Yoni Freedhoff

Yoni Freedhoff is an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Ottawa.[1] He is also a founder and medical director of the Bariatric Medical Institute, a for-profit, non-surgical weight management clinic.[2]

Education and career

Freedhoff attended the University of Toronto. He was a guest blogger at the Huffington Post in 2011–12.[3] In 2012, the Ontario Medical Association invited Freedhoff to give a talk on nutrition policy before food industry executives at an event organized by the public relations firm Fleishman-Hillard. Fleishman-Hillard then informed him that he would not be on the program.[4] In 2013, Freedhoff criticized Health Check, a nutritional certification program operated by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, for having endorsed products with high sodium and/or sugar contents.[5][6][7]

The Diet Fix

His first book, The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work, was published in 2014.[8] A review by Newsday described the book's concept of "post-traumatic dieting disorder", which includes feelings like guilt and depression that may occur after failed dieting attempts.[9] A Scientific American review said that Freedhoff touches on the "toxic, obesogenic environment" of the modern world, but it lamented the fact that Freedhoff does not go into more detail on that aspect of the dieting problem.[10]

2023 comments

In November 2023, Freedhoff alleged in a blog post that social media posts referencing the "Free Palestine" movement by Dr. Yipeng Ge, a medical resident at the University of Ottawa, were antisemitic. The University suspended Ge, and a subsequent petition demanding Ge's reinstatement and an investigation by the university was signed by more than 100,000 people.[11][12] As of January 20, 2024, Dr. Ge had been reinstated.[13] Since the start of Israel's war on Gaza in 2023, Freedhoff has repeatedly posted unverified claims of antisemitism on X (formerly Twitter).

Personal life

Freedhoff is the son of theoretical physicist Helen Freedhoff and chartered accountant Stephen Freedhoff. His sister, Michal Ilana Freedhoff, is the Assistant Administrator of the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.[14]

References

  1. ^ Eltherington, William (21 November 2023). "uOttawa criticized for suspension of resident doctor for pro-Palestinian posts". CTV News Ottawa. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Yoni Freedhoff, MD". Psychology Today. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. ^ Freedhoff, Yoni (14 January 2013). "The Real Biggest Losers? The Show's Audience". Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  4. ^ Mestel, Rosie` (December 10, 2012). "Uninvited from food industry event, obesity doc puts his talk online". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  5. ^ "Ottawa doctor says Heart and Stroke Foundation is misleading parents over a "Health Check" product". CTV News. Bell Media. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  6. ^ "The Heart and Stroke Foundation endorses Harvey's burgers? Really?". Montreal Gazette. December 3, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  7. ^ "Health Check approval misleading consumers, Canadian doctor alleges". Global News. Corus Entertainment. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Dr. Yoni Freedhoff on the Diet Fix". Global News. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  9. ^ Brown, Peggy (March 21, 2014). "Book Nook: 'The Diet Fix' review". Newsday. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  10. ^ Mustain, Patrick (March 3, 2014). "Book Review: The Diet Fix–Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work". Scientific American. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  11. ^ Scott, Katie (November 19, 2023). "'He does not deserve this': University of Ottawa criticized after medical resident suspended for pro-Palestine posts". Yahoo! News. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Canada: censoring pro-Palestine voices triggers backlash at university". Middle East Monitor. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  13. ^ "Doctor suspended from uOttawa for pro-Palestinian posts reinstated, but won't go back". Ottawa. 2024-01-22. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  14. ^ Freedhoff, Michal (29 January 2013). "About the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP)".