Dr Fiona Lavelle is a Lecturer at the Department of Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London. She graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Sport Science and Health from Dublin City University in 2011, followed by an MSc in Preventive Cardiology from Imperial College London in 2012, where she specialised in Exercise and Nutrition. After two years in managerial roles within the hospitality sector, she was awarded a Northern Ireland government scholarship to pursue a PhD in Behavioural Nutrition at the Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, which she completed in 2017.

In recognition of her innovative research on children’s cooking behaviours, Dr Lavelle received both the British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Early Career Scientist Award and the Nutrients International Young Investigator Award in 2021.

Research Interests

Fiona has a broad research portfolio exploring attitudes, perceptions, knowledge, and behaviours associated with food and health as well as wider determinants of behaviour. She has expertise in qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Fiona’s research interests cross two main strands: 1) Behavioural & Culinary Nutrition and 2) Women’s Health & Exercise.

1) Behavioural & Culinary Nutrition

Fiona investigates the why, how, when, where and under what conditions individuals prepare and consume food. Her work focuses on diverse and vulnerable populations including children, pregnant individuals, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and athletes. She also explores the intersections between cooking and sustainability, child development, mental health and wellbeing.

2) Women’s Health & Exercise

Committed to addressing the inequalities and inequities in health research, Dr Lavelle examines systemic, structural and societal determinants influencing physical activity and exercise among women and female athletes. Her research considers female-specific life stages, such as pregnancy and postpartum, menstrual health and conditions including Endometriosis and PCOS.

Education

Fiona is a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy and leads several modules within the department:

• 5BBNNT03 Culinary Nutrition
• 6MNTNR00 Research Projects (BSc Nutritional Sciences)
• 7MNTD108 Research Projects (MSc Dietetics)

She contributes to teaching across all three departmental programmes and has led pedagogical research to enhance feedback and learning experiences.

Leadership & Professional Service

Fiona holds multiple leadership roles within King’s College London:

• People and Culture Lead, Department of Nutritional Sciences
• Chair, Athena Swan Working Group, School of Life Course & Population Sciences
• Chair, Social and wellbeing committee, Department of Nutritional Sciences
• Employability and Careers Lead, Department for Nutritional Sciences (BSc & MSc Nutrition)

She also serves on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and Food Science and Nutrition Cases, and is an active member of the UK and Irish Nutrition Societies, as well as the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.