Faculty profile

Catherine Sabiston

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ProfessorUniversity of Toronto

Catherine Sabiston

Professor

Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Mental Health

Scholar ORCID

Supervision signals

Professors usually supervise graduate students in their department's programs.
6 publications in the last five years, latest in 2026.
Principal investigator on 17 research grants (13 SSHRC, 4 CIHR), most recently in 2026.
Supervisor on 6 trainee awards (6 CIHR), most recently in 2024.

These signals come from public records, including CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions. Ask the professor or the graduate program whether they are taking new students.

Academic metrics

Publications

Citations

Collaborators

Grants

Publications by year

Counts cover the publications linked to this profile. Citations and the h-index appear when the source records them.

Education

PhD, School of Kinesiology
MHK, Faculty of Human Kinetics
BSc, School of Health and Human Performance

Profiles and links

University Profile Personal Website Google Scholar iDORCID

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Signals and details

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of Toronto profile.

Mental health and wellbeing Sport and exercise psychology Psychosocial, sociocultural and behavioural determinants of health Mental health rehabilitation

Latest papers

Sleep Parameters Associated with Cardiometabolic Health in Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases · 2026
Longitudinal associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity with changes in cognitive function in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a prospective matched-control study.
Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2026
Factor structure and measurement invariance of the GAD-7 across time, sex, and language in young adults.
Journal of affective disorders · 2025

All 15 publications

Latest funding

Gender-Affirming Chest Surgery and Allostatic Load in Transgender Men and Non-Binary Individuals: A Prospective Study of the Contributions of Body Image and Epistemic Injustice to Physiological Health
CIHR · 2026 · Principal investigator
$700,000
Women's body appearance and fitness tensions in modern exercise: A mixed-methods examination of experiences, psychological outcomes, and avenues of change
SSHRC · 2026 · Co-investigator
$74,258
Beyond the Finish Line: Body image mechanisms for sport participation and performance
SSHRC · 2025 · Principal investigator
$205,010

All 47 grants and awards

15 publications.

Sleep Parameters Associated with Cardiometabolic Health in Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Sibley D, Rishis E, Neil-Sztramko S, de Barros Gonze B, Govette A, Dojutrek A, Small S, Lee O, Christensen R, Sabiston C

Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2026.104883

Longitudinal associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity with changes in cognitive function in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a prospective matched-control study.

Xiao H, Warner E, Ryan J, Sabiston C, Ghazinour G, O'Rourke S, Moore D, Welsh T, Trinh L

Cancer causes & control : CCC2026

DOI: 10.1007/s10552-026-02165-w PMID: 41981302

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the GAD-7 across time, sex, and language in young adults.

Riglea T, Wellman RJ, Sylvestre MP, Sabiston C, O'Loughlin J

Journal of affective disorders2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.01.117 PMID: 39880312

Feeling safe: a critical look at the effect of neighborhood safety features and perceptions on childhood symptoms of depression.

Infantino E, Barnett TA, Côté-Lussier C, Van Hulst A, Henderson M, Mathieu ME, Sabiston C, Kakinami L

BMC pediatrics2024

DOI: 10.1186/s12887-024-05236-6 PMID: 39604905

Structured exercise programs for higher education students experiencing mental health challenges: background, significance, and implementation.

Jeftic I, Furzer BJ, Dimmock JA, Wright K, Boyd C, Budden T, Rosenberg M, Kramer B, Buist B, Fitzpatrick I, Sabiston C, de Jonge M, Jackson B

Frontiers in public health2023

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1104918 PMID: 37181716

Peripheral Skeletal Muscle Impairment in Children After Treatment for Leukemia and Lymphoma

White GE, West SL, Sabiston C, Rhind SG, Nathan PC, Caterini JE, Jones H, Rayner T, Weiss R, Wells GD

Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology20222 citations

DOI: 10.1097/mph.0000000000002397

Evaluation of a novel strategy to implement exercise evidence into clinical practice in breast cancer care: protocol for the NEXT-BRCA randomised controlled trial

Smith-Turchyn J, Mukherjee S, Richardson J, Ball E, Bordeleau L, Neil-Sztramko S, Levine O, Thabane L, Sathiyapalan A, Sabiston C

BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine20206 citationsSenior authorOpen Access

DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000922 PMID: W3092339303

Mechanisms underpinning the association between physical activity and mental health in adolescence: a 6-year study.

Doré I, Sylvester B, Sabiston C, Sylvestre MP, O'Loughlin J, Brunet J, Bélanger M

The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2020

DOI: 10.1186/s12966-020-0911-5 PMID: 32005251

The Effect of Yoga Interventions on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Quality of Life for Women with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

O'Neill M, Samaroo D, Lopez C, Tomlinson G, Santa Mina D, Sabiston C, Culos-Reed N, Alibhai SMH

Integrative cancer therapies2020

DOI: 10.1177/1534735420959882 PMID: 33073636

A phase II randomized controlled trial of three exercise delivery methods in men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy.

Alibhai SMH, Santa Mina D, Ritvo P, Tomlinson G, Sabiston C, Krahn M, Durbano S, Matthew A, Warde P, O'Neill M, Timilshina N, Segal R, Culos-Reed N

BMC cancer2019

DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-5189-5 PMID: 30606137

Gender-Affirming Chest Surgery and Allostatic Load in Transgender Men and Non-Binary Individuals: A Prospective Study of the Contributions of Body Image and Epistemic Injustice to Physiological Health

Principal investigatorCIHR2026Op. Gr. Adv. 2S_LGBTQI+ Heal. Thr. Res. - Gend Aff Care, Ment/Brain Health

Principal investigators: Moayedi, Massieh; Armstrong, Kathleen; Boerner, Katelynn E; Finn, David P; Potter, Emery; Sabiston, Catherine M

Keywords: Allostatic Load; Body Image; Brain; Epistemic Injustice; Gender-Affirming Care; Health Inequities; Hormones; Non-Binary Health; Top Surgery; Transgender Health

$700,000

Women's body appearance and fitness tensions in modern exercise: A mixed-methods examination of experiences, psychological outcomes, and avenues of change

Co-investigatorSSHRC2026Insight Development Grants

Principal investigators: Lucibello, Kristen

$74,258

Beyond the Finish Line: Body image mechanisms for sport participation and performance

Principal investigatorSSHRC2025Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Sabiston, Catherine M.

$205,010

Exercise Training, Cognition, and Brain Health in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Co-investigatorCIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Trinh, Linda

Keywords: Brain Health; Brain Imaging; Breast Cancer; Cancer Survivorship; Cognitive Function; Exercise

$1,985,175

THE FUTURE TENSE LIFE OF COLONEL TALBOT

Co-investigatorSSHRC2024Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Schneider, Aaron J.

Keywords: Thomas Talbot; fiction; historiographic metafiction; counter history; public memory

$42,550

Shaping Futures: Body Image Education to Empower Youth

Principal investigatorSSHRC2024Partnership Development Grants

Principal investigators: Sabiston, Catherine M.

Keywords: body image; self-compassion; well-being; school; youth

$62,050

The co-creation and implementation of a physical activity support program for individuals with an eating disorder.

SupervisorCIHR2024CIHR Fellowship

Principal investigators: Galway, Sarah

Keywords: Co-Creation; Community-Based Participatory Action Research; Eating Disorders; Mental Health; Physical Activity

$140,000

Physical activity and psychosocial well-being

Principal investigatorSSHRC2024Canada Research Chairs

Principal investigators: Sabiston, Catherine

$100,000

Changes in sport and physical activity participation from the childhood to emerging adulthood

Co-investigatorSSHRC2024Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Bélanger, Mathieu

Keywords: Sport; Behaviour; Life-course; Prospective study; Physical activity; Trajectories

$61,282

Changes in sport and physical activity participation from the childhood to emerging adulthood

Co-investigatorSSHRC2024Sport Participation Research Initiative

Principal investigators: Bélanger, Mathieu

Keywords: Sport; Behaviour; Life-course; Prospective study; Physical activity; Trajectories

$15,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

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Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2026

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Mental health and wellbeing Dear Professor Sabiston, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Sleep Parameters Associated with Cardiometabolic Health in Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study" (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Gender-Affirming Chest Surgery and Allostatic Load in Transgender Men and Non-Binary Individuals: A Prospective Study of the Contributions of Body Image and Epistemic Injustice to Physiological Health" (2026), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Profile data last refreshed on September 25, 2026 from the university directory, publication records and CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding.

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Catherine Sabiston

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Sleep Parameters Associated with Cardiometabolic Health in Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Longitudinal associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity with changes in cognitive function in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a prospective matched-control study.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the GAD-7 across time, sex, and language in young adults.

Feeling safe: a critical look at the effect of neighborhood safety features and perceptions on childhood symptoms of depression.

Structured exercise programs for higher education students experiencing mental health challenges: background, significance, and implementation.

Peripheral Skeletal Muscle Impairment in Children After Treatment for Leukemia and Lymphoma

Evaluation of a novel strategy to implement exercise evidence into clinical practice in breast cancer care: protocol for the NEXT-BRCA randomised controlled trial

Mechanisms underpinning the association between physical activity and mental health in adolescence: a 6-year study.

The Effect of Yoga Interventions on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Quality of Life for Women with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

A phase II randomized controlled trial of three exercise delivery methods in men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy.

Gender-Affirming Chest Surgery and Allostatic Load in Transgender Men and Non-Binary Individuals: A Prospective Study of the Contributions of Body Image and Epistemic Injustice to Physiological Health

Women's body appearance and fitness tensions in modern exercise: A mixed-methods examination of experiences, psychological outcomes, and avenues of change

Beyond the Finish Line: Body image mechanisms for sport participation and performance

Exercise Training, Cognition, and Brain Health in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

THE FUTURE TENSE LIFE OF COLONEL TALBOT

Shaping Futures: Body Image Education to Empower Youth

The co-creation and implementation of a physical activity support program for individuals with an eating disorder.

Physical activity and psychosocial well-being

Changes in sport and physical activity participation from the childhood to emerging adulthood

Changes in sport and physical activity participation from the childhood to emerging adulthood

Frequent collaborators

Daniel Santa Mina

Paul Ritvo

George Tomlinson

Paul Ritvo

Murray Krahn

Lisa Kakinami

Jennifer Brunet

Sarah Neil-Sztramko

Linda Trinh

Katerina Maximova

Evelyn Constantin

Paul Oh

Evelyn Constantin

Jenna Gillen

Nathalie Auger

Nathalie Auger

Kristin Campbell

Daniel Moore

Timothy Welsh

Marie-Pierre Sylvestre

Michael Chaiton

Gilles Paradis

Himu Lukka

Oren Levine

Som Mukherjee

Arani Sathiyapalan

Jenna Smith-Turchyn

Julie Richardson

Greg Wells

Jennifer Ryan

Nathalie Auger

Aurelie Labbe

Shabbir Alibhai

Lehana Thabane

Jennifer O'Loughlin

Louise Bordeleau