Tauseef Ahmad Khan
Tauseef Ahmad Khan

Tauseef Ahmad Khan

MBBS · MSc Epidemiology · PhD Epidemiology

Nutrition Epidemiologist | SRMA Methodologist | AI-Enabled Nutrition Evidence Synthesis

Senior Research Associate, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

tauseef.khan@utoronto.ca · X · Substack · Google Scholar · ResearchGate

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I am an epidemiologist and nutrition scientist at the University of Toronto. I lead the methods behind our group's systematic reviews and meta-analyses of sugars, low- and no-calorie sweeteners and honey, work that has informed guidelines from Diabetes Canada, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

I now lead the development of the Toronto 3D AI-assisted evidence-synthesis workflow, in which AI takes on the laborious steps of a review and researchers verify the sources, the analyses and the certainty ratings.

101 peer-reviewed publications · 10,253 citations · h-index 51 (Google Scholar, Sep 2026)

AI in evidence synthesis

Human-gated, auditable AI workflows for systematic reviews: source verification, reproducible R analysis, GRADE and provenance tracking.

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis

GRADE, substitution and change analyses, network meta-analysis and non-linear dose–response modelling.

Low- and no-calorie sweeteners

Evidence and guidelines on sweeteners, sugar-sweetened beverages and cardiometabolic health, including the WHO non-sugar sweeteners guideline.

Honey and rare sugars

Honey and cardiometabolic risk: meta-analyses of trials, and compositional analysis of floral honeys.

Selected publications

  • Khan TA, Ayoub-Charette S, Sievenpiper JL. Non-nutritive sweeteners and health: reconciling evidence and interrogating guideline disconnects. Adv Nutr. 2024. doi
  • Khan TA, Lee JJ, Ayoub-Charette S, et al. WHO guideline on the use of non-sugar sweeteners: a need for reconsideration. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2023. doi
  • Ayoub-Charette S, Kavanagh M, Khan TA, Sievenpiper JL. Reconciling conflicting evidence on low- and no-calorie sweeteners and cardiometabolic outcomes: an umbrella review using naïve and bias-adjusted methods. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2025. doi
  • McGlynn N, Khan T, et al. Effect of non-nutritive sweetened beverages on cardiometabolic risk: network meta-analysis of RCTs. JAMA Netw Open. 2022. doi
  • Lee JJ, Khan TA, McGlynn N, et al. Relation of change or substitution of low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages with cardiometabolic outcomes. Diabetes Care. 2022. doi
  • Ayoub-Charette S, McGlynn N, Lee D, Khan TA, et al. Non-nutritive-sweetened beverages are similar to water in reducing sugar-sweetened beverages: STOP Sugars NOW trial. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025.
  • Ahmed A, ..., Khan TA (corresponding author), Sievenpiper JL. Effect of honey on cardiometabolic risk factors: systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2022. doi
  • Ahmed A, Khan TA, Ramdath D, et al. Rare sugars and their health effects in humans: systematic review and narrative synthesis. Nutr Rev. 2022. doi
  • Khan TA, Field D, Chen V, et al. Combination of multiple low-risk lifestyle behaviors and incident type 2 diabetes: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Diabetes Care. 2023. doi
  • Chiavaroli L, ..., Khan TA, et al. Low glycaemic index or load dietary patterns on glycaemic control in diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2021. doi
  • Semnani-Azad Z, Khan TA, Chiavaroli L, et al. Intermittent fasting strategies and their effects on body weight and other cardiometabolic risk factors: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ. 2025. doi
  • Zeraatkar D, ..., Khan TA, et al. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of nutritional epidemiology studies often have serious methodological limitations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021. doi
  • Khan TA, Ayoub-Charette S, Shyam S. Structural funding bias in red meat research: the elephant in the room. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025. doi
  • DNSG of the EASD (writing group member). Evidence-based European recommendations for the dietary management of diabetes. Diabetologia. 2023. doi

In the media

  • New York Times — Where You Carry Body Fat May Affect How Long You Live. Oct 2020.
  • Fox News — Honey as an alternative to sugar? Jan 2022.
  • Medscape — Do Artificial Sweeteners Alter Post-Meal Glucose, Hunger Hormones? Mar 2023.
  • Evening Standard — Raw honey could help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol. Nov 2022.
  • VOI Breakfast show — Honey and its healing properties. Oct 2025.

Recent writing

Roles

  • Lead developer, Toronto 3D AI-Assisted Nutrition Evidence Synthesis Workflow2026–present
  • Senior Research Associate, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoMar 2020–Present
  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of TorontoJul 2015–Mar 2020

PhD and MSc Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · MBBS, Aga Khan University

Impact and funding

Writing-group member, European recommendations for the dietary management of diabetes (DNSG/EASD, Diabetologia 2023).

Obtained about $1.5 million CAD in research funding as Acting Principal Applicant, including a $450,000 Diabetes Canada End-Diabetes Award (2025–2028).

Selected grants

  • $450,000 CAD, Diabetes Canada End-Diabetes Award: Non-Sugar Sweeteners and Type 2 Diabetes: A Mega-Cohort Pooling Project to Strengthen Causal Inference2025–2028
  • $150,000 USD, Fruit Juice Science Centre: Substitution of pure fruit juice for sugar-sweetened beverages and cardiometabolic disease risk in the EPIC Cohort2023–2025
  • $96,800 USD, National Honey Board USA (USDA Checkoff): Compositional analysis of honey: supplemental analysis of US floral honeys2022–2023
  • $90,000 USD, IAFNS (formerly ILSI North America): Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analyses of Low-Calorie Sweeteners and Glycemic Response2020–2022
  • $250,000 USD, National Honey Board USA (USDA Checkoff): Compositional analysis of honey with a focus on rare sugars2020–2022
  • Award for Nutrition Translation, Canadian Nutrition Society2025
  • Rising Star Award in Research, Unity Health2019
  • Clinical Research Award (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology paper)2019

Recent talks

  • American Dental Association Annual Meeting, Indianapolis: sweeteners in oral and overall healthOct 2026
  • IAFNS LNCS Stakeholder Workshop, Washington, DC: reconciling the evidence, defining research prioritiesSep 2026
  • Guest lecture, Toronto Metropolitan University: AI in systematic reviewsSep 2026
  • IAFNS Food Classification Research Roundtable, Washington, DC: sweeteners, evidence and guidelinesMar 2026
  • 6th ICQC Meeting, Kalamata: rare sugars, honey and healthy foodsOct 2025
  • 6th ICQC Meeting, Kalamata: mega-cohort pooling project on sweetenersOct 2025
  • 6th ICQC Meeting, Kalamata: global guidelines on low- and no-calorie sweetenersOct 2025
  • 42nd DNSG meeting, Ottawa: sweeteners as a tool for sugars reductionJun 2025
  • International Nutrition and Health Symposium, Dubai: sweetener evidence and guidanceSep 2024

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