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Health Sciences; Medical Sciences; Social Sciences and Humanities

Malek Batal

Déterminants environnementaux, sociaux, économiques et culturels des choix alimentaires

Professeur titulaire

Faculté de médecine - Département de nutrition

Pavillon Liliane de Stewart, room 2250-4

514 343-6111 #35177

malek.batal@umontreal.ca

Professeur titulaire

École de santé publique - Département de médecine sociale et préventive

malek.batal@umontreal.ca

Media

Malek Batal - Membre 2022 de la Société royale du Canada

Malek Batal est professeur de nutrition publique au Département de nutrition de la Faculté de médecine de l’Université de Montréal (UdeM). Il est titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada (niveau 1) sur les inégalités en nutrition et santé (www.CIENS-malekbatal.com) et membre de la Société royale du Canada et de l'Académie canadienne des sciences de la santé.

Profile

Research expertise

  • Nutrition internationale
  • Sécurité alimentaire
  • Nutrition des peuples autochtones
  • Systèmes alimentaires
  • Migration et santé nutritionnelle
  • Inégalités en nutrition et santé

Biography

Malek Batal is a Professor at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Medicine and the Director of the WHO-Collaborating Centre on Nutrition Changes and Development (TRANSNUT). Malek holds the Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities (CIENS) and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He conducts participatory research studying the links between environment and food system health and population health, in an effort to redress health inequities. Equally important to scientific rigor is the relevance and usefulness of his research to society. This is why he collaborates as part of transdisciplinary research teams with First Nations in Canada and Indigenous and rural people internationally, prioritizing engagement with knowledge users from civil society and governments and putting his research findings at the service of public policy.

Among First Nations, he is involved in two pan-Canadian projects: the First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (www.FEHNCY.ca) and the First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (www.FNFNES.ca), which measure and qualify the dietary intake and the risk of exposure to environmental contaminants among First Nations adults, children and youth living on reserve across the country. Both projects are funded by Indigenous Services Canada. With funding from CIHR, he is undertaking several projects on food security for First Nations, including one project with the Okanagan Nation Alliance assessing the impact on food quality, food security and health of an environmental remediation project and the reintroduction of salmon into the Okanagan water system and a project on the impact of climate change on food security and nutrition in four coastal First Nations in British Columbia.

Internationally, Malek Batal is involved in several projects, including one in Ecuador through joint funding from CIHR and IDRC as part of the Global Alliance for Chronic Disease to study the potential of agro-ecology and alternative food networks in the fight against diabetes and hypertension, as a follow-up to the project assessing the impact on food and health of a national campaign and food policies on nutrition labelling, also in Ecuador. In Haiti, he is co-leading a project on the nutritional health of mothers and their young children with significant four-year funding from Global Affairs Canada. Through a G3 partnership http://g3univ.org, he is undertaking an online training project on the nutritional management of diabetes in a developing country context. Since September 2014, he has been the Director of TRANSNUT, the WHO-Collaborating Centre on Nutrition Changes and Development.

Awards and recognitions

Fellow, Royal Society of Canada

Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

CIHR Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Nutrition and Health Inequalities

For more information…

Teaching and supervision

Teaching

Student supervision

Theses and dissertation supervision (Papyrus Institutional Repository)

2021

Diversity from farm to plate : nutrition and food relationships among agroecological farmers in Ecuador

Graduate : Deaconu, Ana Laura
Cycle : Doctoral
Grade : Ph. D.
2021

La sécurité alimentaire des réfugiés réinstallés au Québec : le cas des réfugiés syriens

Graduate : Chevrier, Joanie
Cycle : Master's
Grade : M. Sc.
2019

Sécurité alimentaire et diversité alimentaire des ménages en Haïti

Graduate : Sebai, Ines
Cycle : Master's
Grade : M. Sc.
2018

The Association Between Food Security and Diet Quality Among First Nations Living On-Reserve in Canada

Graduate : Steinhouse, Lara
Cycle : Master's
Grade : M. Sc.
2017

The link between self-production of food and diet quality in adults living in rural Lebanon

Graduate : Al-Masri, Hiba
Cycle : Master's
Grade : M. Sc.

Projects

Research projects

2023 - 2029

Leveraging Guatemalan farmers’ existing organization around food sovereignty and agroecology for reducing risk of pesticide- and diet-related noncommunicable diseases

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-Subvention d'équipe
2023 - 2028

#WeFeedYou, and yet…: How are temporary migrant workers’ food security, nutrition and health shaped in Quebec’s agrifood system – A participatory action research multiple-case study

Lead researcher : Rosanne Blanchet
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-(PJT) Subvention Projet
2020 - 2028

Chaire de recherche du Canada sur les inégalités en nutrition et santé

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: SPIIE/Secrétariat des programmes interorganismes à l’intention des établissements
Grant programs: PVX50399-Chaires de recherche du Canada
2021 - 2026

Developing adaptation strategies for healthy fisheries and food security for First Nations in British Columbia under climate change

Lead researcher : Laurie Chan
Co-researchers : Malek Batal
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-(PJT) Subvention Projet
2019 - 2026

Evaluating, refining and bringing to scale the endogenous health-promoting attributes of alternative food networks to address diabetes mellitus and hypertension among Ecuadorian farmers

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Co-researchers : Kate Zinszer , Myriam Paredes
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-Subvention d'équipe
2019 - 2026

Food, Environment, Health and Nutrition of First Nations Chiidren and Youth (FEHNCY)

Lead researcher : Laurie Chan
Co-researchers : Malek Batal
Funding sources: Services aux Autochtones Canada
Grant programs:
2023 - 2025

Bringing nutrition to life among vulnerable populations: experiences from Latin America and Canada

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-Subvention d'ateliers et de colloques scientifiques tenus au Canada
2023 - 2025

NutriMe-Kaskina Awacak: recherche en communauté en nutrition et métabolisme des enfants et adolescents en situation de précarité

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: FCI/Fondation canadienne pour l'innovation
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-Fonds des leaders
2019 - 2024

Évaluation et mise à l'échelle de réseaux alimentaires alternatifs pour la lutte contre le diabète et l'hypertension en Équateur / Evaluating and bringing to scale alternative food networks to adress diabetes melitus and hypertension

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Co-researchers : Kate Zinszer , Myriam Paredes
Funding sources: CRDI/Centre de recherches pour le développement international
Grant programs:
2016 - 2023

Évaluation of the Health and Healthy Equity Outcomes of Okanagan Sockeye Salmon Reintroduction Initiatives

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Co-researchers : Noreen Willows , Laurie Chan
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXX5647-(MOP) Subvention de fonctionnement incluant les subventions de fonctionnement programmatiques (général)
2019 - 2020

Projet de recherche sur la santé nutritionnelle des mères et des enfants (PRSNME)

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: Ministère des Relations internationales, de la Francophonie et du Commerce extérieur
Grant programs:
2017 - 2020

The impact of socio-economic, geography and cultural factors on household food insecurity of Syrian refugees: a comprehensive study after resettlement in Canada

Lead researcher : Hassanali Vatanparast
Co-researchers : Malek Batal
Funding sources: CRSH/Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-Subvention Savoir
2016 - 2020

Appui prénatal, périnatal, postnatal et nutritionnel en Grand'Anse et au sud d'Haïti (A3PN)

Co-researchers : Malek Batal
Funding sources: Affaires mondiales Canada
Grant programs:
2016 - 2019

First Nation Food Nutrition and Environment Study

Lead researcher : Laurie Chan
Co-researchers : Malek Batal
Funding sources: Santé Canada
Grant programs:
2015 - 2019

Pulling together for health: food security in first nations communities

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-Subvention de fonctionnement transitoire
2013 - 2019

FIRST NATION FOOD NUTRITION AND ENVIRONMENT STUDY

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Co-researchers : Olivier Receveur
Funding sources: Santé Canada
Grant programs:
2016 - 2017

Profil, pratiques et comportements alimentaires d'usagers de Moisson Montréal

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Co-researchers : Marie Marquis
Funding sources: MITACS Inc. , Ministère Économie et Innovation
Grant programs: PVXXXXXX-Stage Accélération Québec - MITACS , PVXXXXXX-Prog. soutien rech (PSR v1B): Soutien à des projets rech. (Mitacs)
2016 - 2017

Profil, pratiques et comportements alimentaires d'usagers de Moisson Montréal

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Co-researchers : Marie Marquis
2014 - 2017

PULLING TOGETHER FORHEALTH : FOOD SECURITY IN FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: IRSC/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Grant programs: PVXX5647-(MOP) Subvention de fonctionnement incluant les subventions de fonctionnement programmatiques (général)
2014 - 2015

LA CONSOMMATION DE PRODUITS ULTRA-TRANSFORMÉS AU QUÉBEC ET SON ASSOCIATION AVEC L'OBÉSITÉ

Lead researcher : Malek Batal
Funding sources: MSSS/Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux
Grant programs:

Outreach

Publications and presentations

Publications

  • Mildon A, Decelles S, Salameh B, Sebai I, Batal M (2022). Protecting both infant and mother: perceptions of infant feeding practices in rural Haiti. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2022; 6: e2022054. doi:10.29392/001c.38736
  • Decelles S, Nardocci M, Mildon A, Salameh B, Batal M+ (2022). Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among Haitian children under 6 months of age. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2022 Jul 16;46:e84. doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2022.84. PMID: 35855440; PMCID: PMC9288224. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9288224/
  • Blanchet R, Willows N, Johnson S; Okanagan Nation Salmon Reintroduction Initiatives, Batal M (2022). Enhancing cultural food security among the Syilx Okanagan adults with the reintroduction of Okanagan sockeye salmon. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2022 Feb;47(2):124-133. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2021-0321. Epub 2021 Nov 22. PMID: 34807751. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34807751/
  • Blanchet R, Batal M+, Johnson-Down L, Johnson S, Okanagan Nation Reintroduction Initiatives, Willows N (2021). An Indigenous food sovereignty initiative is positively associated with well-being and cultural connectedness in a survey of Syilx Okanagan adults in British Columbia, Canada. BMC Public Health 21, 1405 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11229-2
  • Issa C, Hobeika M, Khairallah W, El-Jawaldeh A, Batal M (2021). Timing and types of fluids and foods first introduced in a representative sample of toddlers attending day care programs across Lebanon: Are parents following international recommendations? Journal of Pediatric Nursing. Published online. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.07.003
  • Batal M+, Chan HM, Fediuk K, Ing A, Berti P, Sadik T, Johnson-Down L (2021). Importance of the traditional food systems for First Nations adults living on reserves in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health112, 20–28 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00353-y
  • Batal M+, Chan HM, Fediuk K, Ing A, Berti P, Sadik T, Johnson-Down L (2021). Associations of health status and diabetes among First Nations Peoples living on-reserve in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 112, 154–167 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00488-6
  • Batal M, Kenny TA, Johnson-Down L, Chan L, Sadik T, Ing A, Fediuk K, Willows N (2022). Development of an optimal grocery list based on actual intake from a cross-sectional study of First Nations adults in Ontario, Canada. Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolismhttps://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0950

  • Blanchet R, Batal M+, Johnson-Down L, Johnson S, Okanagan Nation Reintroduction Initiatives, Willows N (2021). An Indigenous food sovereignty initiative is positively associated with well-being and cultural connectedness in a survey of Syilx Okanagan adults in British Columbia, Canada. BMC Public Health 21, 1405 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11229-2
  • Issa C, Hobeika M, Khairallah W, El-Jawaldeh A, Batal M (2021). Timing and types of fluids and foods first introduced in a representative sample of toddlers attending day care programs across Lebanon: Are parents following international recommendations? Journal of Pediatric Nursing. Published online. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.07.003
  • Batal M+, Chan HM, Fediuk K, Ing A, Berti P, Sadik T, Johnson-Down L (2021). Importance of the traditional food systems for First Nations adults living on reserves in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health112, 20–28 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00353-y
  • Batal M+, Chan HM, Fediuk K, Ing A, Berti P, Sadik T, Johnson-Down L (2021). Associations of health status and diabetes among First Nations Peoples living on-reserve in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 112, 154–167 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00488-6
  • Batal M+, Chan HM, Fediuk K, Ing A, Berti P, Sadik T, Johnson-Down L (2021). Nutrient adequacy and nutrient sources of adults among ninety-two First Nations communities across Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 112, 29–40 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00490-y
  • Marushka L, Batal M, Tikhonov, Sadik T, Schwartz H, Ing A, Fediuk K, Chan HM (2021), Importance of Fish for Food and Nutrition Security among First Nations in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 112, 64–80 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00481-z   
  • Batal M+, Chan HM, Fediuk K, Ing A, Mercille G., Berti P, Sadik T, Johnson-Down L (2021). First Nations households living on reserve experience food insecurity: prevalence and predictors among ninety-two First Nations communities across Canada.Canadian Journal of Public Health. 112, 52–63 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00491-x    
  • Batal M+, Chan HM, Fediuk K, Ing A, Berti P, Sadik T, Johnson-Down L (2021). Comparison of measures of diet quality using 24-hour recall data of First Nations adults living on reserves in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 112, 41–51 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00489-5
  • Berti PR, Nardocci M, Tran MH, Batal M, Brodmann R, Greliche N, Saville NM (2021). Using DHS and MICS data to complement or replace NGO baseline health data: an exploratory study. F1000Research, Vol 10:69. Published online. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.47618.1
  • Deaconu A*, Berti PR, Cole DC, Mercille G, Batal M+ (2021). Agroecology and nutritional health: A comparison of agroecological farmers and their neighbors in the Ecuadorian highlands. Food Policy, 2021, 102034, ISSN 0306-9192, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102034.
  • Deaconu A*, Berti PR, Cole DC, Mercille G, Batal M+ (2021).  Market Foods, Own Production and Social Economy: how food acquisition sources influence nutrient intake among Ecuadorian farmers and the role of agroecology in supporting healthy diets. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4410. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084410
  • Deaconu A*, Ekomer, Mercille G, Batal M. (2021). Promoting traditional foods for human and environmental health: lessons from agroecology and Indigenous communities in Ecuador. BMC Nutrition 7(1). https://bmcnutr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40795-020-00395-y
  • Mildon A, Decelles S, Salameh B, Sebai I, Batal M (2022). Protecting both infant and mother: perceptions of infant feeding practices in rural Haiti. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2022; 6: e2022054. doi:10.29392/001c.38736
  • Decelles S, Nardocci M, Mildon A, Salameh B, Batal M+ (2022). Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among Haitian children under 6 months of age. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2022 Jul 16;46:e84. doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2022.84. PMID: 35855440; PMCID: PMC9288224. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9288224/
  • Blanchet R, Willows N, Johnson S; Okanagan Nation Salmon Reintroduction Initiatives, Batal M (2022). Enhancing cultural food security among the Syilx Okanagan adults with the reintroduction of Okanagan sockeye salmon. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2022 Feb;47(2):124-133. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2021-0321. Epub 2021 Nov 22. PMID: 34807751. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34807751/
  • Deaconu A, Mercille G, Batal M. (2020). Promoting traditional foods for human and environmental health: lessons from agroecology and Indigenous communities in Ecuador. BMC Nutrition. 10.21203/rs.2.18285/v1
  • April-Lalonde G, Latorre S, Paredes M, Hurtado MF, Muñoz F, Deaconu A, Cole DC, Batal M*. (2020). Characteristics and Motivations of Consumers of Direct Purchasing Channels and The Perceived Barriers to Alternative Food Purchase: a Cross-Sectional Study in the Ecuadorian Andes. Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6923. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/6923/htm
  • Blanchet R, Willows N, Johnson S, Okanagan Nation Salmon Reintroduction Initiatives, Batal M (2020). Traditional Food, Health, and Diet Quality in Syilx Okanagan Adults in British Columbia, Canada. Nutrients, 12(4), 927; https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/4/927   
  • Domingo A, Springer J, Wittman H, Gruhn M, Chan HM, Tikhonov C, Ing A, Fediuk K, Sadik T, Batal M (2020). Predictors of household food insecurity and relationship with obesity in First Nations communities in British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario. Public Health Nutrition http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980019004889
  • Johnson-Down L, Willows N, Kenny TA, Ing A, Fediuk K, Sadik T, Chan HM, Batal M* (2019). Optimization modeling to improve the diets of First Nations individuals. Journal of Nutritional Science. vol. 8, e31, page 1 of 18.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jns.2019.30.
  • Batal M*, Decelles S (2019). A scoping review of obesity among Indigenous peoples in Canada. Journal of Obesity. Volume 2019, Article ID 9741090, 20 pages https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2019/9741090/
  • Deaconu A, Mercille G, Batal M (2019). The Agroecological Farmer’s Pathways from Agriculture to Nutrition: a practice-based case from Ecuador’s highlands. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, Vol 58(2), pp. 142-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/03670244.2019.1570179
  • Edde C. E, Delisle H, Daboné C, Batal M* (2019). Impact of the Nutrition-Friendly School Initiative: Analysis of anthropometric and biochemical data among school-aged children in Ouagadougou. Global Health Promotionhttps://doi.org/10.1177%2F1757975918789350
  • Willows N, Johnson-Down L, Kenny,T A, Chan HM, Batal M* (2018). Modelling optimal diets for quality and cost: examples from Inuit and First Nations communities in Canada. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. Jul; 44(7):696-703. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2018-0624 : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30566364
  • Batal M*, Steinhouse L, Delisle H (2018). La transition nutritionnelle et le double fardeau de la malnutrition. Médecine et santé tropicales, Vol 28(4), pp. 345-350. https://www.jle.com/fr/revues/mst/e-docs/la_transition_nutritionnelle_et_le_double_fardeau_de_la_malnutrition_313512/article.phtml

Disciplines

  • Nutrition
  • Dietetics
  • Preventive Medicine

Areas of expertise

  • Nutrition
  • Native Health
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Health Prevention
  • Canada
  • Canada (Québec)
  • Haiti
  • Americas
  • Middle East
  • Global Health and Emerging Diseases
  • Food safety
  • Diet
  • Social aspect of diet
  • Food hygiene
  • Social inequality
  • Immigrants
  • Population’s health
  • Public health
  • Community Health / Public Health