Emma Haycraft, PH.D.

Emma Haycraft is Professor of Psychology and Public Health within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, UK.  Emma’s research focuses on healthy development in children and adolescents. Her work is united by its focus on public health interventions, underpinned by psychology, which generate impact and change behaviour in children, caregivers and professionals. Emma has particular expertise in children’s eating behaviours (e.g., conducting research to discover effective ways to help children to eat a wider variety of foods), as well as caregiver feeding practices (e.g., identifying successful methods of supporting parents/caregivers with feeding infants and children). Much of Emma’s work has considered the interactions between caregivers and children/adolescents, particularly in relation to feeding, eating and mealtimes, but also in relation to sedentary screen-viewing behaviour and physical activity/exercise.  Broadly, Emma conducts research which aims to contribute to health promotion efforts in the UK and abroad. More specifically, her research explores fussy eating, emotional eating, childhood obesity, infant feeding, early child development, the development of disordered eating, unhealthy (compulsive) exercise behaviours, and, excessive screen use in children/adolescents, as well as feeding practices, parenting, body image and mental health in adults.  Emma is a co-creator of the award-winning Child Feeding Guide; an evidence-based website and web app which supports caregivers whose child is a fussy eater to achieve healthy, happy mealtimes.

To contact her: E.Haycraft@lboro.ac.uk

For more information: