Experts Weigh-In: Why the Whole Food Effect Matters

Webinar

Dietitians have long provided a food first approach for healthy eating, a practice that is increasingly supported by evidence on the “food matrix”, which describes how a food’s structure or form influences the behaviour of its nutrients and other compounds. The Dairy Matrix refers to the unique structure of dairy foods, its components (e.g., nutrients and non-nutrients), and how they interact. In this webinar, leading experts discuss their recent work examining the Dairy Matrix and the whole food effect on cardiometabolic outcomes. 

At the end of this webinar, you will:  

  • Understand the limitations of a nutrient-focused approach versus a whole-food matrix approach to achieving optimal nutrition.   

  • Explore the role of the food matrix in health outcomes and the possible impact of recent research on future dietary guidance.   

  • Discover practical strategies for using a whole food approach in daily practice.   

Moderator
Sue Mah

SUE MAH, MHSc, RD, PHEc, FDC

Award-winning Dietitian
Founder & President, Nutrition Solutions Inc

Sue is a multiple award-winning registered dietitian and Founder of Nutrition Solutions, a consulting agency specializing in creative nutrition communications. With over 25 years of experience as a trusted media dietitian, she has appeared on 12 television commercials, 35 television shows and more than 500 media interviews.

A former instructor at the Toronto Metropolitan University, Sue is passionate about raising the profile of dietitians. She provides media training and mentorship to dietitians, helping them communicate nutrition science with confidence and credibility.

In 2019, Sue received the prestigious C.P. Shah Alumni Award of Excellence in Public Health from the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She is also a Fellow of Dietitians of Canada and has been honoured with a Member Recognition Award for her innovative contributions to the dietetic profession. 

Speaker
Dr. G. Harvey Anderson

G. HARVEY ANDERSON, PhD

Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Physiology,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Dr. G. Harvey Anderson is Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. He holds a BSc and MSc from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alberta and PhD, Nutritional Biochemistry from the University of Illinois and completed postdoctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is Director of the NSERC University-Industry Program in Food Safety, Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs (PFSNRA) and past-Director of the Child Centre for Nutrition, Health, and Development. He has served the University as Associate Dean School of Graduate Studies; Dean and Associate Dean, Research, Faculty of Medicine; Chair, Department of Nutritional Sciences; and as an elected member of the Governing Council.

Speaker
Dr. Vicky Drapeau

VICKY DRAPEAU, PhD, RD (DtP)

Professor (Associate)
Department of Kinesiology, Université Laval

Vicky Drapeau, PhD, DtP holds a bachelor degree in nutrition and a doctorate in kinesiology from Université Laval. She is a Professor of Nutrition in the Faculty of Kinesiology, the co-director of the Clinique Équilibre-Santé at Université Laval and a researcher at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute and the NUTRISS/Institute on Nutrition and Functional Foods research centers. Her research program is related to eating behaviors and appetite control, healthy weight management and health education/promotion. She is currently leading RCTs aimed to promote healthy eating and sustainable health. 

Speaker
Benoît Lamarche, PhD

BENOIT LAMARCHE, PhD

Professor at the School of Nutrition
Scientific Director of the Research Center NUTRISS, Université Laval

Benoît Lamarche is Professor at the School of Nutrition and Scientific Director and founder of the FRQS-funded Research Center on Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS). He has published more than 450 peer-reviewed papers on physiological, clinical, epidemiological and public health issues related to nutrition, food and health. His research has been funded by CIHR uninterruptedly for the last 28 years. He currently leads NutriQuébec, the largest population-based study on nutrition and health funded by the Gouvernement du Québec. He has contributed to the training of more than 70 MSc, PhD students and postdocs. He has received numerous awards, including awards from the Société Québécoise de lipidologie, nutrition et métabolisme (Prix des Fondateurs, 2013) and the Canadian Nutrition Society (the Khursheed Jeejeebhoy Award, 2020, Canadian Nutrition Society Fellow, 2024). He has co-written two books with the acclaimed Chef Jean Soulard on the topics of nutrition, sport and health. Benoît Lamarche is an Olympian (1984, 1988) in long track speed skating.