Discussion panel: Redefining obesity - Implications for epidemiological research, population health, and public health
Dr. Marie-Pierre Sylvestre is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the School of Public Health, University of Montreal, and a regular researcher at the Innovation Hub of the CRCHUM. Her research program is rooted in public health and aims to develop, adapt, and compare statistical methods for analyzing complex longitudinal data to inform and assist health professionals and public health decision-makers. She is particularly interested in the determinants and consequences of cannabis use on the physical and psychological health of users. Dr. Tracie Barnett is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McGill University and a researcher at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center (CHU Sainte-Justine). Her research program focuses on the influence of the built and social environment on cardiometabolic outcomes. More specifically, her work aims to define relevant environments, produce meaningful indicators for residential neighborhoods, schools, and social networks, and explore how these evolve over time to test their potential influence on cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity and lifestyle-related behaviors. Dr. Mélanie Henderson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health at McGill University and an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Montreal. She is a pediatric endocrinologist and researcher at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center (CHU Sainte-Justine). Her research interests primarily focus on pediatric cardiometabolic health and its epidemiology. She is particularly interested in the influence of lifestyle habits (physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, sleep) on metabolic health in various populations, including healthy children and those living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with the goal of identifying the best prevention strategies. Reference article for the discussion panel: - Rubino F, Cummings DE, Eckel RH, et al. Definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. 2025;13(3):221-262.