Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes and cancer are major causes of reduced quality of life, increased hospitalization, and premature death among Canadians. Poor diet is the largest and most common preventable risk factor for morbidity and premature death, even though the population health and healthcare impact of poor "dietary patterns" have not been determined. This project aims to measure the burden of chronic diseases (CVD, diabetes, cancer), mortality and healthcare use attributable to unhealthy dietary patterns, and to "reverse engineer", i.e. determine from linked morbidity and mortality data, culturally-relevant dietary patterns that provide the greatest health benefits to Canadians. Health and healthcare benefits of various dietary strategies that could be adopted to alter food supply in Canada will also be examined. Mathematical modelling (multivariable, and micro-simulation models) will be used to develop the world's most robust population health models to support evidence-based nutrition policy for reducing the health and healthcare burden of poor dietary patterns. This research is possible through the unique Canadian Community Health Survey 2.2 (n=35,107), which is population-based and recently individually linked to >60 health administrative databases, allowing very detailed assessment of health and social outcomes related to nutrition. Policy actors will be involved in model development to ensure that models address questions of real-world policy relevance. Final models will be used to develop risk-assessment tools (health calculators) that can increase awareness of health risks from poor dietary patterns and address a gap in clinical care by allowing more widespread assessment of dietary intakes as part of chronic disease risk assessment and management. The models and supporting data linkages will create a lasting infrastructure and will position Canada as a leader in population health assessment of diet and food policy.