Staff Profiles

Sian is nutritional epidemiologist. Her main interests are in the influences of diet and lifestyle across the lifecourse on health in later life, focusing particularly on inequalities in health in older age.  She has extensive experience of nutritional research, particularly in population studies - having previously worked with some of the large UK birth cohorts, and expertise in dietary assessment and analysis. She has been involved in a range of national nutrition activities over the past 20 years and is currently a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) that advises the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and other government organisations. She joined Newcastle University in December 2018 to take up a new post with the AGE Research Group (https://research.ncl.ac.uk/ageresearchgroup/), working with the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre. 

Google scholar

• Articles

  • Hurst C, Dismore L, Granic A, Noble JM, Hillman SJ, Witham MD, Sayer AA, Dodds RM, Robinson SM. The feasibility and acceptability of engaging older adults living with multiple long-term conditions, frailty, and a recent deterioration in health in research: Findings from the Lifestyle in Later Life – Older People’s Medicine (LiLL-OPM) study. BMC Geriatrics 2024, 24, 831.
  • Granic A, Sayer AA, Cooper R, Robinson SM. Nutrition in the prevention and treatment of skeletal muscle ageing and sarcopenia: a single nutrient, a whole food, and a whole diet approach. Proceedings of Nutrition Society 2024, Epub ahead of print.
  • Granic A, Cooper R, Robinson SM, Sayer AA. Myoprotective whole foods, muscle health and sarcopenia in older adults. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2024, 27(3), 244-251.
  • Dismore L, Sayer AA, Robinson S. Exploring the experience of appetite loss in older age: insights from a qualitative study. BMC Geriatrics 2024, 24, 117.
  • Dismore L, Hurst C, Granic A, Tullo E, Witham MD, Dodds RM, Sayer AA, Robinson SM. Why are older adults living with the complexity of multiple long-term conditions, frailty and a recent deterioration in health under-served by research? A narrative synthesis review of the literature. Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia and Falls 2023, 8(4), 230-239.
  • Robinson S, Granic A, Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Sayer AA. The role of nutrition in the prevention of sarcopenia. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2023, 118(5), 852-864.
  • Dodds RM, Bunn JG, Hillman SJ, Granic A, Murray J, Witham MD, Robinson SM, Cooper R, Sayer AA. Simple approaches to characterising multiple long-term conditions (multimorbidity) and rates of emergency hospital admission: Findings from 495,465 UK Biobank participants. Journal of Internal Medicine 2023, 293(1), 100-109.
  • Witham MD, Cooper R, Missier P, Robinson SM, Sapey E, Sayer AA. Researching multimorbidity in hospital: can we deliver on the promise of health informatics?. European Geriatric Medicine 2023, 14, 765–768.
  • Witham MD, Granic A, Pearson E, Robinson SM, Sayer AA. Repurposing drugs for diabetes mellitus as potential pharmacological treatments for sarcopenia – a narrative review. Drugs Aging 2023, 40, 703–719.
  • Granic A, Cooper R, Dodds RM, Hillman SJ, Sayer AA, Robinson SM. Milk intake across adulthood and muscle strength decline from mid- to late life: the MRC National Survey of Health and Development. British Journal of Nutrition 2023, 129(5), 820-831.
  • Pinto Pereira SM, Garfield V, Norris T, Burgess S, Williams DM, Dodds R, Sayer AA, Robinson SM, Cooper R. Linear and Nonlinear Associations Between Vitamin D and Grip Strength: A Mendelian Randomization Study in UK Biobank. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A 2023, 78(8), 1483-1488.
  • Hurst C, Dismore L, Granic A, Tullo E, Noble JM, Hillman SJ, Witham MD, Sayer AA, Dodds RM, Robinson SM. Feasibility of engaging older adults living with multiple long-term conditions, frailty, and a recent deterioration in health in a study of lifestyle: protocol for the LiLL-OPM study. Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia and Falls 2023, 8(2), 127-135.
  • Hurst C, Dismore L, Granic A, Tullo E, Noble JM, Hillman SJ, Witham MD, Sayer AA, Dodds R, Robinson SM. Attitudes and barriers to resistance exercise training for older adults living with multiple long-term conditions, frailty, and a recent deterioration in health: Qualitative findings from the Lifestyle in Later Life – Older People’s Medicine (LiLL-OPM) study. BMC Geriatrics 2023, 23, 771.
  • Granic A, Hurst C, Dismore L, Dodds RM, Witham MD, Robinson SM, Sayer AA. Advanced glycation end products in skeletal muscle health and sarcopenia: A systematic review of observational studies. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 2023, 209, 111744.
  • Zhang J, Bloom I, Dennison EM, Ward KA, Robinson SM, Barker M, Cooper C, Lawrence W. Understanding influences on physical activity participation by older adults: A qualitative study of community-dwelling older adults from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study, UK. PLoS ONE 2022, 17(1), e0263050.
  • Ni Lochlainn M, Robinson S. UK Nutrition Research Partnership workshop: Nutrition and frailty - opportunities for prevention and treatment. Nutrition Bulletin 2022, 47(1), 123-129.
  • Hurst C, Robinson SM, Witham MD, Dodds RM, Granic A, Buckland C, DeBiase S, Finnegan S, Rochester L, Skelton DA, Sayer AA. Resistance exercise as a treatment for sarcopenia: prescription and delivery. Age and Ageing 2022, 51(2), afac003.
  • Essery R, Pollet S, Bradbury K, Western MJ, Grey E, Denison-Day J, Smith KA, Hayter V, Kelly J, Somerville J, Stuart B, Becque T, Zhang J, Slodkowska-Barabasz J, Mowbray F, Ferrey A, Yao G, Zhu S, Kendrick T, Griffin S, Mutrie N, Robinson S, Brooker H, Griffiths G, Robinson L, Rossor M, Ballard C, Gallacher J, Rathod S, Gudgin B, Phillips R, Stokes T, Niven J, Little P, Yardley L. Parallel randomized controlled feasibility trials of the “Active Brains” digital intervention to protect cognitive health in adults aged 60–85. Frontiers in Public Health 2022, 10, 962873.
  • Cox NJ, Howson F, Ibrahim K, Morrison L, Sayer AA, Roberts HC, Robinson SM. Mood and physical activity are associated with appetite in hospitalised older men and women. Age and Ageing 2022, 51(12), afac297.
  • Bloom I, Pilgrim A, Jameson KA, Dennison EM, Sayer AA, Roberts HC, Cooper C, Ward KA, Robinson SM. The relationship of nutritional risk with diet quality and health outcomes in community-dwelling older adults. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 2021, 33(10), 2767-2776.
  • Payne L, Ghio D, Grey E, Slodkowska-Barabasz J, Harris P, Sutcliffe M, Green S, Roberts HC, Childs C, Robinson S, Gudgin B, Holloway P, Kelly J, Wallis K, Dean O, Aveyard P, Gill P, Stroud M, Little P, Yardley L, Morrison L. Optimising an intervention to support home-living older adults at risk of malnutrition: A qualitative study. BMC Family Practice 2021, 22, 219.
  • Cox NJ, Morrison L, Robinson SM, Roberts HC, Ibrahim K. Older individual's perceptions of appetite, its loss, influencing factors and adaptions to poor appetite. A qualitative study. Appetite 2021, 167, 105609.
  • Ni Lochlainn M, Cox NJ, Wilson T, Hayhoe RP, Ramsay SE, Granic A, Isanejad M, Roberts HC, Wilson D, Welch C, Hurst C, Atkins JL, Mendonça N, Horner K, Tuttiett ER, Morgan Y, Heslop P, Williams EA, Steves CJ, Greig C, Draper J, Corish CA, Welch A, Witham MD, Sayer AA, Robinson S. Nutrition and Frailty: Opportunities for Prevention and Treatment. Nutrients 2021, 13(7), 2349.
  • Robinson S, Granic A, Sayer AA. Micronutrients and sarcopenia: current perspectives. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2021, 80(3), 311-318.
  • Inskip H, Crozier S, Baird J, Hammond J, Robinson S, Cooper C, Godfrey K. Measured weight in early pregnancy is a valid method for estimating pre-pregnancy weight. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2021, 12(4), 561-569.
  • Hurst C, Murray JC, Granic A, Hillman SJ, Cooper R, Sayer AA, Robinson SM, Dodds RM. Long-term conditions, multimorbidity, lifestyle factors and change in grip strength over 9 years of follow-up: findings from 44,315 UK Biobank participants. Age and Ageing 2021, 50(6), 2222-2229.
  • Robinson SM, Westbury LD, Ward K, Syddall H, Cooper R, Cooper C, Sayer AA. Is lifestyle change around retirement associated with better physical performance in older age?: insights from a longitudinal cohort. European Journal of Ageing 2021, 18, 513-521.
  • Volkert D, Corish CA, Dardevet D, DeVito G, Guillet C, Bader-Mittermaier S, Robinson S, Roche HM, Sayer AA, Visser M. Innovative plAnt Protein fibre and Physical activity solutions to address poor appEtite and prevenT undernutrITion in oldEr adults – APPETITE. Nutrition Bulletin 2021, 46(4), 486-496.
  • Lim SX, Colega MT, Mayob MN, Robinson SM, Bernard JY, Lee YS, Tan KH, Yap F, Shek LPC, Chong YS, Chan JKY, Eriksson JG, Chan SY, Godfrey KM, Chong MFF. Identification and reproducibility of dietary patterns assessed with a food frequency questionnaire among women planning pregnancy. Public Health Nutrition 2021, 24(9), 2437-2446.
  • Van Dijk M, Cullum A, Swan G, Peacock E, Fine G, Robinson SM, McArdle HJ, Walls A, Walsh S. An overview of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s position statement on nutrition and older adults living in the community. British Journal of Nutrition 2021, 126(8), 1164-1167.
  • Dodds RM, Murray JC, Robinson SM, Sayer AA. The identification of probable sarcopenia in early old age based on the SARC-F tool and clinical suspicion: findings from the 1946 British Birth Cohort. European Geriatric Medicine 2020, 11, 433-441.
  • Smith KA, Bradbury K, Essery R, Pollet S, Mowbray F, Slodkowska-Barabasz J, Denison-Day J, Hayter V, Kelly J, Somerville J, Zhang J, Grey E, Western M, Ferrey AE, Krusche A, Stuart B, Mutrie N, Robinson S, Yao GL, Griffiths G, Robinson L, Rossor M, Gallacher J, Griffin S, Kendrick T, Rathod S, Gudgin B, Phillips R, Stokes T, Niven J, Little P, Yardley L. The active brains digital intervention to reduce cognitive decline in older adults: Protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Protocols 2020, 9(11), e18929.
  • Smith KA, Bradbury K, Essery R, Pollet S, Mowbray F, Slodkowska-Barabasz J, Denison-Day J, Hayter V, Kelly J, Somerville J, Zhang J, Grey E, Western M, Ferrey A, Krusche A, Stuart B, Mutrie N, Robinson S, Yao G, Griffiths G, Robinson L, Rossor M, Gallacher J, Griffin S, Kendrick T, Rathod S, Gudgin B, Phillips R, Stokes T, Niven J, Little P, Yardley L. The Active Brains - a digital intervention to reduce cognitive decline in older adults: protocol for a feasibility randomised control trial. JMIR Research Protocols 2020, 9(11), e18929.
  • Dodds RM, Granic A, Robinson SM, Sayer AA. Sarcopenia, long-term conditions and multimorbidity: findings from UK Biobank participants. Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle 2020, 11(1), 62-68.
  • Cox NJ, Lim SE, Howson F, Moyses H, Ibrahim K, Sayer AA, Roberts HC, Robinson SM. Poor Appetite Is Associated with Six Month Mortality in Hospitalised Older Men and Women. Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging 2020, 24, 1107-1110.
  • Cox NJ, Morrison L, Ibrahim K, Robinson SM, Sayer AA, Roberts HC. New Horizons in Appetite and the Anorexia of Ageing. Age and Ageing 2020, 49(4), 526-534.
  • Granic A, Dismore L, Hurst C, Robinson SM, Sayer AA. Myoprotective whole foods, muscle health and sarcopenia: a systematic review of observational and intervention studies in older adults. Nutrients 2020, 12(8), 2257.
  • Granic A, Hurst C, Dismore L, Aspray T, Stevenson E, Witham MD, Sayer AA, Robinson S. Milk for skeletal muscle health and sarcopenia in older adults: a narrative review. Clinical Interventions in Aging 2020, 2020(15), 695-714.
  • Carter SA, Parsons CM, Robinson SM, Harvey NC, Ward KA, Cooper C, Dennison EM. Infant milk feeding and bone health in later life: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study. Osteoporosis International 2020, 31, 709-714.
  • Bloom I, Welch L, Vassilev I, Rogers A, Jameson K, Cooper C, Robinson S, Baird J. Findings from an exploration of a social network intervention to promote diet quality and health behaviours in older adults with COPD: a feasibility study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies 2020, 6, 15.
  • Lessa A, Garci A, Emmett P, Crozier S, Robinson S, Godfrey KM, Wright CM. Does early introduction of solid feeding lead to early cessation of breastfeeding?. Maternal & Child Nutrition 2020, 16(4), e12944.
  • Hooson J, Hutchinson J, Warthon-Medina M, Hancock N, Greathead K, Knowles B, Vargas-Garcia E, Gibson LE, Bush LA, Margetts B, Robinson S, Ness A, Alwan NA, Wark PA, Roe M, Finglas P, Steer T, Page P, Johnson L, Roberts K, Amoutzopoulos B, Burley VJ, Greenwood DC, Cade JE. A systematic review of reviews identifying UK validated dietary assessment tools for inclusion on an interactive guided website for researchers: www.nutritools.org. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2020, 60(8), 1265-1289.
  • Crozier SR, Godfrey KM, Calder PC, Robinson SM, Inskip HM, Baird J, Gale CR, Cooper C, Sibbons CM, Fisk HL, Burdge GC. Vegetarian Diet During Pregnancy Is Not Associated With Poorer Cognitive Performance in Children at Age 6 - 7 Years. Nutrients 2019, 11(12), 3029.
  • Syddall HE, Simmonds SJ, Carter SA, Robinson SM, Dennison EM, Cooper C. The Hertfordshire Cohort Study: an overview. F1000Research 2019, 8, 82.
  • Hesketh KR, Brage S, Cooper C, Godfrey KM, Harvey NC, Inskip HM, Robinson SM, Van Sluijs EMF. The association between maternal-child physical activity levels at the transition to formal schooling: cross-sectional and prospective data from the Southampton Women’s Survey. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2019, 16, 23.
  • Marsh R, Salika T, Crozier S, Robinson S, Cooper C, Godfrey K, Inskip H, Baird J. The association between crowding within households and behavioural problems in children: Longitudinal data from the Southampton Women's Survey. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2019, 33(3), 195-203.
  • van Lee L, Crozier SR, Aris IM, Tint MT, Sadananthan SA, Michael N, Quah PL, Robinson SM, Inskip HM, Harvey NC, Barker M, Cooper C, Velan SS, Lee YS, Fortier MV, Yap F, Gluckman PD, Tan KH, Shek LP, Chong YS, Godfrey KM, Chong MFF. Prospective associations of maternal choline status with offspring body composition in the first 5 years of life in two large mother–offspring cohorts: the Southampton Women’s Survey cohort and the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes cohort. International Journal of Epidemiology 2019, 48(2), 433–444.
  • Robinson S, Granic A, Sayer AA. Nutrition and Muscle Strength, As the Key Component of Sarcopenia: An Overview of Current Evidence. Nutrients 2019, 11(12), 2942.
  • Bush LA, Hutchinson J, Hooson J, Warthon-Medina M, Hancock N, Greathead K, Knowles B, Vargas-Garcia EJ, Gibson LE, Margetts B, Robinson S, Ness A, Alwan NA, Wark PA, Roe M, Finglas P, Steer T, Page P, Johnson L, Roberts K, Amoutzopoulos B, Greenwood DC, Cade JE. Measuring energy, macro and micronutrient intake in UK children and adolescents: a comparison of validated dietary assessment tools. BMC Nutrition 2019, 5, 53.
  • Pinedo-Villanueva R, Westbury LD, Syddall HE, Sanchez-Santos MT, Dennison EM, Robinson SM, Cooper C. Health Care Costs Associated With Muscle Weakness: A UK Population-Based. Calcified Tissue International 2019, 104, 137-155.
  • Granic A, Davies K, Dodds RM, Duncan R, Uwimpuhwe G, Pakpahan E, Robinson S, Sayer AA. Factors associated with change in self-reported physical activity in the very old: The Newcastle 85+ Study. PLoS ONE 2019, 14(7), e0218881.
  • Harris PS, Payne L, Morrison L, Green SM, Ghio D, Hallett C, Parsons EL, Aveyard P, Roberts HC, Sutcliffe M, Robinson S, Slodkowska-Barabasz J, Little PS, Stroud MA, Yardley L. Barriers and facilitators to screening and treating malnutrition in older adults living in the community: a mixed-methods synthesis. BMC Family Practice 2019, 20, 100.
  • Cox NJ, Ibrahim K, Sayer AA, Robinson SM, Roberts HC. Assessment and Treatment of the Anorexia of Aging: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2019, 11(1), 144.
  • El-Heis S, Crozier SR, Healy E, Robinson SM, Harvey NC, Cooper C, Inskip HM, Baird J, Godfrey KM. Faltering of prenatal growth precedes the development of atopic eczema in infancy: cohort study. Clinical Epidemiology 2018, 10, 1851–1864.
  • Robinson SM, Westbury LD, Cooper R, Kuh D, Ward K, Syddall HE, Sayer AA, Cooper C. Adult Lifetime Diet Quality and Physical Performance in Older Age: Findings From a British Birth Cohort. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A 2018, 73(11), 1532-1537.
  • Robinson SM, Westbury LD, Cooper R, Kuh D, Ward K, Syddall HE, Sayer AA, Cooper C. Adult Lifetime Diet Quality and Physical Performance in Older Age: Findings from a British Birth Cohort. Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2018, 73(11), 1532-1537.
  • Cade JE, Warthon-Medina M, Albar S, Alwan NA, Ness A, Roe M, Wark PA, Greathead K, Burley VJ, Finglas P, Johnson L, Page P, Roberts K, Steer T, Hooson J, Greenwood DC, Robinson S. DIET@NET: Best Practice Guidelines for dietary assessment in health research. BMC Medicine 2017, 15, 202.
  • Robinson SM, Crozier SR, Harvey NC, Barton BD, Law CM, Godfrey KM, Cooper C, Inskip HM. Modifiable early-life risk factors for childhood adiposity and overweight: an analysis of their combined impact and potential for prevention. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2015, 101(2), 368-375.
  • Okubo H, Crozier SR, Harvey NC, Godfrey KM, Inskip HM, Cooper C, Robinson SM. Diet quality across early childhood and adiposity at 6 years: the Southampton Women's Survey. International Journal of Obesity 2015, 39(10), 1456-1462.
  • Okubo H, Shaheen SO, Ntani G, Jameson KA, Syddall HE, Sayer AA, Dennison EM, Cooper C, Robinson SM, Hertfordshire Cohort Study Group. Processed meat consumption and lung function: modification by antioxidants and smoking. European Respiratory Journal 2014, 43(4), 972-982.
  • Okubo H, Crozier SR, Harvey NC, Godfrey KM, Inskip HM, Cooper C, Robinson SM. Maternal dietary glycemic index and glycemic load in early pregnancy are associated with offspring adiposity in childhood: the Southampton Women's Survey. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2014, 100(2), 676-683.

• Letter

  • Wright CM, Lessa A, Garcia A, Emmett P, Crozier S, Robinson S, Godfrey KM. Early Introduction of Solid Feeding and Early Cessation of Breastfeeding. Maternal and Child Nutrition 2020, 16(4), e13049.

• Review

  • Granic A, Sayer AA, Robinson SM. Dietary patterns, skeletal muscle health and sarcopenia in older adults. Nutrients 2019, 11(4), 745.