Noreen Willows
Contact
Professor Emeritus effective July 1 2024, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sci - Ag, Food & Nutri Sci Dept
- nwillows@ualberta.ca
- Phone
- (780) 492-3989
- Address
-
4-378 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy
11405 87 Ave NWEdmonton ABT6G 1C9
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Food culture; Indigenous nutrition and wellbeing; Social food trends; Nutritional anthropology
About
Degree
PhD, Human Nutrition, McGill University
Job/Research Area
Population and Public Health Nutrition
Awards
7-year (2010-2017) Health Scholar award from Alberta Innovates Health Solutions to engage in Population Health Intervention Research to Enhance Community Food Security in First Nation Communities in Alberta.
2015 and 2022 named by the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science as one of the “Teachers of the Year”
A 2015 research article was singled out as an example of “Creativity and Innovation in Nutrition Education” by the 2014-2015 President of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB), which represents the professional interests of nutrition educators in the United States and worldwide
2013 recipient of the Centrum Foundation New Scientist Award of the Canadian Nutrition Society for outstanding research in nutrition
2013 plaque recipient for contributions to improving the wellbeing of Alberta’s children, youth and family at Alberta Centre for Child, Family & Community Research 10th Anniversary Research Showcase
Research
Trainees
I am not accepting new trainees (MSc or PhD graduate students or postdoctoral fellows) into my research program.
Major Responsibilities/Research Interests
Noreen Willows has a PhD in Human Nutrition from McGill University and degrees in Archaeology (MA) and Anthropology (BSc with distinction) from the University of Calgary. She is Professor Emeritus effective July 2024 of Population and Public Health Nutrition at the University of Alberta but continues to teach and do research. Dr. Willows is a nutritional anthropologist. She uses anthropological, qualitative and quantitative methodologies for studying key aspects of the nutrition of individuals, families, and communities. Her research program explores the relationships between food and health; cultural meanings of food and health; how food beliefs and dietary practices affect the well-being of communities; and, how socio-cultural factors affect food intake and food selection. She takes a community-based, participatory approach to research, in which she collaborates respectfully with community members to find solutions to health problems. Her research focuses predominantly on First Nations communities. She has worked with First Nations communities in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec to help address their food security and nutrition concerns. It is collaborate research with First Nation communities to (1) gain information about food security to form the development of tailored, community-based interventions, and (2) to build community capacity to alleviate food insecurity. In addition, Dr. Willows has addressed key knowledge gaps about the food security situation of postsecondary students at the University of Alberta.
Teaching
For two decades, I taught a course on food and culture that explored traditional dietary patterns (e.g., Mediterranean diet, French Paradox, Asian diets, Indigenous diets of the Americas, etc.), Western diets, the nutrition transition, social food trends (e.g., plant-based diets, insects as human food), paleolithic diets, and the dietary habits of major religious groups.
In retirement, I continue to teach Introduction to Population and Public Health Nutrition. The course introduces students to concepts used in the fields of community, public health and global nutrition including the principles of population health, health promotion, cultural competency, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and working respectfully with communities.
Announcements
I am not accepting new trainees (MSc or PhD graduate students or postdoctoral fellows) into my research program.
Courses
NU FS 377 - Introduction to Population and Public Health Nutrition
Community nutrition is the application of public health principles to design programs, interventions, policies and environments that aim to achieve the optimal health of populations and targeted groups. The course will introduce students to concepts used in the fields of community, public health and global nutrition including the principles of population health, health promotion, nutrition education, cultural competency, and program planning and evaluation. Prerequisites: NU FS 223 and (NU FS 305 or NUTR 301). May contain alternative delivery sections: refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations section of the Calendar.
Featured Publications
Willows N, Dyck Fehderau D, Raine KD
Health & Social Care in the Community. 2016 January; 24 (5):567-575
Vallianatos H, Willows ND
Indigenous Peoples: perspectives, cultural roles and health care disparities. 2016 January;
Atkey KM, Raine KD, Storey KE, Willows ND
Health Promotion Practice. 2016 January; 17 (5):623-630
Hanbazaza M, Ball GD, Farmer A, Maximova K, Willows ND
Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition. 2016 January; 11 (4):569-577
Willows, N
Calcium: chemistry, analysis, function and effects. Victor Preedy, editor. 2016 January;
Triador L, Farmer A, Maximova K, Willows N, Kootenay J
Journal of nutrition education and behavior. 2015 January; 47 (2):176-180
Genuis SK, Willows N, Alexander First Nation, Jardine CG
International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2015 January; 74 (Jul 27):27838
Farahbakhsh J, Ball GD, Farmer AP, Maximova K, Hanbazaza M, Willows ND
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research. 2015 January; 76 (4):200-203
Yu YH, Farmer A, Mager D, Willows N
Journal of American College Health. 2014 January; 62 (4):278-284
Dyck Fehderau D, Holt NL, Ball GD, Alexander First Nation, Willows ND
Rural and Remote Health. 2013 January; 13 (2):2289
Willows, N., Batal, M
Nutrition in Infancy. 2013 January;
Levay AV, Mumtaz Z, Rashid SF, Willows N
Reproductive Health. 2013 January; 10 (1):53
Willows ND, Ridley D, Raine KD, Maximova K.M
BMC Pediatr. 2013 January; (Aug 12):13:118
Willows N
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2013 January; 38 (11):iii-v
Pigford AE, Dyck Feherau D, Ball GDC, Holt NL, Plotnikoff RC, Veugelers PJ, Arcand E, Alexander First Nation, Willows ND
Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Indigenous and Aboriginal Community Health. 2013 January; 11 (2):171-185
Willows ND, Veugelers P, Raine K, Kuhle S
Health Reports. 2011 January; 22 (2):15-20
Willows ND, Marshall D, Raine K, Ridley DC
Health Education Research. 2009 January; 24 (6):1051-1058
Downs SM, Arnold A, Marshall D, McCargar LJ, Raine KD, Willows ND
Public Health Nutrition. 2009 January; 12 (9):1504–1511
Black TL, Raine K, Willows ND
Canadian Journal of Diabetes. 2008 January; 32 (3):198-205