Research Methods

Pathway Contributor: Leonard Piche

Credentials:
PhD, RD

Bio:
Leonard Piche, nutritional scientist, received his PhD in human nutrition from the University of Guelph. He is a full professor in the Division of Foods & Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College and is responsible for developing and teaching basic and advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in nutrition. He is also a full adjunct professor in the School of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario. He is a member of seven professional nutrition-related organizations (e.g. Canadian Nutrition Society, Dietitians of Canada (DC), College of Dietitians of Ontario). He contributed to two recent editions of Mosby’s Medical dictionary, was a consultant for a Canadian edition of a high school food and nutrition text and co-author of two Canadianized university-level nutrition texts. His research involved experiments in humans regarding diet and heart disease risk (e.g. orange juice and good cholesterol; effects of a high protein diet on cardiovascular disease). He has provided feedback to Health Canada consultations on more than 50 occasions (e.g. nutrition labelling; the Food Guide; updating the Canadian Nutrient File). He was an advisor on three of DC’s online courses for health professionals (e.g. sport supplements; vitamin & minerals; herbal supplements) and numerous PEN modules. He has supervised the nutrient analysis of twelve recipe books. He was recently a team member, on studies on children’s beverage consumption and other factors that contribute to children’s Screen-Related Sedentary Behaviors (i.e. a national survey of physicians about their views when treating childhood obesity). He was also a member of the expert advisory committee for our Natural Health Product Directorate. His current areas of interest include: local food maps; the nutrient content of restaurant foods, meals served to residents in long-term care, and foods grown/raised in Canada; the bio-active components of functional foods; and sport supplement use by university students.

Contributions:

• Why is research important in supporting evidence-based practice in nutrition and dietetics?  

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• What is the recommended approach for developing a research topic?  

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• What are the technical contents and format of a research proposal?  

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• What are the ethical issues that need to be considered when conducting research involving human or animal subjects?  

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• How can I design an effective questionnaire or recording form (for surveys or other descriptive research projects)?  

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• How do I design an experimental research project (e.g. randomized controlled trial)?  

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• How do I prepare an effective abstract, a poster, and/or technical report for presentation and/or submission to a scientific journal and/or popular press?  

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• How can I prepare an effective resumé or curriculum vitae (CV) for a funding or grant application?  

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• Research Methods - Quantitative Background

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