Sharon Kirkpatrick

Research interests

I am a Registered Dietitian with training in community and public health nutrition. My research focuses on the intersections between nutrition, human and planetary health, equity, and policy, using a systems thinking lens.

Much of my work is aimed at improving methodologies for measuring dietary patterns to foster robust evidence on how these patterns influence human and planetary health and how to promote healthy and sustainable eating practices. My research also examines nutrition and dietary inequities, and I have longstanding interests in the determinants and implications of household food insecurity.

Finally, my work explores the utility of systems thinking and methods to better understand the array of factors that shape major nutrition and public health challenges and the potential intended and unintended consequences of policies and other interventions to address these challenges.

Graduate supervision and student opportunities

I am currently accepting applications from graduate students with research interests related to:

• Dietary assessment
• Dietary patterns
• Nutrition and dietary inequities and household food security
• Environmental sustainability of dietary patterns
• Application of systems thinking/methods to nutrition and health challenges

Graduate studies application details

Teaching interests

• Public and population health
• Public health nutrition 
• Dietary assessment
• Systems thinking 

Education

BKin Kinesiology, McMaster University

BASc Applied Human Nutrition, University of Guelph

MHSc Community Nutrition, University of Toronto

PhD Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Calgary

Visiting Fellow, National Cancer Institute, U.S.A.

Selected publications

See Google Scholar for full list of publications.

Selected professional activities and networks

Member, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Diabetes Institute Advisory Board

Member, Canadian Nutrition Society Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group

President, International Society for Diet and Activity Methods

Member, Waterloo Climate Institute

Member, Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation

Member, Alberta’s Tomorrow Project Scientific Steering Committee

Member, U.S. National Cancer Institute Measurement Error Group

Member, College of Dietitians of Ontario