Professor Dr Mohamed Ismail Mohamed Noor was recently awarded the Foreign Correspondent Award - Public Health by the prestigious French National Academy of Medicine in Paris in recognition of his research in nutrition over the last four decades.
An Emeritus Professor in Nutrition at Taylor’s University Faculty of Hospitality, Food and Leisure Management, Ismail is the second Malaysian to be recognised by the French Academy of Medicine. The first is Datuk Dr Looi Lai Meng of Universiti Malaya, a leading authority on amyloid disease and a renowned pathology expert.
Established in 1820, the French National Academy of Medicine focuses on contributing to the improvement of the art of healing through all fields of medical study and research.
The award ceremony was presided by its president, Professor Claude Jaffiol, and its secretary, Professor Daniel Couturier. At the ceremony, Jaffiol said Ismail was the leader of nutrition in Malaysia and one of the main collaborators with France in the field of nutrition.
Ismail said: “This international recognition motivates me to continue my work and passion in looking for answers to improve the nutritional status of Malaysian. I am thankful for all the support from UKM where I served for 35 years and now Taylor’s University, to make my work possible and productive.”
Ismail is leading Taylor’s University’s research into environmental and individual perspectives on obesity prevention and treatment, which include a Joint International Laboratory Project (LIA) with French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) on Food, Culture and Health.
His other research involvements include looking at cultural and economic drivers of protein transition; body composition in children and adolescents; food environment policy index in combating obesity; and improving healthy energy balance and obesity-related behaviours, especially among pre-schoolers in Malaysia.
Taylor’s University Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Driscoll said this accolade was well-deserved given Ismail’s extensive work in the field of nutrition.
“His contributions over the last four decades go a long way in improving health of Malaysians through better nutrition. This award adds another feather to his cap.”
Ismail holds many positions in national and international organisations related to the research and development of nutrition. He was made Fellow of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences in recognition of his outstanding contributions at its 18th International Congress in South Africa in September 2005.
He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia since 2006, executive council member of World Obesity Federation (2014-2018) president of the Asia-Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity 2014-2018, and president of the Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity 1996-2019.