Dr Kiran Chang, SPHR ResNet member and award holder, at Imperial College London, completed her ResNet project on Uptake and outcomes associated with Universal Infant Free School Means in England. SPHR ResNet project funding allows early career researchers (ECRs) with an opportunity to gain experience of developing and leading their own research project, and to build their networks throughout ResNet and across the School. Read more about projects funded through this initiative here.
We asked Kiara the following:
What are your main research interests?
My main research interests are in public health nutrition and health policy evaluation. Including investigating the influence of ultra-processed food consumption on various health outcomes in adults and children, and evaluating the impact of food-assistance programmes in the UK.
What made you decide on a career in public health research?
After completing my BSc in Statistics and MSc in Operational Research, I was looking broadly for an opportunity to apply and further develop my skills in quantitative analysis in the real world and ended up finding myself in public health research. Since then, it has been a challenging but vastly rewarding journey. I completed my PhD in public health and now continuing this career as a postdoc. I really enjoy conducting research studies that aim to protect and improve the health of the population, and a career with forever learning and collaboration opportunities.
Can you tell me about your work at the School?
I have been closely involved and contributed to projects evaluating policies that aim at improving the diet and nutritional intake of young children in the UK, one example is the evaluation of the Healthy Start scheme. Healthy Start provides weekly food vouchers to low-income families with a pregnant woman or child under 4 years old, and can be spent on fruit and vegetables, cow’s milk and infant formula. Our study showed no difference in expenditure on fruit and vegetables between eligible families who participated and those did not participate in the Healthy Start, highlighting further actions needed to improve uptake and increase voucher value to better support the target population.
What made you apply for ResNet project award?
It was a wonderful opportunity for early-career researchers to develop and lead on a new research project. Also, my pre-doctoral works most centred around the evaluation of cardiovascular risk assessment and tobacco control programmes. Therefore, I was very keen to expand my research profile and eager to learn more on the aspects of healthy diet and nutrition in public health, and to further my involvement and contribution in SPHR.
What impact has this ResNet project had?
We produced 2 research manuscripts, one evaluated impact of the Universal Infant Free School Meal policy on dietary intakes in infant schoolchildren, and the other compared the nutritional quality of school meals and packed lunches in UK schoolchildren. Through this ResNet project I gained skills in leadership, knowledge in public health nutrition, and establishing collaborations with colleagues across SPHR.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
The study I led, which was also supported by SPHR, was recently published at JAMA Pediatrics and this is one of the top highlights of my career. This study provided longitudinal findings in children, for the first time, that those with higher consumption of ultra-processed foods had greater weight and body fat gain tracing from childhood to early adulthood. These findings suggest radical and effective public health actions are urgently needed to reduce children’s exposure to and consumption of ultra-processed foods.
Would you recommend this award to others, and what advice would you give?
I would really encourage others to apply and utilise it as a valuable opportunity to start thinking and developing research projects in the areas of public health you are most passionate at.
Read more about Kiara’s ResNet project here.
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