| Suzanne M. Babich | |
| Occupation: | Public health scientist |
Suzanne Marie Babich (born 1958), formerly Suzanne Havala Hobbs[1] is an American public health scientist, food writer, registered dietitian and vegetarianism activist. She was the primary author for the American Dietetic Association's 1988 and 1993 vegetarian position papers.
Babich obtained a BS in dietetics from Michigan State University in 1981 and a MS in nutrition from Winthrop University in 1991.[2] She qualified DrPH from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001.[2]
Babich is an adjunct professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Gillings School of Global Public Health.[2] She is Associate Dean of Global Health and Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis.[1] She is chair of the Board of Accreditation for the European Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA).[1] [3]
From 2003 to 2014, Babich wrote a food column "On the Table" in the Raleigh News and Observer and the Charlotte Observer.[4] In total she authored 600 columns.[4]
In 2022, Babich received a U.S. Fulbright Scholar Award to work with colleagues in Croatia at the University of Rijeka.[5] [6]
Babich has described herself as a "vegan-leaning, lacto ovo vegetarian for nearly 50 years".[7] She served on the editorial board of the Vegetarian Times magazine for many years and was a nutrition adviser for the Vegetarian Resource Group.[7] [8] Babich was the primary author for the American Dietetic Association's 1988 and 1993 position papers on vegetarian diets with Johanna T. Dwyer.[9] [10] [11] The 1988 position paper questioned the idea of protein combining and concluded it is unnecessary.[12]
In 1990, Babich worked with T. Colin Campbell to help him compile data for the China Health Project.[13] In 1996, Babich attended the 32nd World Vegetarian Congress.[14]
Babich is on the advisory board of the Coalition for Healthy School Food (CHSF), a non-profit organization that introduces plant-based foods and nutrition in schools.[15] A 2nd edition of Babich's Living Vegetarian For Dummies was published in 2022.[16]