Guelph Family Health Study

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Guelph Family Health Study

The Guelph Family Health Study is a long-term study designed to follow families over many years.

By the age of five or six, your kids will form eating, exercise and sleep habits that can last a lifetime. The Guelph Family Health Study is testing new ways for kids to learn healthy habits early - habits that can significantly lower your child's risk for disease now and in the future.

04/21/2026

BEING SAFE OUTDOORS: TIPS WHEN IT COMES TO TICKS 😎🌳

🎙️New podcast episode out now!

As warmer weather approaches, so does tick season. In this episode, we’re joined by researcher Justin Wood. Justin works at the University of Guelph’s Magnotta Lyme Disease Research Laboratory and is the founder of Geneticks, where he focuses on developing diagnostics for tick-borne diseases and advancing pathogen research. In this episode, we take a deep dive into ticks, Lyme disease, and practical ways to protect ourselves and our families while continuing to enjoy time outdoors this summer.

🎧Listen on all major platforms or via link in our bio!

04/16/2026

Spring vibes are here … tick season too 😅

We had the pleasure of talking all things ticks, Lyme disease, and how to protect yourself outdoors with expert and fellow UofG-er, Justin Wood 🌱🏕️

🎧Stay tuned, episode drops Tuesday April 21 at 10am EST.

04/15/2026

Introducing Grace!

Grace is an undergraduate student working with Dr. Lori Vallis. Read her Q&A below to learn more about her and her work with GFHS.

What is your role in the GFHS and how long have you worked with the study?
🧡I am a third-year Applied Human Nutrition student with an emphasis in Dietetics, who is completing a research project with Dr. Lori Ann Vallis. I have been working with the Guelph Family Health Study since May 2025, and my project focuses on examining the relationship between energy intake and physical activity levels in school-aged children.

What do you like most about your job?
👥I love working in an interdisciplinary team that combines my passions for physical activity, nutrition, and family health. I also enjoy being inspired by the amazing work of other students, and I feel very lucky to be part of such a great study team.

What is your favourite place to eat in Guelph or on campus?
🍝My favourite places to eat are Scaddabush and Guelph BBQ.

What's something you're involved in outside the GFHS?
🍳I volunteer preparing meals for an elementary school snack program. I’m also part of the Student Supporting Seniors club where we take part in various initiatives, such as doing visits to the retirement home where we get to spend time with the seniors

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
🏃‍♂️I enjoy going to the gym, camping, and going on long walks.

What are you reading or watching right now?
📺I love watching murder documentaries, and I’m currently rewatching The Office for the seventh time (I am a big office fan)

What's your favourite thing to cook or bake?
🍪I love baking chocolate chip banana bread. I also enjoy making kefir from scratch, which is my favourite breakfast.

Are you a coffee person or a tea person?
☕I LOVE coffee! Maybe a bit too much…

04/07/2026

This is who you’re asking to keep the Guelph Family Health Study thriving ✨🧡💙

03/26/2026

We are excited and proud to share highlights from the Student Research Day, where several of our GHFS students presented their work🏃‍♂️🥣👩‍🔬

It is always inspiring to see the results of the team’s collaboration and data come to life through student research!

Abjot Brar - Prediction of body composition in early childhood using BIA: a systematic review

Grace Dolson - Unveiling the relationship between caloric intake and physical activity levels among children enrolled in the Guelph Family Health Study

Bailey Wilkins - Examining the role of food parenting in the association between preschooler emotional dysregulation and diet quality

Alyssa Ramuscak - Through the lens of the Going Against the Grain Youth Council: youth-identified barriers and facilitators to following a gluten-free diet

Yasmeen Karaman - NOVA food classification and cardiometabolic risk factors in preschoolers: cross-sectional findings from the Guelph Family Health Study

Well done to all for your work and research 🧡 💙

03/24/2026

Don’t Judge a Snack by its Cover... or Should You?

You may have noticed new labels popping up on some of your favourite snacks but what are they, what do they actually mean, and how can they help you make more informed choices?

In this episode of Healthy Habits, Happy Homes, we break down everything you need to know about front-of-package labelling in Canada. Joined by PhD candidate Emily Ziraldo from the University of Toronto, we explore what these labels are designed to do, how to interpret them, and what they mean for your everyday food decisions. Whether you’re grocery shopping for your family or just curious about the changes on store shelves, this episode will help you feel more confident navigating nutrition labels.

🎧Listen on all major listening platforms or via link in our bio!

03/20/2026

Don’t judge a snack by its cover… or should you? 👀

You’ve probably started noticing more front-of-package labels on your food. But what are they, what do they actually mean, and how can we use them to make informed choices?

In this episode of Healthy Habits, Happy Homes, we dive into everything you need to know about front-of-package labelling. We’re joined by PhD candidate Emily Ziraldo from the University of Toronto to break it all down🌱

🎧 Stay tuned … the episode drops March 24 on all major platforms!

03/17/2026

Introducing Holly!

Holly is a post doctoral research associate working with Dr. Jess Haines. Read her Q&A below to learn more about her and her work with GFHS.

What is your role in the GFHS and how long have you worked with the study?
🔬 I am a postdoctoral research associate. I collaborate on various research projects in the lab looking at children’s diet quality and ways to improve it. I have worked at the GFHS for just over 6-months now.”

What do you like most about your job?
📖My favourite part of my job is that I can actually help improve our understanding of family health and improve health professionals’ practices around family health by communicating research findings into practical knowledge and advice.

What's your favourite thing to cook or bake?
🍝Pasta! I love mixing it up and trying different sauce, protein (e.g., chicken, shrimp, tofu), and vegetable (e.g., peppers, spinach, mushrooms) combinations to make complete, healthy (and delicious!) dishes.

Are you a coffee person or a tea person?
☕Both. I love a green tea first thing in the morning to ease into my day, and then a coffee in the afternoon to help combat the mid-day slump.

What do you like to do to stay active?
👟Weightlifting, running, and yoga are my favourite ways to stay active.

03/10/2026

Is Social Media Affecting Our Brains?

With platforms becoming an ever-present part of young people’s daily lives, many are asking: Why are these platforms so addictive, and how are they influencing brain development? From the pull of endless scrolling to the phenomenon of “doomscrolling,” we unpack what is really happening behind the screen 📲🧠

To help us navigate these important questions, we are joined by Dr. Emma Duerden, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience & Learning Disorders, and leader of the Developing Brain Lab at Western University. Her research examines how social media and screen time shape brain development, mental health, and learning outcomes in children and adolescents.

Together, we discuss what the science says about social media use, how it may be impacting youth, and what parents, educators, and young people themselves should know.

Listen on all major platforms!

03/06/2026

⏱️ COMING SOON…

New Podcast Episode 🎙️

Is Social Media Affecting Our Brains?

We’re joined by professor and neuroscientist Dr. Emma Duerden to discuss social media use in youth, how it may impact brain development, and practical tips for families to manage screen time📲🧠

📅 Drops Tuesday, March 10th at 10 AM EST.
Stay tuned!

03/03/2026

🍓🌸 Lemon Panna Cotta with berries & granola 🌸🍓

A light, fresh spring recipe for the start of March. Recipe from our Guelph Family Health Study cookbook “Snack Happy, Snack Healthy” perfect for the upcoming warmer days!

Serves 6 II Prep Time: 15 min II Total Time: 3 hrs⏱️

🍋Ingredients
• 2 tsp (10 mL) Gelatin
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) Water
• 1⅔ cup (410 mL) Milk
• 1½ tbsp (45 mL) Maple syrup
• ½ tsp (2 mL) Vanilla extract
• ½ tsp (2 mL) Lemon zest
• 1½ cup (375 mL) Strawberries, diced
• ½ cup (125 mL) Granola

🍓Instructions
1. In a small bowl, mix gelatin into cool water and set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Bring milk, maple syrup, and vanilla just to a boil. Whisk in gelatin and reduce to a simmer. Stir in lemon zest and continue cooking while whisking for 2 minutes.
3. Strain and pour mixture evenly into 6 ramekins. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.
4. Serve each ramekin with ¼ cup (60 mL) diced strawberries and 2 tsp (10 mL) granola.

Recipes

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Guelph, ON

Telephone

5198244120ext56168

Website

http://www.guelphfamilyhealthstudy.com/

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