• Exploring access to and nutritional adequacy of restrictive diets
• Development of diet planning and assessment tools for a food-first approach

Our team has explored access and adequacy of the gluten-free diet highlighting the higher cost and lower nutritional quality of gluten-free staple foods in Canada. We used dietary pattern analysis to identify the key food sources of nutrients, ultimately identifying a gap in gluten-free food composition data. This led us to develop an open access database to estimate missing nutrient data (particularly micronutrients of concern such as iron and folate) for commonly consumed gluten-free foods. We have also explored nutrition-related concerns of developing collegiate athletes in several projects. Currently, we are investigating food first approaches to meet post-exercise recovery goals for athletes on a plant-based diet, with the aim to develop novel dietary tools.

Follow me on Research Gate, Google Scholar or connect with me on LinkedIn.
 

Publications

Jamieson, JA, Blewett, H. (2025) The price of Canadian gluten-free staple foods remains more than double and iron content less than half of standard foods in 2024. Plant Foods in Human Nutrition. Accepted: April 27, 2025.

Fox, A, Anderson, B, Lordly, D, VanDenboer, E, Jamieson, J. (2025) “The year of give”: Exploring dietetic practice in Nova Scotia during the first three waves of Covid-19. Cdn J Diet Pract Res, E-published 25 April 2025. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2025-002

Jamieson, J, Olynyk, C, Harvie, R, O’Brien, S. (2025) 'Uncomfortable and embarrassed’: the stigma of gastrointestinal symptoms as a barrier to accessing care and support for collegiate athletes. Dietetics, 4, 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics4010011

Lou, A, Elnenaei, MO, Zhu, J, Peltekian, K, Liu, E, Jamieson, JA, Breeze, J, Said, H, Nassar, BA. (2025). Re-evaluating the Utility of Iron Indices in Hereditary Hemochromatosis Genotyping: A Retrospective Study. Clinical Biochemistry, 135, 110867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2024.110860

Jamieson, J, VanDenboer, E, Anderson, B, Lordly, D, Fox, A. (2024) Dietitian’s experiences varied by work sector during the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nova Scotia. Cdn J Diet Pract Res, 85(12-19). https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2023-030

Jamieson, JA, Gill, K, Fisher, S, English, M. (2022) Development of a Canadian food composition database of gluten-free products. Foods, 11, 2215. Special Issue: Quality of Grains and Grain-based foods. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152215

Jamieson, JA, Rosta, E, Gougeon, L. (2021) Grain Products are a Top Source of Energy and Nutrients among Nova Scotian Adults following a Gluten-free Diet. Cdn J Diet Pract Res, 82(1):21-26.   https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2020-023

Jamieson, JA, Viana, L. English, M. (2020) Folate content and chemical composition of commercially available gluten-free flour alternatives. Plant Foods Hum Nutr, 75, 337-343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-020-00833-z

Jamieson, JA, Neufeld, A. (2020) Food sources of energy and nutrients among Canadian adults following a gluten-free diet. PeerJ, 8:e9590. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9590

Kenny, TA, Hu, XF, Jamieson, JA, Kuhnlein, HV, Wesche, SD, Chan, HM. (2019) Potential impact of restricted caribou (Rangifer tarandus) consumption on anemia prevalence among Inuit adults in northern Canada. BMC Nutrition 5:30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-019-0292-9

Jamieson, JA, Gougeon, L. (2019) Adults following a gluten-free diet report little dietary guidance in a pilot survey exploring relationships between dietary knowledge, management, and adherence in Nova Scotia, Canada. Nutrition Research, 66:107-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2019.02.005

See Google Scholar  for the full list of Dr. Jamieson’s publications.

Current Research Projects:

1. Exploring applications of wheat protein for plant-based diets. UCR funded 2025-2026. Collaborator: Dr. Marcia English. Student researcher: Devyn Hogg.
2. Exploring the role of high-performance sport dietitians in Canadian athlete development.
3. Piloting the National Nutritious Food Basket method for gluten-free diet costing.  

Completed Projects:

Catalyzing Dietetics: Exploring the experiences, needs and emerging roles of dietitians in Nova Scotia during the COVID-19 pandemic. PI: Dr. Ann Fox, Co-Investigators: Dr. D. Lordly, B. Anderson, Collaborators: J. Jamieson, B. MacDonald. Research Assistant: Erik Vandenboer. Funded by SSHRC Individual Partnership Engage Grants COVID-19 Special Initiative (2021 – 2022).

To what extent do Exercise-Associated Gastrointestinal Symptoms affect the training and performance of Student Athletes? An exploratory mixed methods needs assessment. Principal Investigator: Jen Jamieson. Co-Investigators: Dr. Ruth Harvie and Sarah O'Brien. Research Assistants: Cayla Olynyk, BSc HNU Honours 2021 and Hannah Ellis, Scotia Scholar Summer Research Award recipient, 2022.

Development of a gluten-free food composition database. Principal Investigator: Jen Jamieson. Research Assistants: Kelsey Gill, BSc HNU Honours 2020; Samantha Fisher, Scotia Scholar Research Award 2021. StFX UCR funded for direct folate analysis (2018 - 2020).

Adhering to a gluten-free diet in Nova Scotia: Exploring nutritional quality and the role of food literacy.  A pilot project funded by the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. Principal Investigator: Jen Jamieson. Co-Principal Investigator: Laura Gougeon (2016 - 2017).
 

Student Research Projects

Are you a curious, motivated, hard-working student looking to challenge yourself with an independent research project? Current students interested in summer and honours research projects are encouraged to meet with Dr. Jamieson early in their program of study (second year or fall of third year) for further discussions.

Current Student(s):

Devyn Hogg*, Summer Research Assistant, 2025. Project: Meeting Athlete’s Protein Needs with a High-protein Wheat Product. Co- Supervisors: Dr. Jen Jamieson and Dr. Marcia English. *NSERC Undergraduate Research Award Recipient.

Past Students and Projects:

Samantha Fisher, Summer Research Assistant, 2023 and Thesis, 2024.  

Project: Investigating the sex data gap in sport nutrition research. Supervisor: Dr. Jen Jamieson.

Samantha Fisher, Summer Research Assistant, 2022. Project: Development of a gluten-free food composition database. Supervisor: Dr. Jen Jamieson. Currently in medical school at Memorial University.

Hannah Ellis, Summer Research Assistant, 2022. Project: Exploring student athletes understanding and management of exercise-associated gastrointestinal symptoms: A mixed methods approach. Supervisors: Dr. Jen Jamieson & Sarah O’Brien PDt.

Cayla Olynyk, 2020-2021. Thesis: Exploring student athletes understanding and management of exercise-associated gastrointestinal symptoms: A mixed methods approach. Supervisory Committee: Dr. Jen Jamieson & Sarah O’Brien PDt. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Kelsey Gill, 2019-2020. Thesis: Development of a Canadian Nutrient Composition Database for Gluten-Free Foods. Recipient of 2019 Scotia Scholar Undergraduate Research Award and 2020 Sodexo Canada Scholarship. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Anna Neufeld, 2018-19. Thesis: An Exploration of Food Sources of Nutrients and Dietary Patterns of the Gluten-free Diet. 2019 Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism Undergraduate Research Excellence Award. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Jacqueline Rusin, 2018-19. Thesis: Determination of Folate Content in Nutritionally Important Gluten-Free Flours Using Lactobacillus casei spp. Rhamnosus in a Microbiological Assay. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Emily Rosta, 2017-18. Thesis: Evaluating the quality of gluten-free diets using the NOVA food processing system: Piloting the GFStudy in Nova Scotia. Silver medal Bookstore Prize - StFX Student Research Day March 28, 2018; 2018 Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism Undergraduate Research Excellence Award. Dissemination: Findings presented at the 2018 Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting. MSc Community Health & Epidemiology, Dalhousie University.

Leah Gouthro, 2017-18. Thesis: Diet assessment of collegiate athletes following a gluten-free diet. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Emma Aucoin, 2015-16. Thesis: Does vitamin B6 supplementation enhance the effects of exercise on glucose metabolism in non-athlete university students? Co-supervised by Dr. Dan Kane. Currently a Physiotherapist. NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), 2015 (Co-supervised with Dr. Dan Kane, Human Kinetics). 2016 Gordon Sleivard Award for top undergraduate presentation, 13th Atlantic Provinces Exercise Scientists and Socioculturalists Conference (APES+); Silver medal, StFX Student Research Day. Dissemination: Findings presented at the 2017 Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting

Mikaela Henderson, 2015-16. Thesis: A Comparative Analysis of Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of Hereditary Hemochromatosis. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Sara Watters, 2015-16. Thesis: Exploring the challenges of gluten-free diet using a mixed-methods approach. (Co-supervised with Dr. Laura Gougeon). Scotia Scholar Undergraduate Research Award (NSHRF). Currently a Registered Dietitian and Msc student in Speech & Language Pathology at Dalhousie University.

Hannah Mawhinney, 2014-2015. Thesis: Is vitamin B6 sub-optimal for male endurance athletes?: Preliminary investigation of the effects of 7-day dietary intervention on running performance after a competitive season. Co-supervised by Dr. Dan Kane (HKIN). CIHR Summer Research Award, 2014 (Co-supervised with Dr. Dan Kane). 2015 Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism Undergraduate Research Excellence Award Recipient. Bronze medal, StFX Student Research Day. Currently an Assistant Professor at StFX. Dissemination: Findings presented at the 2017 Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting.

Mary Weir, 2014-2015. Thesis: A comparison of nutritional quality of gluten-free and similar gluten-containing products in rural towns and villages in Northeastern Nova Scotia. CIHR Summer Research Award, 2013 (Co-supervised with Dr. Doris Gillis).

Kaitlyn Stanford, 2013-14. Thesis: Energy and Nutrient Adequacy of Elite Cross-Country Runners Across the Training and Competition Season. Dissemination: Findings presented at the 2014 Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting. Currently a resident physician at Memorial University [Family Medicine].

Heidi Stirling, 2012-13. Thesis: Energy and nutrient adequacy of elite female cross-country runners. CIHR Summer Research Award, 2012. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Tayler Musclow, 2012-13. Thesis: The development of a food frequency questionnaire for iron assessment of elite female endurance athletes. Bronze medal, StFX Student Research Day. Currently a Registered Dietitian.

Erica Reynolds, 2011-12. Thesis: Investigating the prevalence of food insecurity amongst Saint Francis Xavier University students. Co-supervised by Professor Christine Johnson (HNU). Dissemination: Research published in Cdn J Diet Pract Res 79(3): 125-128. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2018-004. Currently a Registered Dietitian