Dr. Diane Finegood

How Much is Too Much?

Diane Finegood Weighs in on Obesity and Healthy Body Weight

The last 30 years has seen a dramatic increase in the percentage of Canadians who are either overweight or obese. With obesity rates now closing in on a quarter of the adult population, the direct and indirect health costs are estimated to be over $4.3 billion annually. In addition, the social costs such as decreased quality of life are also significant.

Diane Finegood, Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes leadership (INMD) wants to see changes that halt this trend. Under her leadership the INMD has set obesity and healthy body weight research as its sole strategic priority. Consequently, Canada's obesity research has expanded with support for projects, health networks, trainees and partnerships with both private and public institutions across the nation.

Dr. Finegood is also applying her own expertise in mathematical modeling to the complex biological, social, cultural and environmental root factors of obesity. She suggests that we rethink the traditional mantra of eat less and exercise more. She believes this oversimplifies the problem and doesn't address the most effective and cost-effective interventions. She believes factors such as access to healthy foods and physical activity in the places we work, live and play; international food regulation; advertising; access to public transportation; and genetics all play a critical role in the fight against obesity. Comprehensive, multi-level interventions are needed, and INMD is supporting research and evaluation on prevention and treatment including research on real world policies and programs.

Dr. Finegood is a professor in the school of Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University, where she conducts research supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Her previous focus was on modeling the complex systems regulating glucose metabolism in diseases such as impaired glucose tolerance, type 1 (juvenile onset) and type 2 (adult onset) diabetes mellitus. She is now turning her attention to the complex systems supporting the obesity epidemic.

Dr. Finegood has a doctoral degree in Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Southern California and engineering degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University. She has received numerous awards for her contributions, including The 2008 Frederick Banting Award from the Canadian Diabetes Association, NAASO - the Obesity Society's 2005 George Bray Founder's Award, and the 2005 Distinguished Nutrition Leadership Award from the Danone Institute, Canada.

For further information, please contact Dr. Diane Finegood using the Email contact form or by phone at 778 782-3319