Background and experience
Therese Fostervold Mathisen is a dietitian, exercise physiologist, and professor of health sciences. Her education includes a bachelor’s degree from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH), a cand.mag. degree from the Department of Nutrition at the University of Oslo, a master’s degree in sports nutrition from Loughborough University (England) and NIH, and a PhD in sport science from NIH.
Since 2006, Therese has served as CEO of her own company, TheMa Nutrition, where she provides lectures, knowledge dissemination, and professional consultations. In 2019, she initiated the professional community Norwegian Association for Health and Exercise Physiologists, which she led until 2023. Since 2020, she has chaired the Norwegian Society for Eating Disorders (2020–present).
Areas of responsibility
Therese Fostervold Mathisen, together with Professor Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen, leads the focus area "Elite Sports Health and Performance for Females" at the Oslo Research Center for Women’s Sport, Physical Activity and Health at NIH.
PhD Supervisor for:
- Helge E. Lundberg in the project “Is it possible to prevent impaired bone mass in cross-country skiers through daily intake of Jarlsberg cheese?”
- Anders Aksel Mellbye in the project “The Weight of Victory”
- Eva Berg Stensrud in the project “Young Athlete Body Project – prevention of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders among adolescent athletes.”
Research
Therese’s research interests span nutrition, physical activity and sport, mental and physical health, and performance. Her main focus areas include the prevention and treatment of eating disorders in women both in the general population and in sports, exercise as part of eating disorder treatment, prevention of REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), health effects of an elite sports career (“retired athletes”), the understanding and impact of different motivations for physical activity and health behaviors, and the health and performance effects of various nutritional interventions.