Colleen O'Connor, PhD

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Chair (Foods & Nutrition)

colleen.oconnor@uwo.ca
On Google Scholar

Education

PhD, Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (University of Guelph)
MSc, Department of Human Nutritional Sciences (University of Manitoba)
BSc Honors, Human Ecology, Foods and Nutrition (Brescia University College)

Research In Profile

Colleen O’Connor is a registered dietitian and an Associate Professor in the Brescia School of Food and Nutritional Sciences. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in clinical nutrition. Recent research interests include the effects of the microbiome on human health, the effects of smart phone apps on influencing healthy behaviors in youth, and the needs of students and preceptors prior to/during practicum placements.

Featured Publications and Projects

Books

Hammond, G., O’Connor, C., Piché L.A. (2023). Understanding Nutrition. Cengage Canada.

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

Woods N., Seabrook JA, Haines S, Stranges S, Minaker L, O’Connor C, Doherty S, Gilliland J. Breakfast Consumption and Diet Quality of Teens in Southwestern Ontario, Current Developments in Nutrition, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2023, ISSN 2475-2991, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2022.100003
Lee JE, Walton D, O’Connor CP, Wammes M, Burton JP, Osuch EA. Drugs, Guts, Brains, but Not Rock and Roll: The Need to Consider the Role of Gut Microbiota in Contemporary Mental Health and Wellness of Emerging Adults. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(12):6643. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126643
Brown R, Seabrook JA, Stranges S, Clark AF, Haines J, O'Connor C, Doherty S, Gilliland JA. Examining the Correlates of Adolescent Food and Nutrition Knowledge. Nutrients. 2021; 13(6):2044. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13062044
Horne J, Gilliland J, O'Connor C, et al. Change in weight, BMI and body composition in a population-based intervention vs. genetic-based intervention: The NOW Trial. Obesity 2020; 28(8), p 141927, DOI: 10.1002/oby.22880.
Veloce D, Fisher M, Hartman B, O'Connor C, Horne J. Does the Ontario public understand the difference between registered dietitians and unregulated "nutritionists?" Results from a cross-sectional mixed methods study with implications for healthcare policy and law; Health Policy 2020; 16(2): 111-127, DOI:10.12927%2Fhcpol.2020.26349.
Horne J, Gilliland J, O'Connor C, et al. Enhanced long-term dietary change and adherence in a nutrigenomics-guided lifestyle intervention compared to a population-based (GLB/DPP) lifestyle intervention for weight management: results from the NOW randomised controlled trial. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2020;0.doi:10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000073.
Chen M, Al K, Craven L, Seney S, Coons M, McCormick H, Reid G, O'Connor C, Burton J. Nutritional, Microbial, and Allergenic Changes during the Fermentation of Cashew 'Cheese' Product Using a Quinoa-Based Rejuvelac Starter Culture. Nutrients 2020, 12(3),648; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030648.
Horne J, Gilliland J, O'Connor C. et al. Study protocol of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial incorporated in the Group Lifestyle BalanceTM program: the nutrigenomics, overweight/obesity and weight management trial (the NOW trial). BMC Public Health 19, 310 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6621-8
Toth J, O'Connor C, Hartman B, Dworatzek P, Horne J. "Detoxify or Die". Qualitative assessments of Ontario nutritionists' and dietitians' blog posts related to detoxification diets; CJDPR. 2018. DOI: 10.3148/cjdpr-2018-047.
Adam L, O'Connor C, Garcia A. Evaluating the impact of diabetes self-management education methods on knowledge, attitude and behavior of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus; Canadian Journal of Diabetes; 2018 Oct;42(5):470-477.