Food and nutrition
The Food and Nutrition research group brings together a diverse and multidisciplinary group of academics, researchers, and PhD students who are all conducting research around food and nutrition at the University of Sheffield.
About our research
Our members come from a range of fields, including engineering, chemistry, medicine, biology, plant sciences, social sciences, public health and geography. The group consists of nutritionists, dieticians, clinicians, sociologists, statisticians, public health specialists, information and evidence synthesis specialists, health policy experts, geographers , allied health professionals and biologists. The research of our group members includes both UK and global work ranging from clinical and lab-based research to social and public health research.
The group’s primary purpose is to form a common food and nutrition forum in the university that can create awareness, foster opportunities for research collaborations and networking, and further food and nutrition research at the University of Sheffield. Through guest and staff talks and research seminars, we also promote knowledge communication and keep members updated on advances in the field.
The group collaborates with other groups in the university that work on food and nutrition, such as the Institute of Sustainable Food and the Healthy Lifespan Institute.
The group also has links with wider stakeholders in Sheffield, including local councils, Sheffield Hallam University and the NHS. A vision of ours is to foster the development of a Sheffield food and nutrition group with the aim of bringing together stakeholders across the city for stimulating networking and collaboration.
People
Theme Lead
Staff
PhD students
- Amnah Almaki
- Kristin Bash
- Yasmin Houamad
- Brenda Mogeni
- Dennis Onosolesena Idiakheua
- Maria Porter-Abdilla
Projects
| Navigating food insecurity and environmental sustainability on a low income: A case study of Sheffield mothers | This project uses longitudinal qualitative methods to explore food provisioning among low income households with children in Sheffield. It also examines the role played by environmental sustainability considerations on households' food practices. | ESRC | Dr Elisabeth Garratt |
| PhD: Social practice theory, food consumption, healthy life expectancy and inequality | My PhD looks at how social practice theory can be used to inform public health approaches to food consumption. Rather than adopting a purist, nutrition-focussed approach to food consumption, it explores how practices around food in our everyday lives shape our health, to promote more effective public health policies. | Healthy Lifespan Institute | Anna Beaven |
| ENHANCE - Evaluating the NHS England Complications of Excess Weight services for children and young people | In 2021/22, NHS England set up 21 Complications of Excess Weight (CEW) services across England, to support children and young people who have complications related to excess weight. The CEW services are all linked to children’s hospitals but are delivered in many different ways. NHS England want to learn from these CEW services to understand how they can be improved in the future. | NIHR | Catherine Homer & Louisa Ells |
| NOURISH (Nutrition, Obesity and Unhealthy food Relationships in food Insecure populations: Systems modelling of Health-related policies and outcomes) | NOURISH aims to assess the health, economic and inequality impact of food environment policies across localities using empirical agent-based modelling, informed by a categories of food insecurity lens. | NIHR | Charlotte Buckley and Robin Purshouse |
| Universal-Other -- Sugar-Related Public Health Approaches Analysed through the Lens of Racial Capitalism | Understanding how public health approaches can better understand the commercial determinants in relation to sugar consumption amongst ethnic minority communities. | Wellcome Trust | Dr Rizwana Lala |
| National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) | NAPIC will create a highly dynamic open innovation ecosystem that addresses the needs of present and future consumers for tasty, nutritious, safe, affordable and accessible alternative proteins products while reducing anxiety about ultra-processing. | Innovate UK and BBSRC | Professor Louise Dye - University of Sheffield. Professor Anwesha Sarkar - University of Leeds. Professor Derek Stewart - James Hutton Institute and Professor Karen Polizzi - Imperial College London |
| H3 project (Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People) | Our programme of interdisciplinary research seeks to transform the UK food systems 'from the ground up'. | UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund | Professor Peter Jackson |
| MAFFIN - MicroAlgae based Food Formulations for Improved Nutrition | The project explores the use of carotenoids sourced from microalgae in food reformulation | Innovate UK | Dr Seetharaman Vaidyanathan |
| Vitamin D, muscle strength and function in older women. | This study has looked at the relationship between vitamin D status and muscle strength and function in a population of older South Asian women. This population are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency and there appears to be associations between status and some aspects of musculoskeletal health. | Self-funded PhD | Liz Williams and Bernard Corfe (Newcastle) |
| A randomised controlled trial to investigate the impact of lycopene supplementation on male testicular function. | A previous study has shown improvements in semen parameters in healthy young men in response to a 12 week lycopene intervention. We are now repeating this trial in men attending the Jessop Fertility clinic. | NA | Liz Williams, Lucy Wood, Helen Clark, Jonathan Skull (STH), Allan Pacey (Manchester) |
| Food composition and recipe modification | The project involves collaborative working with community third sector organisations to collaborative produce ethnic food composition data, healthier versions of several traditional recipes and healthy eating interventions for minoritised ethnic groups. | Heart Research UK; LeedsACT Seedcorn; MRCPHIND | Dr Tanefa Apekey; Dr Sally G Moore & Professor Maria Maynard |
| H3: WP4 Biofortification and consumer acceptance | Uk consumer accpetance of nutrient enhanced foods | UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund | Peter Jackson |
| H3: WP4 Biofortification and consumer acceptance | PhD: Exploring the potential for biofortified foods to address micronutrient shortfalls in older adults (consumer acceptance) | UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund | Sam Caton/ Peter Jackson, student: Brenda Mogeni |
| Dietary change and Parkinson's disease | Exploring the use of intermittant fasting as a potential therapeutic intervention for Parkinson's disease | Neurosciences institute | Sam Caton/ Oliver Bandmann/ Louise Dye |
| The protein quality and digestibility of cultured meat | The project for the first time conducts a detailed nutritonal characterisation of cultured meat, including protein quality and its digestibility compared to conventional meat | NAPIC | Viren Ranawana |
| A co-designed ketogenic diet feasibility study in first-episode psychosis | The project ientifies practical and feasible approaches for psychosis patients to adopt ketogenic diets | NIHR | Viren Ranawana and Scott Weich |