Mahsa Jessri

PhD, RD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Canada Research Chair in Nutritional Epidemiology for Population Health
Core Advisor, Nutrition Science Advisory Committee, Health Canada
American Society for Nutrition/ Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nutrition Research Taskforce

What children eat in their early years shapes their health for a lifetime. My research asks a simple but important question: how can government food policies help children and youth eat better and live healthier lives? I use large national datasets and computer models to measure whether policies like nutrition labels on food packages, restrictions on junk food marketing to kids, and changes to the food supply actually improve what children eat and reduce their risk of diseases like heart disease and diabetes later in life.

A major focus of my work is ensuring that food policies help all children equally, not just those who are already well-off. I study whether certain policies do more to help children in lower-income families, and newcomer populations. I also build free, publicly available tools that families, dietitians, and doctors can use to quickly check how healthy a child’s or adult’s diet is and what changes could make the biggest difference.

Working closely with policy makers and international organizations, I translate research findings into practical advice that governments can use when designing food policies. My ultimate goal is to helping the governments give every child in Canada and beyond the best possible start through a healthier food environment.