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Staff Profile

Professor Nicola Heslehurst

Professor of Maternal & Child Nutrition

  • Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Newcastle University
    Baddiley-Clark Building
    Richardson Road
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE2 4AX
Background

Introduction

My research focuses on maternal weight and reproductive health, particularly relating to inequalities and health service improvement. I commenced my current role at Newcastle University in January 2012.

I currently hold an NIHR Advanced (Career Development) Fellowship which uses risk prediction and health economics to explore whether alternative measures of adiposity in early pregnancy would be more preferable to BMI in identifying women who require additional clinical care and weight management support. 

I am the PHSI EDI Lead and member of the Executive Committee.

I am the current President of the UK Association for the Study of Obesity.

I am EDI Lead for Fuse, a Public Health Research Centre of Excellence for Translational Research and member of the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) EDI committee.


Qualifications

PhD “Trends in Maternal Body Mass Index, Health Inequalities, and the Impact of Maternal Obesity on NHS Maternity Services”. 2009, Teesside University

MSc Health Sciences: Public Health. 2007, Teesside University

BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition. 1999, Teesside University  


Previous Positions  

Chair of the Board of Trustees, ASO, September 2022-July 2024

Elected Trustee for the UK Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO), September 2014-August 2022 

NIHR Postdoctoral Research Fellow January 2012-May 2017

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Research, Teesside University, October 2007–December 2011

Research Assistant/Lecturer in Research Methods, Teesside University, March 2005–October 2007

  

Research

Postgraduate Supervision

I have supervised seven PhD students to completion

  • Dr Claire O'Malley, "Determinants and influences of diet and physical activity in pre-school children in the UK" Durham University (NIHR School for Public Health Research PhD studentship)
  • Dr Uma Padmanabhan, "Excess gestational weight gain: exploring the role of weight-related behaviours" Teesside University (Teesside University PhD studentship) 
  • Dr Emma Slack, "A life course investigation of maternal ethnic group and pregnancy weight in the development of short and long-term health outcomes for women and their offspring", Newcastle University (MRC studentship)
  • Dr Lem Ngongalah, "Ethnic disparities in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among women and children in high income countries: the case for African migrant women and children", Newcastle University (Overseas Research Scholarship)
  • Dr Zoe Bell, "“It ripples through, it’s like dropping a stone into a pond…the ripple effect is huge”: Food insecurity and health: insights from women, children and frontline workers" (ESCR Collaboration studentship)
  • Dr Zainab Akhter, "An investigation of maternal obesity, bariatric surgery in women of reproductive age and associations with severe adverse perinatal outcomes in subsequent pregnancy", Newcastle University (Research Excellence Academy studentship)
  • Dr Anna Boath, "Maternal adiposity and the effectiveness of weight management interventions in pregnancy: gestational diabetes and gestational weight gain" (Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences studentship)

 

I am currently supervising seven PhD students.

  • Augustina Pemu, "Asylum seekers and refugees in the North East of England: an advanced quantitative study of inequalities in maternity care and costs to NHS maternity services", Newcastle University (ESRC studentship)
  • Ania Couchinho, "Using Intersectionality and Behaviour Change to Enhance Maternity Care for Black Women in the UK" (NIHR ARC North East and North Cumbria studentship)
  • Susan Lennie, "Adiposity measurement quality and strategies for implementation in routine NHS maternity care" (Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences staff studentship)
  • Caitlin Holt, "Exploring and responding to food insecurity in preschool children in Somerset" (NIHR School for Public Health Research studentship)
  • Helen Little, "Optimising teachable moments in early parenthood: promoting healthy behaviours in parents and their 0-2-year-old" (NIHR School for Public Health Research studentship)
  • Amanda Dickson, "Assessing food insecurity during pre-pregnancy and pregnancy life stages" (Deakin University studentship)
  • Bashayr Alzughaibi "An exploration of nutritional inequalities in paediatric food allergy"


I regularly supervise undergraduate and masters student research projects and internships.


Funding

Hesketh, K., Kipping, R., Heslehurst, N. NIHR School for Public Health Research PhD Studentship (10/2023), £76,940, "Optimising teachable moments in early parenthood: promoting healthy behaviours in parents and their 0-2-year-old"

Heslehurst, N., Brown, H., Hurley, K., Jolly, C., Rankin, J., Scott, S., Nguyen, N., Brennan-Tovey, K. NIHR School for Public Health Research (09/2023), £217,867, "Exploring food insecurity in pregnancy in the UK to inform future Public Health intervention needs"

Rankin, J., Aquino, R., Heslehurst, N., Brown, H., Kipping, R., Ayorinde, A., Esan, O. NIHR School for Public Health Research (09/2023), £151,980, "‘Poverty-Proofing’ Maternity Services; a qualitative study to improve access and pregnancy outcomes"

Kipping, R., Porter, A., Heslehurst, N. NIHR School for Public Health Research studentship/University of Bristol co-funded PhD Studentship (04/2023), £76,940, "How are families with preschool children and early care settings affected by food insecurity during the post-pandemic cost-of-living crisis?"

Heslehurst, N., Fong, M., Kenny, R., Thomson, K., Nguyen, G., Cullen, E., Moffatt, M., Aquino, R., Sermin-Reed, L., Patterson, M. (12/2022), £35,109, "Effectiveness and implementation of non-specialist interventions for weight management up to 5-years following pregnancy"

Heslehurst, N., Aquino, R., Pearce, M., McColl, E. Newcastle University Global Education and Community Fund (08/2022), £4,722, "Decolonising our Postgraduate Research” to promote global awareness among our PGR community"

Heslehurst, N., Aquino, R., Pearce, M., McColl, E. Newcastle University QR Enhancing Research Culture Fund (04/2022), £4,276, “Decolonising our Research” to enhance our research culture"

Thangaratinam, S., Pilar Betrán Lazaga, P., Foster, C., Allotey, J., Dodds, J., Nirantharakumar, K., Heslehurst, N., Iliodromiti, S., Austin, F., Moss, N., Hitman, G., Teede, H., Poston, L., Riley, R., Simpson, S., Roberts, T. NIHR HTA Researcher led evidence synthesis (03/2021), £315,207, "Diet and physical activity in pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes: Individual Participant Data (IPD) meta-analysis on the differential effects of interventions with economic evaluation"

Aquino, R., Farnworth, A., Heslehurst, N. ARC North East and North Cumbria PhD Studentship (01/2021), £76,000, "Using Intersectionality and Behaviour Change to Enhance Maternity Care for Black Women in the UK" 

Heslehurst, N., Brown, H., Bambra, C., Rankin, J. Public Health Wales (09/2019), £50,000, "Upstream factors and wider determinants of health associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes "

Atkinson, H., Smith, J., Heslehurst, N., Farnworth, A., Smith, J. NIHR Clinical Research Network PPIE Small Grants Project (08/2019), £1,000, “Increasing diversity and inclusivity of PPIE in maternal and child research across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) region”

Heslehurst, N., Vale, L. Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences PhD studentship funding (10/2019), £85,000, “Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Targeting Weight Management Interventions in Pregnancy using Risk Prediction Models”

Heslehurst, N. NIHR Career Development Fellowship (01/2019), £867,956, “Adiposity risk in pregnancy: identifying cost effective risk prediction measures that can be implemented at scale within NHS maternity services”

Bell, Z., Bambra, C., Heslehurst, N., Rankin, J. ESRC PhD Studentship (10/2018), £82,259, "Austerity and nutrition: A qualitative exploration of the social determinants of food insecurity and its nutritional impact amongst women and children in the North East of England"

Heslehurst, N. Research Design Service North East (2017), £390.25, “Patient and Public Involvement: PPI activities”

Lesley Wicks, L., Collins, C., Hutchesson, M., Rollo, M., Wynne, W., Heslehurst, N. University of Newcastle Australia Strategic Pilot Grant (08/2017), $3064 (AUD), “Health professional provision of nutrition and weight management advice to women who are pregnant; A survey to inform nutrition support as part of routine ante-natal care”

Jones, A., Heslehurst, N., Adamson, A., Ells, L., Woodcock, C., Fuse, Institute of Health & Society, Durham County Council (05/2017), £67,000, "Developing and feasibility testing an intervention to prevent childhood obesity in the early years”

Heslehurst, N., Rankin, J., Devlieger, R., Ackroyd, R., Newcastle University Research Excellence Acadamy (09/2016), £71,373, "An investigation of maternal obesity, bariatric surgery in women of reproductive age and associations with severe adverse perinatal outcomes in subsequent pregnancy”

Rankin J., Heslehurst, N., Brown, H. ESRC PhD Studentship (09/2016), £82,259.50, "Asylum seekers and refugees in the North East of England: an advanced quantitative study of inequalities in maternity care and costs to NHS maternity services”

Heslehurst, N., Rankin, J., Rushton, S. MRC 1 3 MSc/PhD Studentship (09/2013), £87,000, "A Life Course Investigation of Maternal Ethnic Group and Pregnancy Weight in the Development of Short and Long-term Health Outcomes for Women and their Offspring”

Summerbell, C., Moore, H., Heslehurst, N., NIHR School for Public Health Research PhD Studentship (08/2012), £75,000, "Determinants and influences of diet and physical activity in pre-school children in the UK"

Heslehurst, N., McColl, E., Knight, M. NIHR Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (01/2012), £304,287, “The development and rehearsal pilot of a guideline implementation intervention for the management of maternal obesity by midwives”

Heslehurst, N. North East Strategic Health Authority (10/2010), £29,070, “A Scoping Study to Develop Midwifery Training for Obesity in Pregnancy”

Heslehurst, N., Holt, A., Simpson, H., Sedgewick, G. South Tees NHS Trust Small Grant Application (06/2009),£5,802, “An evaluation of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal clinical pathways for obese pregnant women within South Tees NHS Trust maternity services, and partnership public health organisations”

Heslehurst, N., Griffrin, K., Long, H. Teesside University Research Fund (06/2009), £4,348, “A qualitative study exploring experiences of the implementation of dietetic referrals for women with a raised body mass index in pregnancy”

Heslehurst, N., Ells, L., Wilkinson, JR. Public Health North East (09/2008), £50,000, “Maternal Obesity Maternity and Community Service Evaluation”



Teaching
My teaching activities include teaching qualitative research to students on the Masters programme for Clinical Research, facilitating Stage 4 medical student public health case study sessions on obesity, and contributing to ongoing institute and working group research seminars. My teaching responsibilities include student supervision and assessments for for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as PhD external examinations.
Publications