Biography
Taavi Tillmann is currently an Associate Professor of public Health at University of Tartu. He won the First Prize of the Estonian National Contest for Young Scientists at high school level at 18 and his professional life and career have been intensively evolving ever since. He attained a MBChB in Medicine, BSc in Psychology, MSc in Public Health (health economics stream). Consequently, he did his PhD in Epidemiology of heart diseases in different parts of the world and specialized in the practical side of public health medicine. In London he had a part time role at UCL and worked for the screening health checks programmes for heart diseases.
A paper published in the British Medical Journal, “Education and coronary heart disease” on research conducted by a team led by Taavi Tillmann shows that pursuing education directly reduces the risk of heart attack. The results of the study are far-reaching - using a complex gene analysis, the authors demonstrated that 3.6 years of extra education lowers the likelihood of heart disease by no fewer than 33 percent. “I attended an unrelated meeting at the genome center where it turned out they were about to publish a paper in the Nature journal, in which they describe 162 gene markers that push people to obtain a little more education. I had to jump out of my seat – it was such an important breakthrough!” Tillmann says in connection with the study realization.
With all this experience it not surprising that Tillmann’s greatest scientific contribution is in the field of public health and prevention. He builds his conclusions on the known facts of science and is confident that the key factors of maintaining good health are sufficient movement and healthy food.
General practitioners can write a prescription for exercising. Policymakers also need to step in and contribute by promoting a car-free commute culture and focusing on planning for motor-free sidewalks and streets.
Based on his scientific experience, Tillmann goes even further stating that the exemption of fruit and vegetables VAT and putting higher tax on sugar and energy drinks, sweets and snacks will dramatically influence public health.
photo: © Erik Prozes, Scanpix
With all this experience it not surprising that Tillmann’s greatest scientific contribution is in the field of public health and prevention. He builds his conclusions on the known facts of science and is confident that the key factors of maintaining good health are sufficient movement and healthy food.
General practitioners can write a prescription for exercising. Policymakers also need to step in and contribute by promoting a car-free commute culture and focusing on planning for motor-free sidewalks and streets.
Based on his scientific experience, Tillmann goes even further stating that the exemption of fruit and vegetables VAT and putting higher tax on sugar and energy drinks, sweets and snacks will dramatically influence public health.