JoAnne Arcand
PhD, RD
Associate Professor
Faculty of Health Sciences
Dr. Arcand is a nutritional scientist who runs an active research program that aims to improve the nutritional health of the public and patients with chronic diseases, particularly those with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and heart failure.
Contact information
Shawenjigewining Hall
- Room 445
North Oshawa
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5
905.721.8668 ext. 3796
Research topics
- public health nutrition
- clinical nutrition
- dietetics
- food policy (food supply, public knowledge attitudes behaviours)
- chronic disease prevention and management
- cardiovascular disease (hypertension, heart failure)
- program and policy evaluation
- patient oriented research
- implementation science
- dietary sodium
- dietary assessment
- knowledge translation
Research and expertise
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Background and interests
Dr. Arcand has expertise in clinical and population health aspects of cardiovascular disease prevention and management. She was recently awarded a National New Investigator Award from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and was the recipient of the 2017 CIHR-INMD-Canadian Nutrition Society New Investigator Prize. Her research program is funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the International Development Research Centre. Her current research program:
- Examines the implementation of nutrition recommendations in primary care.
- Evaluates novel tools for the dietary management and prevention of hypertension and heart failure.
- Designs and develops mobile nutrition education apps for school age children in Ontario.
- Evaluates policies to reduce population sodium intakes both nationally and in Latin America.
She is also actively involved in the international Science of Salt research group, affiliated with the World Hypertension League and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Salt Reduction, and chairs a subcommittee that conducts regular systematic reviews of studies published on dietary sodium and health outcomes. Dr. Arcand is also involved in numerous knowledge translation activities, including the development of novel tools to translate scientific information to the public, patients and clinicians. She volunteers her time to several committees with the Hypertension Canada, Canadian Nutrition Society and Dietitians of Canada. Dr. Arcand’s work has been published in high profile journals and presented to a variety of stakeholder groups including clinicians, academics, food industry and government. She was awarded a Notable Achievement Award from the World Hypertension League for her significant contributions in dietary sodium reduction.
Dr. Arcand developed the Sodium Calculator, an innovative dietary assessment tool to assist the public and clinicians in rapidly determining the amount and sources of sodium in the diet.
To keep clinicians, researchers and policymakers informed about the latest salt/sodium research, the Science of Salt research group frequently publishes systematic reviews of new research. Identified articles are also summarized weekly as part of a weekly Science of Salt newsletter.
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Education
- PhD Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 2011
- MSc Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 2006
- BSc Human Ecology (Food and Nutrition), University of Western Ontario, 2001
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Courses taught
Courses taught (past and present) at the undergraduate level:
- Nutrition and Health
- Nutrition for Nursing Practice
- International and Community Nutrition (University of Toronto)
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Publications
For a comprehensive list of publications, please visit PubMed.
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Grants
Dr. Arcand receives research funding from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the International Development Research Centre and the Ontario Research Excellence Fund.
