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nutrition therapy, dietary behaviour, food, obesity, sustainable food systems

Planetary health and sustainable food systems
This area of focus is twofold: (1) looking how to improve and enhance food environments and food choice so that food availability comes from environmental and social systems that are designed to protect. both people and planetary health and (2) how to develop the third level curriculum for nutrition and dietetic professionals so that graduates are prepared to tackle the complex food system and health issues we are currently faced with. We are currently progressing a shared, international education framework with a view to testing in several countries.
Barbour L, Browne S, Everitt T, Pettinger C, Wegener J, Farokhifar T, Kim S, Tsen C, Bonar G, Carlsson L (2026), "Sustainable food systems and planetary health education for nutritionists and dietitians: prioritising curriculum concepts with Q methodology". International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 27 No. 10 pp. 79–95, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-08-2025-0978

School food research focuses on the food environments of secondary schools in Ireland using participatory research approaches with young people. The work centres on involving young people in food at school in support of 'pedagogical mealtimes' whereby positive food environments are considered an essential element of the nutrition and health curriculum.

Obesity and nutrition therapy centres on weight inclusive care in nutrition and dietetics practice that minimises weight bias, stigma and discrimination and focuses on the broadest health and patient prioritised outcomes. Disseminating weight bias messages and education to all healthcare professionals both within training and as continuous professional development is integrated in this work.

In the area of sustainable food systems, two potential projects include:
(1) Look to plan, design and implement a nutrition and dietetic intervention in clinical settings (e.g., cardiovascular, obesity, diabetes care) that advise both nutrition and health and socio-culturally appropriate sustainable dietary advice that meet health and nutrition needs. There is good evidence to demonstrate the overlap and win-win across metabolic health dietary patterns and sustainable dietary patterns. The use of behaviour change techniques will be essential to this intervention, as there is a gap in current literature about 'what works' in relation to supporting individuals and communities towards more healthy, sustainable dietary patterns.
(2) Take the first iteration of the planetary health / sustainable food systems education framework for nutrition and dietetics programmes (published 2026) and undertake pilot implementation with programmes in one or more countries. The work would involve consultation with the university staff to contexualise the concepts for the region, make a plan for training and implementation and assess baseline and post-implementation outcomes for staff and students. This work would also extend to clinical training sites to monitor implementation of new competencies during practice education. The latter element is the novel aspect of the work, in addition to an education framework that is tested and contextualised to different regions.

The school meal programme is currently being resourced by the Irish government, however many issues including food delivery (no catering infrastructures), healthiness, poor acceptance and food waste remain. A potential project in this area would seek to involve secondary school students as active participants with a multi-disciplinary team (e.g. dietitians, architects, chefs, geographers) in enhancing their food environments and food choice. The project responds to documented student dissatisfaction and this approach would seek to test whether enhancements 'work' in terms of improved dietary and mealtime behaviours and health.

In the area of obesity and nutrition therapy, a potential project would seek to identify patients priorities for outcomes and research in relation to food, nutrition and health. This would be done with existing partnerships with the Association for the Study of Obesity in Ireland and the Irish Coalition for People Living with Obesity. People living with obesity would remain involved as active advisors and collaborators throughout the project. Following the initial consultation, an intervention that responds to current needs would be designed, implemented and evaluated.

Clare Corish
Helen Roche