Dr. Aviroop Biswas
Dr. Aviroop Biswas is an associate scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. He is also an assistant professor in social and behavioural health sciences at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Biswas obtained his PhD in health services research at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. During his PhD studies, he received a doctoral research fellowship from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and was a past recipient of the University of Toronto’s Ted Goldberg award for academic excellence and promise in health services research. Biswas was previously a Mustard post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Work & Health (2017-2019).
Biswas’s research at the Institute includes population-based approaches to understanding the role of work on the etiology of health behaviours and non-communicable disease, studies informing strategies to promote the health, safety and well-being of the workforce, and sex/gender differences in occupational health exposures and related health outcomes. His research projects have involved analysis of survey and administrative data, as well as systematic reviews.
“Worker health goes beyond simply thinking about protecting workers from the hazards of work. Unhealthy living not only increases the risk of preventable disease, but is also a major cause of workplace absence and injury. The challenge is to convince employers that the health and well-being of workers is in the best interests of the workplace to promote.” – Dr. Avi Biswas
Projects
- Do work exposures and their effects differ for men and women? A systematic review. Funded by WorkSafeBC. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Occupational injury risks in Ontario. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Ongoing.
- Understanding the activity patterns of Canadians at work and outside of work, and their association with overall health. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Improving information on the incidence of work-related injuries and illnesses in Ontario. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour Research Opportunities Program . Completed.
- Developing recommendations for an integrated approach to workplace health protection and health promotion. Funded by Alberta OHS Future. Completed. (PI on the project)
Publications
- Prince SA, Rasmussen CL, Biswas A, Holtermann A, Aulakh T, Merucci K, Coenen P. The effect of leisure time physical activity and sedentary behaviour on the health of workers with different occupational physical activity demands: a systematic review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2021;18(1):100. doi:10.1186/s12966-021-01166-z.
- Biswas A, Gilbert-Ouimet M, Mustard C, Glazier RH, Smith PM. Combined associations of work and leisure time physical activity on incident diabetes risk. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2021;60(3):e149-e158. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2020.09.017.
- Biswas A, Begum M, Van Eerd D, Smith PM, Gignac MA. Organizational perspectives on how to successfully integrate health promotion activities into occupational health and safety. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2021;63(4):270-284. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002087.
- Biswas A. Occupational physical activity as a target for obesity prevention: a lack of effect or a lack of evidence?. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2021 [epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1136/oemed-2020-107266.
- Prince SA, Roberts KC, Reed JL, Biswas A, Colley RC, Thompson W. Daily physical activity and sedentary behaviour across occupational classifications in Canadian adults. Health Reports. 2020;31(9):13-26. doi:10.25318/82-003-x202000900002-eng.
Speaker Series presentations
- The health paradox of physically demanding work: What is it and should we be concerned?. IWH Speaker Series. May 11, 2021.
- Developing practical recommendations for integrating workplace safety and wellness initiatives. IWH Speaker Series. February 18, 2020.
- Do workplace facilities and health promotion programs help workers be physically active?. IWH Speaker Series. November 7, 2017.
Interviews and articles
- Emerging evidence points to negative health effects of physical work demands . At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 105, Summer 2021.
- Sitting or standing too much at work? New video addresses ways to lower associated health risks. Safety + Health. December 27, 2018. Available from: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17906-sitting-or-standing-too-much-at-work-new-video-addresses-ways-to-lower-associated-health-risks
- Grant round-up: Emerging issues and innovative prevention approaches seen in latest IWH projects. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 94, Fall 2018.
- Workplace facilities and environments can help workers exercise during off-hours. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 92, Spring 2018.
- Researcher on health risks of sedentary life shifts focus to workplace interventions. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 88, Spring 2017.