Dr. Després is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Université Laval, Scientific Director of VITAM—Research Centre on Sustainable Health and Scientific Director of the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk, both based at Université Laval. His research interests include visceral obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and their prevention through physical activity and healthy living. More than thirty years ago, he was the first to report that an excess of fat in the abdominal cavity (visceral obesity) is particularly harmful to health. He is one of the most cited researchers in the world in his field (771 scientific articles and 60 book chapters, 180,192 Google Scholar citations; H index: 162) and is the most cited active scientist at Université Laval. He has received numerous prestigious awards such as Knight of the Ordre national du Québec (the highest distinction of the Québec government).

Dr. Després declares sources of funding and relationships with the following commercial stakeholders in the healthcare sector:

• Inversago Pharma Inc. (Advisory Services)