In Memoriam: Dr. Gretel Pelto
by Marti van Liere, Director of Programs, Micronutrient Forum
An outstanding social scientist and dedicated mentor
This week, we are saddened by the news that Dr. Gretel Pelto, a passionate food and nutrition anthropologist, passed away at the age of 85 on 15 July 2025.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Dr. Pelto dedicated her life to understanding the social determinants of nutrition, identifying barriers to effective nutrition and health interventions, and advancing the use of focused ethnography in implementation research for nutrition programs.
What makes an expert stand out in a community of experts? Is it her solid technical expertise and deep experience? The impressive body of work—including over 160 research articles, 14 books and monographs, and 35 technical reports and manuals? Is it her pioneering methodologies, such as the Food Ethnographic Studies? Or the many honors she received, including the Malinowski Award—presented to “an outstanding social scientist in recognition of efforts to understand and serve the needs of the world’s societies”—the Kellogg Award in International Nutrition, an honorary doctorate from the University of Helsinki, and fellowships with both the American Society for Nutrition and the Society for Applied Anthropology?
Yes, it is all of the above—and more. I believe it was especially her kindness, her deep interest in and passion for people, her committed mentorship, and her generosity and open-mindedness that, combined with her professional expertise, made such a lasting impact on all of us.
As a Master’s student, I read Gretel Pelto’s articles with admiration. Two decades later, she graciously agreed to join me on an International Advisory Group on Infant Feeding Behaviour Change Communication and Demand Creation—and to co-author a series of papers.
Gretel Pelto, together with her husband Jean Pierre Habicht, helped inspire the founding of the Society for Implementation Science in Nutrition. Conversations in their home sparked the idea of forming a working group focused on implementation science, which ultimately led to the establishment of a scientific society.
As we say farewell to an inspiring mentor and friend, we at the Micronutrient Forum pay tribute to Dr. Gretel Pelto. Her legacy lives on through the methods we use, the literature we reference, and—most importantly—the way we carry forward her passion and compassion in our collective efforts to ensure a healthier, more equitable world where everyone enjoys optimal nutrition, particularly micronutrient status.
