A program of social epidemiology and metabolic outcomes research (SEMOR) to support healthy aging

Obesity is one of many chronic conditions that are rising in Canada, with heart disease as the top killer for women. Social inequalities exist in these conditions, but few studies focus on the social causes of obesity in women versus men, or on how social causes reinforce each other.

My research program aims to fill these knowledge gaps so that interventions to prevent and manage chronic conditions can be better designed and more effective. One of my projects is focused on co-developing novel ways to promote heart health among Indigenous women because of the profound burden of CVD in one of Canada’s most marginalised group. A key program goal is to produce strong research evidence to inform public health strategies and interventions for preventive action on obesity, and to build capacity of the next generation of researchers and healthcare providers to further improve health and health equity in Canada, especially BC.