Organizers

Tair Ben Porat, PhD
Tair Ben Porat obtained her PhD at the Department of Nutrition and Metabolism from the Faculty of Medicine at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. Dr Ben Porat currently serves as the Chair of the “Bariatric Surgery Forum” of the Israeli Dietetic Association, as a committee member of the Israeli Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and as the Chair of the Integrated Health Committee the European chapter of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO-EC). Through these, she has been able to translate her work into clinical guidelines and national position statements. Her focus is in exploring and understanding bariatric procedure’s impact on mental, nutritional and metabolic outcomes among target groups as well as elucidating the combination of genetic/microbiota factors and patient behavior/lifestyle as a key factor to establish innovative personalized future therapy.

Dr. Marilou Côté
Dr. Marilou Côté is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Concordia University (Montréal), as well as a registered clinical psychologist at the Centre d’expertise poids, image et alimentation at Université Laval (Québec). Her research focuses on weight bias and on the impact of weight stigmatization on body image and health behaviors. She is interested in examining the interconnection between eating, weight, and personal relationship issues. As a psychologist, she has expertise in eating disorders, body image issues, and challenges related to bariatric surgery.

Event Team

• Dr. Kim Lavoie – Speaker and moderator
• Dr. Simon Bacon – Moderator
• Dr. Radu Pescarus – Speaker
• Dre Anne Sophie Studer – Speaker
• Suzie Laliberté – Patient partner
• Vanessa Pyram – Patient partner
• Annick Gauthier – Patient partner
• Shandra Gunnoo – Event Manager

Speakers

Angela Alberga
Dr. Angela Alberga is an Associate Professor, Quebec Health Research Scholar and University Research Chair at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. She completed her MSc and PhD in Kinesiology focusing on behavioral interventions aimed to improve the physical and mental health of children and adolescents living with obesity and completed Postdoctoral research training in weight bias, stigma and discrimination in healthcare and educational settings. She now leads an interdisciplinary research program working with researchers around the world to better understand how societal, school and other institutional factors, influence weight-related issues including obesity, eating disorders, physical inactivity and weight stigma across the lifespan.

Simon Bacon
Dr. Simon Bacon is a full professor in the Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology at Concordia University. He is also co-director of the Montréal Behavioural Medicine Centre and a researcher at the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et service sociaux du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (CIUSSS-NIM). Dr. Bacon’s research is focused on understanding the links between health behaviours and the development and progression of disease and then using this information to develop and test behaviour change interventions. He co-leads a longitudinal cohort study on patients undergoing bariatric surgery at the CIUSSS-NIM (REBORN Study).

Catherine Bégin
(in French only) Dre Catherine Bégin est professeure titulaire en psychologie clinique et directrice adjointe de l’École de psychologie de l’Université Laval. Elle est également directrice scientifique du Centre d’Expertise Poids, Image et Alimentation (CEPIA), de l’Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments fonctionnels (INAF) de l’Université Laval. Elle est aussi responsable de l’axe, comportements alimentaires et santé, du Centre FRQS NUTRISS. La professeure Bégin mène des travaux novateurs sur les déterminants psychosociaux et cognitifs des comportements alimentaires auprès de populations cliniques souffrant de troubles alimentaires ou de personnes préoccupées par leur poids et leur alimentation. Elle se spécialise dans l’étude de la compulsion alimentaire et des accès hyperphagiques, en plus d’être une experte au sujet des interactions conjugales en lien avec les comportements alimentaires à risque et la transmission du stigma lié au poids.

Jennifer Brown
Jennifer is a registered dietitian and certified bariatric educator at the Ottawa Hospital Bariatric Centre of Excellence and a part-time consultant. She was a steering committee member on the 2020 Canadian Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines, lead author of the Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) Chapter of the CPGs,  co-author on the European MNT Guidelines for Adult Obesity as well as an advisory member for the International Obesity CPG adaptation committee. Jennifer is involved in several working groups and advocacy efforts, including coordinating the Canadian Obesity Advocacy Network, contributing to a National Obesity Care Framework with Obesity Canada and representing Canada at international policy and advocating networks. She is passionate about changing professional education and our healthcare system’s approach to how we understand and talk about weight and health.

Dr. Stephanie Cassin
Dr. Cassin is a Registered Clinical and Health Psychologist. She is Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Director of the Healthy Eating and Lifestyle (HEAL) Lab.  In addition, she holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.  Prior to working in academia, she was a staff clinical psychologist in the Bariatric Surgery Program at Toronto Western Hospital.  Dr. Cassin’s research interests are in the areas of disordered eating, food addiction, obesity, and bariatric surgery.  Her current program of research focuses primarily on psychosocial predictors of bariatric surgery outcomes, and psychosocial interventions with the potential to improve outcomes.  

Annabelle Fortin
Annabelle Fortin is a Ph.D. candidate in psychology at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQÀM). Her doctoral thesis project focuses on the development of an adjunct behavioral intervention to bariatric surgery targeting the overall health and well-being of individuals undergoing bariatric surgery.

Annick Gauthier
Annick Gauthier is an Account Executive in Health Care Plan Management (Private Sector) at Express Scripts Canada. Over the years, she tried, like many people, a multitude of “miracle” diets, and her weight fluctuated constantly. However, it was when she began to see signs of chronic illness such as severe hypertension that Annick had bariatric surgery, in 2014 and 2016. Annick found her life transformed, and decided to become actively involved in the CIUSSS-NIM – Hôpital Sacré-Cœur de Montréal Patient-Researcher Committee. She wishes, through her personal experience, to make a dynamic and positive contribution to support people who are experiencing the bariatric surgery process.

Dr Sylvain Iceta
(in French only) Sylvain Iceta est actuellement professeur adjoint sous octroi au Département de psychiatrie et de neurosciences de la Faculté de médecine. Il est chercheur au sein de l’axe Obésité, diabète de type 2 et métabolisme du Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ) – Université Laval. Ses travaux récents s’intéressent tout particulièrement à l’obésité, aux troubles du comportement alimentaire, dont le trouble d’accès hyperphagique, et aux diabètes.

Kim Lavoie
Dr. Kim Lavoie is a full professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Quebec at Montreal and holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Medicine. She is co-director of the Montréal Behavioural Medicine Centre (MBMC) and a researcher at the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et service sociaux du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (CIUSSS-NIM). Dr. Lavoie’s research focuses on the impact of psychological stress (e.g., depression, anxiety) and lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, smoking, adherence) on the development and progression of chronic illnesses (e.g., cardiovascular disease, asthma, COPD, obesity. She co-leads a longitudinal cohort study on patients undergoing bariatric surgery at the CIUSSS-NIM (REBORN Study).

Suzie Laliberté
(in French only) Suzie Laliberté a subi une chirurgie bariatrique en juillet 2022. Quelques années avant son intervention, elle a entrepris des démarches visant son développement personnel et l’amélioration de sa santé physique et psychologique. Observant après l’opération une amélioration rapide de sa qualité de vie, mais constatant l’importance que la chirurgie doit se positionner dans une approche de santé globale, elle décide de participer à différents projets de recherche du CIUSSS-NIM-Hôpital Sacré-Cœur.

Stephanie Oliverio
Stephanie Oliverio is a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at Concordia University. Broadly, her research examines the association between depression and weight loss outcomes, as well as quality of life following bariatric surgery. Her presentation will focus on the results of focus groups carried out with patients awaiting bariatric surgery and patients who underwent bariatric surgery, during which patients were asked to share their perspectives on 1) what defines a successful bariatric surgery experience; 2) barriers to a successful bariatric surgery experience, and 3) facilitators of a successful bariatric surgery experience.

Dr. Radu Pescarus
Dr. Radu Pescarus is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Université de Montréal. He specializes in minimally invasive bariatric and foregut surgery, as well as therapeutic endoscopy. Once his General Surgery residency was finalized in 2012, he continued his subspecialty training in Canada with a one-year fellowship in bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at McMaster University. Subsequently, he underwent a second fellowship in Portland, Oregon to further his knowledge in the fields of foregut surgery and therapeutic endoscopy. As part of one of the busiest bariatric surgery teams in Canada, he performs his clinical duties in the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam
Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and the Director of the Bariatric Surgery Psychosocial Program at the Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. He is the Scientific Director for Obesity Canada. Dr. Sockalingam is a Senior Scientist, Chief Medical Officer, and Vice-President, Education at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. He is also the Co-Chair of ECHO Ontario Mental Health, which is a provincial hub-and-spoke knowledge network funded by the Ministry of Health in Ontario. Dr. Sockalingam’s research focuses on examining predictors of psychosocial outcomes related to obesity care and evaluating psychological treatments for obesity, including virtual treatment modalities.  Dr. Sockalingam is also a co-author of the 2020 Canadian Obesity Guidelines.

Dre Anne Sophie Studer
Dr Anne-Sophie Studer completed her medical degree in France through the University of Aix-Marseille. Upon completion of resident training, Dr Studer undertook multiple fellowships in both France and Canada, in minimally invasive surgery, bariatric surgery and trauma/acute care. Dr Studer is currently a practising attending surgeon at Hospital Du Sacre-Coeur, Montreal, a tertiary teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Montreal. She has a special interest in revisional bariatric surgery and performs complex revisions with both laparoscopic and robotic platforms. Dr Studer also participates in the on call general surgical roster, performing emergency general surgery and trauma procedures.

Reyhaneh Yousefi
Reyhaneh is a PhD candidate in Health science at Concordia University and the Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre. She has a background in Clinical Nutrition and her main research focus is on design and development of nutrition-based interventions to prevent weight regain for patients undergoing bariatric surgery

Robbie Woods
Dr. Robbie Woods (C.Psych) is a licensed clinical psychologist who is currently completing his postdoctoral year of supervised practice. He continues to engage in research that explores from various perspectives (i.e., psychosocial, biological, psychometric, and knowledge synthesis) the evolution of depression among individuals who undergo weight loss surgery.

Patient Resources

Books

• Optimiser sa chirurgie bariatrique-Prendre soin de son bébé estomac une journée à la fois. Evelyne Bergevin et Stéphanie Thibault – Édition La semaine (2021)
• Manger en pleine conscience-Redécouvrir la sagesse innée du corps.  Dr Jan Chozen Bays – Édition Le jour (2010)
• De la culture des diètes à l’alimentation intuitive Karine Gravel, DtP., Ph.D – KO Édition (2021)

Facebook Groups

• Chirurgie bariatrique 50 ans et plus!
• Chirurgie bariatrique — La vie après
• Chirurgie bariatrique : Bien nourrir son bébé estomac
• Chirurgie bariatrique

Bariatric Surgery Psychosocial and Nutritional Services

Clinique Nutri Sans Chichi
Website
(in French) Équipe de nutritionnistes à l’écoute et sans jugement, abordant les vrais enjeux de votre santé et votre bien-être. Notre mission est de vous accompagner à sortir de la spirale de la restriction pour que vous soyez enfin bien dans votre corps, une fois pour toutes!

Parlons bariatrique
Website
(in French) Consultations nutritionnelles en ligne en lien avec la chx

Centre d’expertise poids, image et alimentation (CEPIA)
Website
(in French) Affiliée à l’Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF) de l’Université Laval, la Clinique du CEPIA offre un accompagnement interdisciplinaire unique dans le domaine de l’alimentation, de l’image corporelle et du poids par le biais de services individuels ou de groupes. Service offert uniquement dans l’Est du Québec.

ANEB Québec
Website
(in French) Anorexie et boulimie Québec (ANEB) est un organisme sans but lucratif dont la mission est de garantir une aide immédiate, spécialisée et gratuite aux personnes atteintes d’un trouble du comportement alimentaire et à leurs proches.