35 : 430-439.
Pubmed PMID: 31797417.
Ho E, Qualls C, Villareal DT. " Effect of Diet, Exercise, or Both on Biological Age and Healthy Aging in Older Adults with Obesity: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial " J Nutr Health Aging. 2022 ; 26 (6) : 552-557.
Pubmed PMID: 35718862.
Weiss, E. P., Albert, S. G., Reeds, D. N., Kress, K. S., Ezekiel, U. R., McDaniel, J. L., Patterson, B. W., Klein, S., & Villareal, D. T. " Calorie Restriction and Matched Weight Loss from Exercise: Independent and Additive Effects on Glucoregulation and the Incretin System in Overweight Women and Men " Diabetes Care. 2015 ;
Pubmed PMID: 25877812.
Villareal DT, Banks M, Sinacore DR, Siener C, Klein S.. " Effect of weight loss and exercise on frailty in obese older adults " Arch Int Med. 2006 ; 166 : 860-866.
Pubmed PMID: 16636211.
Villareal DT. Banks, M, Siener C, Sinacore DR, Klein S.. " Body composition and physical frailty in obese elderly women and men " Obes Res. 2004 ; 12 : 913-920.
Pubmed PMID: 15229329.
Batsis JA, Villareal DT. " Sarcopenic obesity in older adults: aetiology, epidemiology and treatment strategies " Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2018 Sep ; 14 (9) : 513-537.
Pubmed PMID: 30065268.
Villareal DT, Apovian CM, Kushner RF, Klein S. " Obesity in older adults: technical review and position statement of the American Society for Nutrition and NAASO, The Obesity Society " Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Nov ; 82 (5) : 923-934.
Pubmed PMID: 16280421.

Funding

Lifestyle Intervention plus Metformin to Treat Frailty in Older Veterans with Obesity #101 CX002161: Grant funding from VA Merit Review

Testosterone Replacement to Augment Lifestyle Therapy in Obese Older Veterans #CX000906: (01/01/2015 - 12/31/2019); Grant funding from VA Merit Grant Review

Does Lifestyle Intervention in Obese Older Adults Improve Bone Quality? #R01 DK109950: Grant funding from NIH - NIDDK