Education

• Ph.D. (Human Nutrition) (1982), University of Minnesota
• B.H.E. (1976), University of British Columbia

Research Interests

At the broadest level, my research interests relate to how women's cognitions about food, eating, and body weight may have physiological implications for their health. In the eating attitudes area, I have a particular interest in cognitive dietary restraint, which reflects the perception that food intake is constantly being limited in an effort to control body weight. The perceptual nature of restraint and similar eating attitudes is key, as food intake and relative weight are generally similar between groups of women with high versus low scores for restraint. We have shown that high levels of cognitive dietary restraint are associated with subclinical menstrual disturbances: In addition to implications for fertility, these disturbances are associated with bone loss in premenopausal women. We have also found that women with negative eating attitudes have slightly higher blood pressure. We hypothesize that dietary restraint and similar eating attitudes may be a subtle but frequently-encountered stressor, leading to changes in hormones that can influence health outcomes.

I also have an interest in dietary policy. I was involved in the development of the Dietary Reference Intakes (nutrient reference standards for Canada and the United States), and have also been a member of Health Canada committees working on revision of Canada's Food Guide and on dietary sodium reduction.

Teaching

• Nutrition throughout the life span (undergraduate and graduate)
• Graduate seminar

Selected Recent Publications

Bedford JL, Linden W, Barr SI.  Negative eating and body attitudes are associated with increased daytime ambulatory blood pressure in healthy young women.  International Journal of Psychophysiology (in press, 2010).

Hammond G, Chapman GE, Barr SI.  “Balance” or “hoping for the best”: Women in midlife, food choice systems, and bone health.  J Hum Nutr Diet 2010 (doi:10.1111/j.1365-277X.2010.01125.x)

Bedford JL, Prior JC, Barr SI. A prospective exploration of cognitive dietary restraint, subclinical ovulatory disturbances, cortisol and change in bone density over two years in healthy young women.  Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (in press, 2010)

Green TJ, Barr SI, Chapman GE.  The majority of older British Columbians use supplements containing vitamin D.  Canadian Journal of Public Health, (in press, 2010).

Langsetmo L, Poliquin S, Hanley DA, Prior JC, Barr SI, Anastassiades T, Towheed T, Goltzman D, Kreiger N.  Dietary patterns in Canadian men and women ages 25 and older: relationship to demographics, body mass index, and bone mineral density.   BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010; 11:20. Available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/11/20

Barr SI.  Reducing dietary sodium intake.  The Canadian context.  Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism 2010; 35:1-8.

Bedford JL, Barr SI.  The relationship between 24-hr urinary cortisol and bone in healthy young women.  International Journal of Behavioral Medicine  2009 (published online October 3). DOI 10.1007/s12529-009-9064-2.

Bedford JL, Hitchcock CL, Prior JC, Barr SI.  Ovulation detection by least-squares quantitative basal temperature analysis:  assessment against urinary progesterone metabolites and effect of variability in waking time.  European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 2009;146:76-80.  DOI 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2009.05.001.

Rideout CA, Barr SI.  Dieting and dietary restraint have different associations with body mass index and disinhibition in postmenopausal women.  Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2009;109:890-893.

Woodruff S, Hanning R, Barr SI.  Energy recommendations for normal weight, overweight, and obese children and adolescents. Obesity Reviews 2009;10:103-108.

Bilyk MC, Sontrop JM, Chapman GE, Barr SI, Mamer L. The food experiences and eating patterns of visually impaired and blind people.  Can J Diet Pract Res 2009;70:13-18.

Vaghri Z, Barr SI, Wong H, Chapman GE, Hertzman C.  Age-based differences in hair zinc of Vancouver preschoolers.  Biological Trace Element Research 2008; 126 (Suppl 1):2S1-S30. Available at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12011-008-8215-7

Chanoine J-P, Mackelvie KJ, Barr SI, Wong ACK, Meneilly GS, Elahi DH. Glucagon-like peptide-1 and appetite responses to a meal in lean and overweight adolescents following exercise.  Obesity 2008;16(1):202-4.

Hopman WM, Berger C, Joseph L, Barr SI, Gao Y, Prior JC, Poliquin S, Towheed T, Anastassiades T, CaMos Research Group. The association between Body Mass Index and health-related quality of life.  Quality of Life Research 2007;16:1595-1603.

Hopman WM, Leroux C, Joseph L, Barr SI, Prior JC, Berger C, Harrison M, Poliquin S, Towheed T, Anastassiades T, Goltzman D, CaMos Research Group.  Changes in Body Mass Index in Canadians over a five-year period: results of a prospective, population-based study.  BMC Public Health 2007;7:150. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/7/150

Barr SI.  Calcium and body fat in peripubertal girls:  cross-sectional and longitudinal observations. Obesity 2007;15:1302-1310. (Obesity Society Award for Outstanding Journal Article Published in Obesity, 2007).

Murphy SP, Barr SI.  Food Guides reflect similarities and differences in dietary guidance in three countries (Japan, Canada, and the United States).  Nutrition Reviews 2007;65:141-148.

MacKelvie KJ, Meneilly GS, Wong ACK, Barr SI, Chanoine JP.  Regulation of appetite in lean and obese adolescents following exercise: role of acylated and desacyl ghrelin.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007;92:648-654.

Chapman GE, Sallaeg K, Levy-Milne R, Barr SI.  Towards increased capacity for practice-based research among health professionals: Implementing a multi-site qualitative research project with dietitians.  Qual Health Res 2007;17:902-907.

Marchessault G, Thiele K, Amrit E, Chapman GE, Levy-Milne R, Barr SI.  Canadian dietitians' understanding of non-dieting and size acceptance approaches in weight management.  Can J Diet Pract Res 2007;68:67-72.

Rideout CA, McKay HA, Barr SI.  Lifetime physical activity and current bone mineral density in healthy postmenopausal women: the importance of teen physical activity.  Calc Tiss Int 2006;79:214-222.

Murphy SP, Barr SI, Yates AA.  The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) should not be abandoned: an individual is both an individual and a member of a group.  Nutr Rev 2006;64:313-315.

Rideout CA, Lynden W, Barr SI.  High cognitive dietary restraint is associated with increased urinary cortisol excretion in healthy postmenopausal women.  J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2006; 61A: 628-633

Murphy SP, Barr SI.  Recommended Dietary Allowances should be used to set Daily Values for nutrition labeling.  Am J Clin Nutr 2006;83:1223S-1227S.

Taylor KA, Barr SI.  Provision of small frequent meals does not improve energy intake of elderly residents with dysphagia who live in an extended care facility.  J Am Diet Assoc 2006;106:1115-1118.

Barr SI. Introduction to Dietary Reference Intakes.  Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2006;31:61-65.

Barr SI. Applications of Dietary References Intakes in dietary assessment and planning.  Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2006;31:66-73.

Bedford J, Barr SI.  Comparison of dietary intakes and practices by vegetarian status in a population-based sample in British Columbia, Canada.  Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2005, 2:4  doi:10.1186/1479-5868-2-4.  Available online at: http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/2/1/4.

“Balance” or “hoping for the best”: Women in midlife, food choice systems, and bone health. J Hum Nutr Diet 2010 (doi:10.1111/j.1365-277X.2010.01125.x)

Bedford JL, Prior JC, Barr SI. A prospective exploration of cognitive dietary restraint, subclinical ovulatory disturbances, cortisol and change in bone density over two years in healthy young women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (in press, 2010)

Green TJ, Barr SI, Chapman GE. The majority of older British Columbians use supplements containing vitamin D. Canadian Journal of Public Health, (in press, 2010).

Langsetmo L, Poliquin S, Hanley DA, Prior JC, Barr SI, Anastassiades T, Towheed T, Goltzman D, Kreiger N. Dietary patterns in Canadian men and women ages 25 and older: relationship to demographics, body mass index, and bone mineral density. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010; 11:20. Available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/11/20

Barr SI. Reducing dietary sodium intake. The Canadian context. Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism 2010; 35:1-8.

Bedford JL, Barr SI. The relationship between 24-hr urinary cortisol and bone in healthy young women. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2009 (published online October 3). DOI 10.1007/s12529-009-9064-2.

Bedford JL, Hitchcock CL, Prior JC, Barr SI. Ovulation detection by least-squares quantitative basal temperature analysis: assessment against urinary progesterone metabolites and effect of variability in waking time. European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 2009;146:76-80. DOI 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2009.05.001.

Rideout CA, Barr SI. Dieting and dietary restraint have different associations with body mass index and disinhibition in postmenopausal women. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2009;109:890-893.

Woodruff S, Hanning R, Barr SI. Energy recommendations for normal weight, overweight, and obese children and adolescents. Obesity Reviews 2009;10:103-108.

Bilyk MC, Sontrop JM, Chapman GE, Barr SI, Mamer L. The food experiences and eating patterns of visually impaired and blind people. Can J Diet Pract Res 2009;70:13-18.

Vaghri Z, Barr SI, Wong H, Chapman GE, Hertzman C. Age-based differences in hair zinc of Vancouver preschoolers. Biological Trace Element Research 2008; 126 (Suppl 1):2S1-S30. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12011-008-8215-7

Chanoine J-P, Mackelvie KJ, Barr SI, Wong ACK, Meneilly GS, Elahi DH. Glucagon-like peptide-1 and appetite responses to a meal in lean and overweight adolescents following exercise. Obesity 2008;16(1):202-4.

Hopman WM, Berger C, Joseph L, Barr SI, Gao Y, Prior JC, Poliquin S, Towheed T, Anastassiades T, CaMos Research Group. The association between Body Mass Index and health-related quality of life. Quality of Life Research 2007;16:1595-1603.

Hopman WM, Leroux C, Joseph L, Barr SI, Prior JC, Berger C, Harrison M, Poliquin S, Towheed T, Anastassiades T, Goltzman D, CaMos Research Group. Changes in Body Mass Index in Canadians over a five-year period: results of a prospective, population-based study. BMC Public Health 2007;7:150. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/7/150

Barr SI. Calcium and body fat in peripubertal girls: cross-sectional and longitudinal observations. Obesity 2007;15:1302-1310. (Obesity Society Award for Outstanding Journal Article Published in Obesity, 2007).

Murphy SP, Barr SI. Food Guides reflect similarities and differences in dietary guidance in three countries (Japan, Canada, and the United States). Nutrition Reviews 2007;65:141-148.

MacKelvie KJ, Meneilly GS, Wong ACK, Barr SI, Chanoine JP. Regulation of appetite in lean and obese adolescents following exercise: role of acylated and desacyl ghrelin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007;92:648-654.

Chapman GE, Sallaeg K, Levy-Milne R, Barr SI. Towards increased capacity for practice-based research among health professionals: Implementing a multi-site qualitative research project with dietitians. Qual Health Res 2007;17:902-907.

Marchessault G, Thiele K, Amrit E, Chapman GE, Levy-Milne R, Barr SI. Canadian dietitians' understanding of non-dieting and size acceptance approaches in weight management. Can J Diet Pract Res 2007;68:67-72.

Rideout CA, McKay HA, Barr SI. Lifetime physical activity and current bone mineral density in healthy postmenopausal women: the importance of teen physical activity. Calc Tiss Int 2006;79:214-222.

Murphy SP, Barr SI, Yates AA. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) should not be abandoned: an individual is both an individual and a member of a group. Nutr Rev 2006;64:313-315.

Rideout CA, Lynden W, Barr SI. High cognitive dietary restraint is associated with increased urinary cortisol excretion in healthy postmenopausal women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2006; 61A: 628-633

Murphy SP, Barr SI. Recommended Dietary Allowances should be used to set Daily Values for nutrition labeling. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;83:1223S-1227S.

Taylor KA, Barr SI. Provision of small frequent meals does not improve energy intake of elderly residents with dysphagia who live in an extended care facility. J Am Diet Assoc 2006;106:1115-1118.

Barr SI. Introduction to Dietary Reference Intakes. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2006;31:61-65.

Barr SI. Applications of Dietary References Intakes in dietary assessment and planning. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2006;31:66-73.

Bedford J, Barr SI. Comparison of dietary intakes and practices by vegetarian status in a population-based sample in British Columbia, Canada. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2005, 2:4 doi:10.1186/1479-5868-2-4. Available online at: http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/2/1/4.