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Research project

Engaging adolescents in changing behaviour (EACh-B): a programme of research to improve the diets and physical activity levels of teenagers

Staff

Lead researcher

Professor Mary Barker PhD, C Psychol

Prof of Psychology & Behavioural Science

Research interests

  • Mary Barker is Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Science. She has a joint appointment in both the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton UK.  Mary runs a programme of work in both the UK and in low-income countries aiming to engage young people in improving their sense of agency, well-being and mental health, to benefit their health in general but their diets and physical activity habits more specifically. Her team’s approach is participatory and combines social activism focused on engaging young people in the climate change and health agenda and testing methods of one-to-one support and digital resources including smartphone games. Much of this work takes place as part of her NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research EACH-B (Engaging Adolescents in Changing Behaviour). She partners in this activity with the TALENT network of colleagues with interests in adolescent health and well-being based in institutions in low-and-middle-income countries. Her team also ran a five-country, longitudinal qualitative study with young people throughout the pandemic exploring their experience, mental health, well-being and resilience, data from which supported UK local and national government COVID messaging to young people. She is adjunct professor at the University of Agder, Norway, and has honorary appointments at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and University College London.
Other researchers

Emeritus Professor Mark Hanson

Professor Paul Little

Professor in Primary Care Research

Professor Cyrus Cooper

Prof Rheumatology Clinical Epidemiology

Research interests

  • Key research contributions have been:
  • discovery of the developmental influences which contribute to the risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture in late adulthood
  • demonstration that maternal vitamin D insufficiency is associated with sub-optimal bone mineral accrual in childhood

Dr Kath Woods-Townsend

Principal Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Adolescent Health
  • Scientific Literacy
  • Health Literacy

Professor Keith Godfrey

Associate Dean Enterprise

Professor Marcus Grace BSc, MSc, PhD, PGCE, CSciTeach, FRSB

Professor of Science Education

Research interests

  • The science and values underpinning education for biodiversity, sustainable development and citizenship
  • Adolescent decision-making, and teaching and learning about socio-scientific issues
  • Outdoor science education

Emeritus Professor Hazel Inskip MSc, PhD, FFPH

Professor Janis Baird

Professor of Public Health&Epidemiology

Research interests

  • NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)  Understanding the food choices of adolescents in the school environment – an insight into how young people make choices in a setting where they have autonomy PhD funding, lead supervisor, 2022-2026
  • NIHR Policy Research Programme (PRP) Evaluation and co-creation to optimise use and benefits of the Healthy Start scheme Vogel C, Ausburg B, Barker C, Baird J, Boswell J, Crozier S, Conti G, Farquhason C, Luehrmann M, Ndegwa L, von Hinke S  2022-24
  • NIHR Public Health Research Programme (PHR)  Nudging healthier dietary habits: evaluation of a supermarket placement strategy in the WRAPPED Study, study extension Christina Vogel and Janis Baird (co-PIs), 2022-2023

Dr Leanne Morrison

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Health Psychology 
  • Person-based intervention development 
  • Digital technology 

Professor Joanne Lord

Director of SHTAC

Research interests

  • Health economics
  • Cost-effectiveness analysis
  • Decision modelling
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