Evidence-based nutritionist
I use the latest, best evidence to get you the best results
I’m highly trained in critically appraising scientific evidence on health
I have two evidence-based degrees.
During both my degrees, I specialised in the research, epidemiology and statistics courses.
I also did a research scholarship in between the third and fourth years of my undergrad degree.
Working with evidence was my bread and butter for 15 years
After graduating, I worked for 15 years in the NHS, undertaking research to measure and improve Scotland’s health, informing, monitoring and evaluating Scottish Government health policy.
I understand the ‘hierarchy of evidence’
Not all evidence is the same. As shown in the pyramid to the right, some studies provide stronger evidence than others, with study design being the determining factor.
Think of the pyramid like a Christmas tree, with systematic reviews and meta-analyses the shining star on top: the most robust of all evidence.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses merge the findings from multiple studies to give the most definitive answers to research questions.
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) provide the strongest evidence at the level of individual studies. They’re the gold standard for assessing the effectiveness of interventions or treatments – in other words, they tell us whether or not they work. Critically, unlike studies of association, RCTs reveal causality (if a caused b).
In the middle, you have studies of association – cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies. They reveal links between factors, but they can’t tell us if they’re causally related. For example, they may show that people who are overweight have higher sugar intakes, but they can’t tell us if the sugar made them overweight. To explore that, we need an RCT.
Lastly, right down at the bottom, we have expert opinion. In the absence of research evidence, it may be the best guide available. It’s also the starting point for most research; knowing what we do and don’t know and formulating research hypotheses and questions that need to be tested out in proper scientific studies.
Evidence into action
I’ve always loved to learn, particularly about diet and health. While some may find reading scientific journal papers dull, it’s my geeky idea of fun.
But I’m not interested in learning, research or knowledge generation for the sake of it.
The question that’s always excited me is, ‘How can I (or we) use that brand new evidence to make things better?’
And so, the question I always ask in my nutrition coaching practice is,
“How can we use that brand new evidence to make your health better?”
CPD
To keep my knowledge and practice up to date, I regularly attend training courses and take part in other continuing professional development (CPD) activities. Here’s a list of my recents.
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Formal
Architecture of food: Processing, structure and health. The Nutrition Society Winter Conference 2022/23; 24-25 January 2023.
Fuelling gut microbes. The Nutrition Society; 18/07/22.
Personalised nutrition: What's the latest? The Nutrition Society; 17/07/22.
Non-extreme dieting and exercise for safe and effective weight loss. The Nutrition Society; 8/01/22.
Fasting and energy restrictions: The impact on metabolic health. The Nutrition Society; 9/11/21.
Optimal diet and lifestyle strategies for the management of cardiometabolic risk. The Nutrition Society; 9/05/21.
Nutrition and inflammatory skin disease: Current understanding and future perspectives. The Nutrition Society; 4/05/21.
Gut microbiome and health. The Nutrition Society Spring Conference 2021; 29-30 March 2021.
Low carbohydrate and type 2 diabetes: Is lower always better? The Nutrition Society; 5/01/21.
Intermittent fasting: Effects on body weight and metabolism. The Nutrition Society; 4/01/21.
Omega-3 fatty acids for optimal health across the life course. The Nutrition Society; 29/12/20.
Gut microbiome: Can it really affect our health? The Nutrition Society; 10/12/20.
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Self-directed
Over the last five years, I’ve developed and refined a novel, modified ketogenic diet that overcomes many of the limitations of traditional ketogenic diets.
Although many people tend to think of ketogenic diets as ‘niche’, they’re actually helpful in treating a wide range of extremely common conditions – from weight loss, type 2 diabetes and heart disease to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, now the main cause of death in the UK (ONS).
My approach is suitable for anyone wishing to follow a gently ketogenic diet.