My thesis
Despite the knownÌýlink between nutrition and health, national dietary data haveÌýnot been collected since 2015, leaving a gap in understandingÌýpotentialÌýdietÌýquality shifts over the past decade. Existing dataÌýshowsÌýpoor diet quality in Canada, with indications of disparities among gender, income, education and racial-ethnic groups, but do not enableÌýassessment of whether diet quality is changing overÌýtime.
To fill this gap, myÌýthesis aims toÌýpresent a modified approach to the population ratio method to enable estimation ofÌýmean diet quality scoresÌýfrom 2018 to 2022 among adults in CanadaÌýoverall and amongÌýcertainÌýgroups,ÌýwhileÌýadjustingÌýfor sociodemographic characteristics.
The findings fromÌýmyÌýthesis will provideÌývaluableÌýinsights into trends in diet quality, including among groups with known dietary differences, during a rich contextual period. This evidence will informÌýdecision-making andÌýguideÌýpublic health actions regardingÌýdietaryÌýguidelinesÌýand programs within Canada’s food system.ÌýAdditionally, theÌýthesisÌýpresents a modifiedÌýapproach to theÌýpopulation ratio,Ìýproviding the opportunity to examine diet qualityÌýwhileÌýcontrolling for certain sociodemographic groups,Ìýaddressing aÌýnotableÌýlimitation of theÌýstandardÌýpopulation ratio.
My time in the School of Public Health Sciences (SPHS)
My time in SPHS has been marked by numerous memorable moments. OneÌýhighlightÌýhas been my active participation in the SPHS Graduate Student Association. Serving as the 2023-2024 Chief of Staff,ÌýaÌýpeerÌýmentor to incoming graduate students and a volunteer for various SPHS activities and events hasÌýbeen immensely fulfilling.Ìý
Additionally, I’ve been fortunate to have a supportive supervisor who has provided me with numerousÌýopportunitiesÌýtoÌýgrow in my area of interest —Ìýepidemiology.ÌýThis includes aÌýsummerÌýpracticum placement at Alberta’s Tomorrow ProjectÌýandÌýaÌýresearchÌýprojectÌýassistantship withÌýtheÌýDiet and PreventionÌýteam at BC Cancer.ÌýBothÌýopportunitiesÌýgranted me with the ability toÌýsee epidemiology in action, therefore confirming my interest in pursuing this career path.
Above all else,ÌýtheÌýfriendship formed throughÌýcountless office chatsÌýand café excursionsÌýsharedÌýwith my office mate,ÌýJoy,ÌýhasÌýbeenÌýan invaluable source ofÌýcomfort andÌýsupportÌýduring my MSc journey.
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