Nutrition policy Social policy Socioeconomic inequities Social determinants of health Dietary patterns Dietary and health equity Population and public health Precision public health Food environments Food marketing to children Mixed methods
Dr. Dana Olstad is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, and holds Adjunct academic appointments in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary and in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. She is also a Registered Dietitian. Her primary expertise encompasses public health nutrition.
Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups have poorer dietary patterns than their more advantaged counterparts, and these differences have negative health consequences across the life course. As a population and public health scholar and Registered Dietitian, Dr. Olstad’s research investigates trends in socioeconomic inequities in diet quality and health, the structural drivers of these inequities, and the impact of scalable policy interventions to reduce them. The ultimate purpose of her work is to inform policies, both inside and outside of the health sector, to ensure that all individuals can access nutritious foods in support of their long-term health. Dr. Olstad uses qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods to accomplish her aims.
Degrees
Doctor of Philosophy (Specializations: Nutrition and Metabolism; Public Health), 2014
Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science and School of Public Health, University of Alberta
Master of Science (Specialization: Nutrition and Metabolism), 2002
Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta
Completion of Accredited Dietetic Internship, 2000
University of Alberta
Bachelor of Science (Nutrition and Food Science with Distinction), 2000
University of Alberta
Selected awards
Emerging Research Leader Award, 2019
O’Brien Institute for Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award in Community Health, 2019
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Early Career Researcher Invited Keynote Presentation, June 2018
Reconceptualizing precision in public health
International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting, Hong Kong
Early Career Researcher Award, 2015
Australia and New Zealand Obesity Society
Best abstract nominee (1 of 3 nominees), June 2020
Socioeconomic Inequalities Special Interest Group, International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting (virtual meeting due to COVID)
Best abstract nominee (1 of 3 nominees), June 2019
Socioeconomic Inequalities Special Interest Group, International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting, Prague
Best abstract nominee (1 of 3 nominees), June 2018
Socioeconomic Inequalities Special Interest Group, International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting, Hong Kong
Publications
HSOC 301: Health and Society 301
A broad-based, interdisciplinary overview of models of the determinants of health. Includes an analysis of evidence of the relative influence of environmental factors, health services, lifestyles and health behaviours, social and economic factors, biological predispositions, and the mechanisms involved in the societal uptake of various conceptions.
Supervision
I am currently accepting graduate students.
Apr 2018 - Mar 2024
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-Principal Knowledge User: O’Hara H
Co-investigator: Leblanc P, Downs S, Sajobi T, Minaker L, Nykiforuk C, McCormack G, McLaren L, Fournier B, Black J, Ball K
Funded by: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Apr 2020 - Sept 2024
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-Principal Investigator: Campbell D, Spackman E, Beall R
Co-Investigator: Chan C, Popeski N, O’Connell P, Cabaj J, Crowshoe C, Tyminski S, Spady M, Spice R, Braun T, Lewanczuk R, Basualdo-Hammond C, Hards L, Zimmerman G, Berkowitz S, Edwards A, Oster R, Williams K, Norris C, Seidel J, L’Abbe M, Nejatinamini S, McBrien K, Raine K, White L, Williamson T.
Funded by: Alberta Innovates
Mar 2018 - Mar 2022
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-Principal Investigator: Minaker L
Co-investigator: Sajobi T, McCormack G, De Koning L, Cooke M, Nykiforuk C, Faught E
Funded by: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Jan 2019 - Mar 2023
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-investigator Raine KD, Elliott C, Turko B, Barker D, Tyminski S
Funded by: O’Brien Institute for Public Health, Special Catalyst Competition to support the research and training program for health and vulnerable populations
Oct 2019 - Sept 2027
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-Principal Investigator: Lee J
Co-investigator: Elliott C, Yu Y, Prowse RJL
Funded by: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Mar 2019 - Mar 2022
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-investigator: Lee J, Elliott C, Yu Y, Prowse RJL
Funded by: New Frontiers in Research Fund
Sept 2021 - Aug 2023
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-Investigator: Blanchet R, Livingstone K, Chowdhury T, Vanderlee L, Hammond D, Nejatinamini S
Funded by: MSI Foundation
Jun 2021 - May 2023
Nominated Principal Investigator: Olstad DL
Co-Principal Investigator: Blanchet R
Co-Investigator: Livingstone K, Chowdhury T, Vanderlee L, Hammond D, Nejatinamini S, Tyminski S, Prowse R, Jafri K, Nganda L, Bencz-Knight T, Lake DM, Rashid R
Funded by O'Brien Institute for Public Health