How can we use psychology to improve the nation’s diet?

How can we improve our dietary habits and overall nutrition as a population? Our current environment promotes the purchase and consumption of foods that are high in fat, sugar and/or salt (HFSS) and there are important barriers that prevent many people from having access to healthier foods and improving their diet. The primary aim of this PhD studentship will be to develop and test population-level interventions that aim to reduce consumption of HFSS foods which can lead to poor nutrition, obesity and associated non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular problems and diabetes. The regular consumption of foods that are low in nutritional value is a public health issue that requires immediate action in terms of research and policy. This studentship will consider the economic, psychological and structural interventions that help the UK population with improving their overall nutrition and dietary habits. Intervention research can further examine how we can address existing health inequalities so that everyone can benefit irrespective of socioeconomic background.

We also welcome other innovative, novel ideas on potential interventions that could improve nutrition on a population level. The PhD studentship can involve semi-naturalistic experiments in a state-of-the-art eating behaviour laboratory (Liverpool Human Ingestive Behaviour Laboratory), online randomised controlled trials using a virtual supermarket platform, and real-world proof-of-concept studies in online retail settings. The aim of the PhD studentship is to conduct research which can inform policy for improving diet and health in the UK.

This project will be based in the Department of Psychology at the University of Liverpool.  To apply for this position, please email l.tzavella@liverpool.ac.uk  and eric.robinson@liverpool.ac.uk attaching a covering letter explaining your motivation, suitability and any relevant past experience for the post, CV and details of 2 referees.