Department of Family Medicine

Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Michael  Vallis

M Vallis
Department of Family Medicine

Email: tvallis@dal.ca
Phone: 902-473-4741
Mailing Address: 
Dalhousie Family Medicine
1465 Brenton Street, Suite 402
Halifax NS B3J 3T4
 

Education

  • PhD University of Western Ontario
  • MA University of Western Ontario
  • BSc Dalhousie University

Research Interests

Dr. Vallis is a health psychologist with expertise in obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular risk and gastroenterology. He spends most of his time training healthcare providers in behaviour change for chronic disease management. He regularly supervises clinical and academic students and is active in research on motivation, behavioural change and adaptation to chronic disease.  He consults nationally as well as internationally and is heavily involved in academic publications, journal editing, and clinical practice guidelines. He was on the executive of the Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Obesity (2020) and lead author of the Psychological and Behavioural Chapter for these new guidelines as well as the 2006 obesity guidelines.  He is an author of the Psychology and Mental Health chapter of Diabetes Canada’s Clinical Practice Guidelines (2023, 2018, 2013, 2004). He received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons, a 2024 Honorary Fellowship from the National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health (NIPC, Ireland), the 2021 Charles H Best award from Diabetes Canada and holds a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Government of Canada on the recommendation of the Diabetes Canada.

Selected Grants

CIHR
2024/3 - 2027/3
Effects of plant-based dietary patterns on Diabetes Remission: The REmission of diabetes using a PlAnt-based weight loss InteRvention (REPAIR) trial Principal Applicant: Chiavaroli, Laura; Jenkins, David; Kendall, Cyril; Principal Investigator: Sievenpiper, John Co-Investigator Vallis, Michael
Total Funding - $1,403,410

Portfolio diet in Primary care (CHEAPP) program
2021/9 – 2026/8
An innovative technology-based approach to translating clinical practice guidelines of nutrition therapy in primary care: The Cost, Health, and Effectiveness Assessment of the
Co-investigator: Jenkins, David; Leiter, Lawrence; Principal Investigator: Sievenpiper, John Co-investigator: Vallis, Michael
Total Funding - $994,775

Abbott Laboratories
2021/3-2025/6                                         
Advancing Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) in Type 2 Diabetes: Using Theory To Enhance Engagement in Self-Management With Sensing Technology
Principal Investigator: Vallis, Michael, Co-investigator: Berard, Lori; Cosson, Emanuel; Krostensen, Finn Boerlum; Levrat-Guillen, Fleur; Naiditch, Nicolas; Polonsky, William; Rabasa-Lhoret, Remi
Total Funding - $75,000

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
2021/8 - 2024/7
A Novel, Dual-Hormone, Fully Automated Artificial Pancreas for Type 1 Diabetes
Co-applicant: Haidir, Ahmad; Co-investigator: Vallis, Michael, Lagault, Laurent; Yale, Jena-François; Principal Investigator: Troikas, Michael
Total Funding - $899,952

Novo Nordisk Canada Inc (Mississauga, ON)
2022/8 - 2024/4
Diploma in Counselling for Obesity Management
Principal Applicant: Vallis, Michael Collaborator: Shepherd, Tiffany
Total Funding - $195,000

Selected Publications

Speight J, Holmes-Truscott E, Garza M, Scibilia R, Wagner S, Kato A, Pedrero V, Deschênes S, Guzman SJ, Joiner KL, Liu S, Willaing I, Babbott KM, Cleal B, Dickinson JK, Halliday JA, Morrissey EC, Nefs G, O'Donnell S, Serlachius A, Winterdijk P, Alzubaidi H, Arifin B, Cambron-Kopco L, Santa Ana C, Davidsen E, de Groot M, de Wit M, Deroze P, Haack S, Holt RIG, Jensen W, Khunti K, Kragelund Nielsen K, Lathia T, Lee CJ, McNulty B, Naranjo D, Pearl RL, Prinjha S, Puhl RM, Sabidi A, Selvan C, Sethi J, Seyam M, Sturt J, Subramaniam M, Terkildsen Maindal H, Valentine V, Vallis M, Skinner TC. (2004). Bringing an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination: an international consensus statement on evidence and recommendations.The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology. 12(1): 61-82.

Barber BV, Kephart G, Martin-Misener R, Vallis M, Matthews S, Atkins L, Cassidy C, Curran J, Rainham D (2004). Integrating health geography and behavioral economic principles to strengthen context- specific behavior change interventions. Translational behavioral medicine. April(29:1): 257-272.

Glazer SA, Vallis M. (2024). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on sleep parameters and characteristics in individuals living with overweight and obesity. Clinical obesity. 14(3): e12646.

Snoek FJ, Anarte Ortiz MT, Anderbro T, Cyranka K, Hendrieckx C, Hermanns N, Indelicato L, McGuire BE, Mocan A, Nefs G, Polonsky WH, Stewart R, Vallis M. (2024). Roles and competencies of the clinical psychologist in adult diabetes care-A consensus report. Diabetic medicine: a journal of the British Diabetic Association. 41(5): e15312.

Boucher VG, Haight BL, Léger C, Deslauriers F, Bacon SL, Lavoie KL, Puterman EM, iCARE study team. (2023). Canadian healthcare workers' mental health and health behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from nine representative samples between April 2020 and February 2022.Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique. 114(5): 823-839. Vallis M, Ryan H, Berard L, Cosson E, Kristensen FB, Levrat-Guillen F, Naiditch N, Rabasa-Lhoret R, Polonsky W. (2023).  How Continuous Glucose Monitoring Can Motivate Self-Management: Can Motivation Follow Behaviour? Canadian journal of diabetes.

Kanumilli N, Butler J, Makrilakis K, Rydén L, Vallis M, Wanner C, Zieroth S, Alhussein A, Cheng A. (2023). Guardians For Health: A Practical Approach to Improving Quality of Life and Longevity in People with Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes therapy: research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders.

Brenton-Peters JM, Vallis M, Grant S, Consedine NS, Kirk SFL, Roy R, Serlachius A. (2023). Rethinking weight: Finding self-compassion for 'weight management'. Clinical obesity. 13(1): e12562.  Nagpal TS, Pearce N, Sockalingam S, Hawa R, Dhaliwal KK, Lee-Baggley D, El-Hussein M, Nutter S, Piccinini-Vallis H, Vallis M, Dennett L, Forhan M, Hadjiyanakkis S, Kushner RF, McMillan M, Wharton S, Wiljer D, Abraham JR. (2023). A scoping review of obesity education interventions for current and prospective medical professionals in Canada. Obesity pillars. 8: 100085.

English S, Vallis M (2023). Moving beyond eat less, move more using willpower: Reframing obesity as a chronic disease impact of the 2020 Canadian obesity guidelines reframed narrative on perceptions of self and the patient-provider relationship. Clinical obesity. : e12615.

Abraham Roshan J, Nagpal TS, Pearce N, Dhaliwal KK, El-Hussein M, Forhan M, Hadjiyanakis S, Hawa R, Kushner RF, Lee-Baggley D, McMillan M, Nutter S, Piccinini-Vallis H, Vallis M, Wharton S, Wiljer D, Sockalingam S. (2023). Transforming the landscape of obesity education - The Canadian obesity education competencies. Obesity pillars. 8: 100091.

Vallis M (2023). Behaviour Change to Promote Diabetes Outcomes: Getting More from What We Have Through Dissemination and Scalability. Canadian journal of diabetes. 47(1): 85-89.

Lavoie K, Gosselin-Boucher V, Stojanovic J, Gupta S, Gagné M, Joyal-Desmarais K, Séguin K, Gorin SS, Ribeiro P, Voisard B, Vallis M, Corace K, Presseau J, Bacon S, iCARE Study Team. (2022). Understanding national trends in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Canada: results from five sequential cross-sectional representative surveys spanning April 2020-March 2021.BMJ open. 12(4): e059411.

Jin S , Bajaj HS, Brazeau AS, Champagne J, MacDonald B, MacKay D, Reichert SM, Vallis M, Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Steering Committee: Bajaj HS, Gilbert J , Houlden R, Kim J, MacDonald B, MacKay D, Mansell K, Rabi D, Senior P, Sherifali D. (2022). Remission of Type 2 Diabetes: User's Guide: Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Working Group. Canadian journal of diabetes. 46(8): 762-774.

Vallis M, Jin S, Klimek-Abercrombie A, Bunko A, Kukaswadia A, Neish CS, Ivers NM. (2022). Understanding strategies to improve medication adherence among persons with type 2 diabetes: A scoping review. Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association. : e14941.

Wrzal PK, Mohseni AA, Fournier C, Goldenberg R, Hollahan D, Jin S, Pedersen SD, Vallis M, Bunko A, Myageri V, Kukaswadia A, Neish CS, Ivers NM. (2022). Persons With Diabetes and General/Family Practitioner Perspectives Related to Therapeutic Inertia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Using Qualitative Focus Groups and the Theoretical Domains Framework: Results from the MOTION Study. Canadian journal of diabetes. 46(2): 171-180

Wrzal PK, Mohseni AA, Fournier C, Goldenberg R, Hollahan D, Jin S, Pedersen SD, Vallis M, Bunko A, Myageri V, Kukaswadia A, Neish CS, Ivers NM. (2022). A Cross-sectional Survey to Assess Reasons for Therapeutic Inertia in People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Preferred Strategies to Overcome It From the Perspectives of Persons With Diabetes and General/Family Practitioners: Results From the MOTIO. Canadian journal of diabetes. 46(4): 337-345.e2.

Rod MH, Aagaard-Hansen J, Bauman A, Jespersen LN, Tørslev MK, Vallis M, Willaing I. (2022). What fuels the research truck? Participatory health promotion research for sustainable change. Health promotion international. 37(Supplement): ii1-ii6.

Speight J, Skinner TC, Huber JW, Lake AJ, Messina R, Mocan A, Nefs G, Newson L, Povey R, Vallis M, Willaing I, Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes (PSAD) Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). (2022). A PSAD Group response to the consensus report on the definition and interpretation of remission in type 2 diabetes: a psychosocial perspective is needed. Diabetologia. 65(2): 406-408.

Nagpal TS, Salas XR, Vallis M, Piccinini Vallis H, Alberga AS, Bell RC, da Silva DF, Davenport MH , Gaudet L, Rodriguez ACI, Liu RH, Myre M, Nerenberg K, Nutter S, Russell-Mayhew S, Souza SCS, Vilhan C, Adamo KB (2022). Exploring weight bias internalization in pregnancy. BMC pregnancy and childbirth.