Graduated in Medicine from the Federal University of Bahia (1976-1981), Research Fellowship in Pediatric Nutrition at Cornell University (1983-1987) and PhD in Internal Medicine from the Federal University of Bahia (1992-1994). He is currently Full Professor at the Department of Pediatrics at the FMB at the Federal University of Bahia, has been consultant to the Ministry of Health, consultant to the World Health Organization, Researcher class 6 level 2 of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and ad-hoc consultant to the Council National Institute for Scientific and Technological Development. Has experience in Medicine, with emphasis on Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrology, working mainly on the following topics: diarrheal diseases, obesity, functional foods, micronutrients, energy expenditure and complementary feeding. He is currently head of the Pediatric Center at Hospital Aliança in Salvador, Bahia.