Dr Kerry Ann Brown
Senior Lecturer in Nutrition
K.A.Brown@exeter.ac.uk
Richards Building RB108
Richard's Building, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
Overview
My expertise is in public health nutrition and the prevention of diet-related disease. My research interests include maximising the effectiveness of dietary guidelines and developing innovative methods to study food systems and evaluate food policies (e.g., food labelling, school meals, food security programmes). I have a particular interest in how sustainability can be integrated into the nutrition risk analysis process to effect policy change and make food systems healthier, fairer, and more environmentally sustainable.
I am an academic lead for the NIHR School for Public Health Environments Research at Exeter [SPHERE], the research lead for the Food, Nutrition & Health research group, a member of the Relational Health research group and European Centre for Environment & Human Health. I am also an honorary Associate Professor with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Links to all publications available via Google Scholar: Kerry Ann Brown
Qualifications
PhD, MSc, BSc [joint hons], FHEA [PGCILT], MRSB
Career
I joined the University of Exeter, as Senior Lecturer, at the end of 2021. Previously I was Assistant Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, where I taught on the MSc Public Health and MSc Nutrition for Global Health, and carried out research as part of the Centre on Climate Change & Planetary Health. Prior to LSHTM, I was at the University of Surrey and completed a PhD via published works [the process of setting micronutrient recommendations], whilst working on a series of European, Ireland, and UK funded projects as part of the Food, Consumer Behaviour & Health Research Centre. I also spent a short time working as a Research Assistant for Auckland University whilst living in New Zealand 2007-2008.
Research group links
Research
Research interests
My research is mainly based in Europe, India, and the UK. I work on food and health projects across the social and natural sciences using mixed-methods (qualitative, quantitative, and public engagement). Current and past research details below.
Research projects
Current research
- 2024-2025. Academic advisor/Mentor, Enabling Pupils’ Voice in Transforming School Menus: PPIE Activity on Sustainable School Food. Engagement & Impact award, Children & Young People Wellbeing Research Network, University of Exeter
- 2023 - 2025. CI, The impact of mandatory energy [kcal] labelling policy in out-of-home food environments. A mixed-methods evaluation of the UK out-of-home energy labelling policy introduced in Apr 2023. Collaboration with LSHTM and the University of Sheffield. Funded by NIHR School of Public Health Research [Exeter SPHR: SPHERE].
- 2023 - 2024. Sustainable food consumption research community. This project explores how people decide which foods to purchase and what socioeconomic factors can shift consumer preferences with online experiments involving both global North and South countries. GW4 funded.
- 2022 - 2024. CI, Process of developing sustainable food-based dietary guidelines. On-going collaboration with NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change & Health, LSHTM to explore how sustainability is integrated into dietary guidelines globally.
- 2021 - 2024. PI, Scoping review exploring ‘systems approaches’ to evaluate food labelling schemes [Nutriscore, traffic light, warning labels]. Seed award, LSHTM.
Past research
2021-2023. Invited speaker and co-author on how to integrate sustainability into the 2023 Nordic Nutrition recommendations published in June 2023 [1 presentation, 3 workshops, 1 chapter]
2021-2023. Sustainable & Healthy Food Systems [SHEFS]. Wellcome Trust
2024 SHEFS India final report
2020-2021 One health photovoice exploration of Bedouin camel owner perceptions of zoonotic disease risk. Bloomsbury Set, UKRI
2015-2017 Design of inter-disciplinary consumer food & health research infrastructure [RICHFIELDS]. EC Horizon 2020
2012-2016 Impact of health-related food claims & symbols [CLYMBOL]. EC, FP 7
2012-2015 Mapping inter-disciplinary food & health research infrastructures [EuroDISH]. EC, FP 7
2008-2012 European Micronutrient Recommendations Aligned [EURRECA]. EC FP 6
2005-2006 Role of the home environment in protecting child health. JIF, University of Surrey
2004-2005 Young people and food - adolescent dietary beliefs and understandings. Safefood: food safety promotion board of NI & ROI
PhD supervision
2022. DrPH Lesley James, Heart & Stroke Foundation Canada. Studying trans-fat and sodium policy processes in Canada
[expected completion 2024]. DrPH Rachel Clarke, OHID. Role of voluntary reformulation policy in reducing the availability and purchase of free sugars.
2022-2025. NIHR SPHR PhD. Esther Curtin. Investigating the role of mobile apps in promoting behaviour change towards more sustainable and healthier diets.
Research networks
- Academic lead, School for Public Health Environments Research at Exeter [SPHERE]
- Research lead, Food, Nutrition, & Health research group
- Member, Royal Society of Biology [RSB]
- Member, Exeter FOOD network & Policy@Exeter network
- Member & mentor, Agriculture, Nutrition & Health Academy [ANH]
- Member, international Research Consortium for School Health & Nutrition
- Registered Associate Nutritionist, UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists [AfN]
- Member, Governance, Ethics, and Conflicts of Interest in Public Health [GECI-PH]
- STEM ambassador
- Fellow, Higher Education Academy [HEA]
- Alumni, London Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture & Health [LCIRAH]
- Alumni, 8th Frontiers Symposium, 'from feeding people to nourishing people', Madagascar, 2020. Royal Academy of Engineering
Publications
Journal articles
Chapters
Conferences
Reports
Teaching
Module convenor- ESS3506 Sustainable Nutrition [Exeter]
- ESS2510 Nutrition & Society [Exeter]
- SHSM051 Nutrition & Society [Exeter]
- [first year 2021-2022] ESS2514/5 Nutrition, Physical Activity, & Health
Lecturer/teaching programmes
- BSc Nutrition & MSc Public Health [Exeter]
- MSc Nutrition for Global Health [LSHTM]
Modules
2023/24
- ESS2510 - Nutrition and Society
- ESS2515 - Nutrition, physical activity, and health
- ESS3506 - Sustainable Nutrition