Mark L Wahlqvist

Mark Lawrence Wahlqvist (born 5 February 1942) is an Australian physician, academic, and public health nutritionist known for his contributions to human nutrition, food policy, eco-nutritional science, and global public health.

Wahlqvist was the first appointed Professor of Human Nutrition in Australia and has held senior academic positions domestically and internationally, as well as leadership roles in major nutrition science organizations. His academic appointments include an Emeritus Professorship at Monash University, along with Honorary Professorships at Deakin University and Zhejiang University.

In 2000, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Early life and education Wahlqvist was born in 1942 in Adelaide, South Australia, and attended Westbourne Park Primary School and Unley High School. He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, earning a BMedSc with Honours in 1963 and an MBBS in 1966. He earned a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Adelaide in 1970 with a thesis titled 'Arterial Wall Metabolism and Atherogenesis', and a second MD from Uppsala University, Sweden, in 1972, presenting the thesis 'Substrate and Hormone Inter-relationships in Human Myocardial Metabolism'.

Academic and professional career Wahlqvist began his academic and medical career with research in metabolic physiology and clinical medicine. He served in senior academic roles in both Australia and Sweden before becoming the Foundation Professor of Human Nutrition at Deakin University in 1978. In 1987, he was appointed Chair of Medicine at Monash University, where he later directed the Asia Pacific Health and Nutrition Centre at the Monash Asia Institute (now Monash Asia Initiative).

His career has included positions at institutions in Sweden, Indonesia, China, and Taiwan. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition for over 25 years. He also played a role in food policy as the Inaugural Chair of the Food Safety Council of Victoria. . In interviews and publications, he has promoted intercultural dialogue in nutrition science, arguing that cross-cultural understanding is essential for effective health interventions and global nutrition policy.

Awards and honors

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) – awarded in 2000 for services to medicine, particularly nutritional science and public health policy (2000 Australia Day Honours) Charlotta Medal from the Emigrants Research Institute (Utvandrarnas Hus) in Växjö, Sweden – awarded in 1994 for distinguished contributions to international cultural and scholarly exchange Distinguished Foreign Fellow, Chinese Nutrition Society – 2015 Living Legend, International Union of Nutritional Sciences – 2017

He has been awarded through several educational and policy initiatives. The Mark Wahlqvist Award for Creativity and Innovation was established at Westbourne Park Primary School in South Australia to recognize students who demonstrate originality and problem-solving skills.

He has cited his father as a major influence on his approach to work and life, recalling the advice: “With your principles, do not be afraid to go the second mile and to go against the tide, for that is where you will make your contribution."

He currently divides his time between Melbourne and Taipei.

Legacy and impact Wahlqvist is recognized for pioneering human nutrition as an academic discipline in Australia and for advancing cross-disciplinary approaches linking nutritional science with ecosystem and public health. He has influenced nutrition education, food policy, and global health initiatives over several decades.