Renowned obesity researcher to deliver series of public lectures around Winnipeg

Peter Katzmarzyk, a leading expert in the fields of physical activity and obesity, will deliver the 2016 Samuel Weiner Distinguished Visitor Award lecture series from Sept. 26-30.

Professor Katzmarzyk is the associate executive director for population and public health sciences at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center where he holds the Marie Edana Corcoran Endowed Chair in Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes. His research has a particular focus on pediatrics and ethnic health disparities.

 The renowned researcher was selected as the 2016 Samuel Weiner distinguished visitor by the U of M’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management. The faculty was named the 2016 Samuel Weiner Distinguished Visitor Award recipient by the university’s Office of the Vice-President (Research & International). The award’s purpose is to bring renowned scientists or scholars to the University of Manitoba to stimulate and encourage research and every year a new Faculty is selected to bestow the honour to a recipient.

Professor Katzmarzyk will deliver free public lectures throughout Winnipeg at these events:

• Monday, September 26 – “Identification of Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk in Diverse Populations” 136 Frank Kennedy Centre, University of Manitoba, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 27 – “Achieving health equality for children & youth: building resilient communities” Axworthy Health & RecPlex, University of Winnipeg, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 28 – “The Impact of Physical Activity and Physical Fitness on Obesity and Related Disorders such as Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes” The Wellness Institute, 1075 Leila Ave., 2:30 p.m.
• Thursday, September 29 – “24 Hour Movement Guidelines” Active Living Centre Agora, University of Manitoba, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
• Friday, September 30 – “Sitting and Premature Mortality: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?”, 12 noon – 1 p.m. Theatre B, Bannatyne Campus, University of Manitoba

About Peter Katzmarzyk

Professor Katzmarzyk has over two decades of experience in conducting large clinical and population-based studies in children and adults. He has a special interest in global health, and has a record of building research capacity in physical activity and obesity research in developing countries. He has published his research in more than 400 scholarly journals and books, and has delivered over 170 invited lectures in 15 countries. He is an associate editor for Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise and an editorial board member for the International Journal of Obesity, Pediatric Obesity, and Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders. In addition to his research, professor Katzmarzyk plays a leading role in national health advocacy initiatives chairing the Research Advisory Committee for the U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth for the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance. He also serves on the 2018 U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.