Dr. Vasanti Malik, ScD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention. Her research focuses on dietary and lifestyle determinants of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases across diverse populations and life stages, with additional expertise in environmental sustainability and food systems. Using epidemiological studies, clinical trials, implementation science, and evidence synthesis, her work informs dietary guidelines, public health policy, and community-based programs that prevent chronic diseases and promote more sustainable food systems. Dr. Malik has also developed a database of the environmental impacts of foods consumed in Canada to help consumers make healthier and more sustainable food choices. She has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers, served on expert advisory committees for organizations including the World Health Organization and American Heart Association, and collaborates on nutrition and chronic disease prevention research in Canada, the United States, and internationally.
The Power of Plant-based Protein in Human and Planetary Health
Learning objectives:
- Summarize the evidence on plant-based protein for improving cardiometabolic health
- Discuss the co-benefits of plant-based protein for human and planetary health
- Develop practical, patient-centred strategies to increase plant-based protein intake in clinical practice