不良研究所

Catherine L. Mah聽 MD, FRCPC, PhD

Professor | School of Health Administration
Dalhousie University

WHEN: Monday, January 6, 2025, from 4 to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Hybrid| 2001 不良研究所 College, Rm 1140 |
NOTE: Catherine Mah will be presenting from Halifax

Abstract

The cost of food is a barrier to achieving improved population nutrition. Nutritious diets, on average, tend to cost more. The affordability of food can contribute to socioeconomic inequalities in diet, nutrition, and health. Since the 2008 financial crisis and COVID-19, governments are now at a crossroads in food affordability policy, with prior social progress on living standards having stalled or declined. Linear programming studies have shown it is possible to model diets that are low-cost, and that optimize key nutrition parameters (and palatability, ecological sustainability, etc.) However, examination of expenditure patterns and consumed diets is beginning to demonstrate the vast gaps between population actual consumption, and science-based reference diets. This presentation will examine developments in economic and social indicators through which food affordability is monitored for public policy purposes in Canada.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this talk, attendees will:

• Describe economic and social indicators through which food affordability is monitored for public policy purposes in Canada;
• Contextualize the use of these indicators to address varied normative policy goals;
• Explore options for public investment in high-quality digital food cost measurement with nutrition in mind.

Speaker Bio

Catherine L. Mah is Professor in the School of Health Administration at Dalhousie University and holds the Canada Research Chair in Promoting Healthy Populations. She is most widely known for her scientific work in nutrition and food insecurity policy, and teaches health policy. She was an appointee to Health Canada鈥檚 Nutrition Science Advisory Committee (2020-2023) and the inaugural Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council (2020-2022). She currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Council of Canadian Academies. In 2022, Dr. Mah was the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal from Nova Scotia.