Debbie Martin

My program of research is aimed at preventing chronic diseases, which are disproportionately higher among Aboriginal peoples relative to their non-Aboriginal counterparts within Canada. Working directly with communities, I identify and address key community and societal level determinants, that are often linked to lifestyle factors, that ultimately cause chronic diseases. For instance, cost and availability of nutritious and culturally appropriate foods, which limits food choices, puts people at risk for debilitating, costly, and preventable, chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers. A key feature of my work focuses on the importance of community engagement and using Indigenous ‘ways of knowing’ (methodologies) to inform the research process – from design to dissemination.