Monique Potvin Kent

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Other Academic Appointments

Program Director, Master of Public Health, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa (2020 - present)

Associate Professor, School of Epidemiology and Public Heath, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa (2019 - present)

Associated Professor (Cross-Appointed), Population Health PhD Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa (2018 - present)

At a Glance

• Dr. Monique Potvin Kent is an Associate Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa
• Dr. Potvin Kent currently conducts research on food and nutrition policies that influence rates of obesity and other chronic diseases in the population.

About Dr. Monique Potvin Kent

Dr. Monique Potvin Kent is an Associate Professor and a multi-disciplinary applied public health researcher in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. She has a Ph.D. in Population Health, a Master’s degree in Psychology, and Bachelor’s degrees in both Psychology and Political Science. She was an NSERC Visiting Fellow at the Public Health Agency of Canada in the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control where she completed post-doctoral research in obesity prevention. She currently conducts research on food and nutrition policies that influence rates of obesity and other chronic diseases in the population. Dr. Potvin Kent has received funding from CIHR, NSERC and the Heart and Stroke Foundation and frequently collaborates with governments and non-governmental health organizations.  

Research Synopsis

Dr. Potvin Kent's research focuses on the prevention of childhood obesity and other nutrition related chronic diseases by examining the commercial determinants of health and understanding the role played by the food and beverage industry in creating children’s food environment and influencing food and nutrition policies. The pervasive marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages high in fat, sugar and salt has been identified as a potent driver of poor dietary intake and excess weight gain among children. Dr. Potvin Kent is a leading national and one of very few international experts in monitoring food and beverage marketing targeted at children and adolescents, the healthfulness of this marketing, the marketing strategies used by the food and beverage industry to appeal to children and youth, and whether current policies are protecting children in various media channels and in child settings such as schools. Dr. Potvin Kent has over a decade of experience doing research, policy development, and advocacy work in this area. She is recognized for this work nationally and internationally, and won the Health Promotion Canada Award for Early Career Researchers in 2019. Dr. Potvin Kent's research has also informed the development of health policy in Canada, and the policy position and advocacy efforts of many non-governmental organizations.

Recent Awards and Distinctions (Selected)

Early Career Recognition Award, Health Promotion Canada (2019)

National and International Committee Memberships (Current)

Advisory Panel Member, Safefood Commissioned Research on Reducing the Exposure of Children and Adolescents to Digital Marketing of Unhealthy Foods: Implementing WHO CLICK and Analysing Child Rights, Ireland (2021 - present)

Member, Food Promotion Leadership Team, International Network for Food and Obesity / Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) Research, Monitoring and Action Support (2021 - present)

Expert Advisory Group Member, Research on Fiscal Levers to Reduce Sugar Consumption and Online Food and Beverage Marketing to Children. Diet, Obesity and Physical Activity Health Improvement Directorate, Public Health England (2021 - present)

Member, Study Steering Committee, Population Interventions to Improve Diet in England: An Evidence Synthesis of the Effectiveness of Mandatory, Voluntary and Partnership Approaches, National Institute for Health Research Evaluation, Trials and Studies Co-ordinating Centre (NETSCC) for the NIHR PHR Programme (2020 - present)

Member, Quebec Consultative Committee on Sugary Drinks and Energy Drinks, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (2020 - present)

Recent Publications

1. Potvin Kent M, Hatoum F, Wu D, Remedios L, Bagnato M. Benchmarking unhealthy food marketing to children and adolescents in Canada: a scoping review. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2022 Aug;42(8):307-318. English, French. doi: 10.24095/hpcdp.42.8.01. PMID: 35993602.
2. Potvin Kent M, Pauzé E, Bagnato M, Guimarães JS, Pinto A, Remedios L, Pritchard M, L'Abbé MR, Mulligan C, Vergeer L, Weippert M. Food and beverage advertising expenditures in Canada in 2016 and 2019 across media. BMC Public Health. 2022 Aug 1;22(1):1458. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13823-4. PMID: 35915428; PMCID: PMC9340686.
3. Gaucher-Holm A, Mulligan C, L'Abbé MR, Potvin Kent M, Vanderlee L. Lobbying and nutrition policy in Canada: a quantitative descriptive study on stakeholder interactions with government officials in the context of Health Canada's Healthy Eating Strategy. Global Health. 2022 May 26;18(1):54. doi: 10.1186/s12992-022-00842-4. PMID: 35619107.
4. Demers-Potvin É, White M, Potvin Kent M, Nieto C, White CM, Zheng X, Hammond D, Vanderlee L. Adolescents' media usage and self-reported exposure to advertising across six countries: implications for less healthy food and beverage marketing. BMJ Open. 2022 May 19;12(5):e058913. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058913. PMID: 35589343.
5. Nieto C, Jauregui A, Contreras-Manzano A, Kent MP, Sacks G, White CM, Pauzé E, Vanderlee L, Thrasher JF, Barquera S, Hammond D. Adults' Exposure to Unhealthy Food and Beverage Marketing: A Multi-country Study in Australia, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, and United States. J Nutr. 2022 May 11:nxab449. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxab449. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35544288.
6. Dimanlig-Cruz S, Han A, Lancione S, Dewidar O, Podinic I; OPH-SEPH Collaborative (OSC) Working Group, Potvin Kent M, Brouwers M. Physical distancing messages targeting youth on the social media accounts of Canadian public health entities and the use of behavioral change techniques. BMC Public Health. 2021 Sep 7;21(1):1634. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-11659-y. PMID: 34493258; PMCID: PMC8422061.
7. Pauzé E, Potvin Kent M. Children's measured exposure to food and beverage advertising on television in Toronto (Canada), May 2011-May 2019. Can J Public Health. 2021 Jun 15. doi: 10.17269/s41997-021-00528-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34129214.
8. Mulligan C, Potvin Kent M, Vergeer L, Christoforou AK, L'Abbé MR. Quantifying Child-Appeal: The Development and Mixed-Methods Validation of a Methodology for Evaluating Child-Appealing Marketing on Product Packaging. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Apr 29;18(9):4769. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18094769. PMID: 33947116; PMCID: PMC8124606.
9. Pauzé E, Remedios L, Potvin Kent M. Children's measured exposure to food and beverage advertising on television in a regulated environment, May 2011-2019. Public Health Nutr. 2021 Apr 12:1-13. doi: 10.1017/S1368980021001373. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33843565.
10. Amson A, Remedios L, Pinto A, Potvin Kent M. Exploring the extent of digital food and beverage related content associated with a family-friendly event: a case study. BMC Public Health. 2021 Mar 30;21(1):621. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10716-w. PMID: 33785003; PMCID: PMC8011127.

In the News

Health Canada to study impact of online food ads on children. Canada’s National Observer. December 17, 2020.

Gras, sucrés et salés : voici les aliments qu'offre Internet à vos enfants. Radio Canada. February 26, 2020.

Food and beverage lobby’s data lacking in scientific accuracy, says university study. The Lobby Monitor. February 11, 2020.