Dr Sharon Carstairs

Research Fellow

Researcher profile

Email

sc295@st-andrews.ac.uk

Biography

I obtained my BSc Hons in Physiology, Sports Science and Nutrition from the University of Glasgow in 2004. I went on to work within Dundee City Council as an Eating for Health Advisor in a local primary school whilst piloting a healthy eating initiative in Dundee after-schools clubs.

In 2006 I became a Teaching Assistant at the University of Abertay Dundee where I lectured and co-ordinated modules in the fields of Nutrition and Physiology to a wide variety of undergraduate students.

I comlpeted my PhD at the University of Aberdeen graduating in June 2017. My research, titled "Determinants of seafood provision and exclusion by mothers during infant and young child feeding: An exploration using a mixed methods design? ? provided the opportunity to learn and develop knowledge and skills of mixed methodologies including; - quantitative surveys, focus group discussions, internet discussion forums, and Q Methodology think aloud interviews.

I was employed at the University of St Andrews in 2016 on a collaborative project entitled ?Downsizing meal items in the pre-school using variety, repeated exposure and learning to acquire portion control?. In July 2018 I was employed as a Research Fellow working on a NHS Fife Endowment Fund project ?Increasing physical activity levels: Designing a pathway to community-based and volunteered-led physical activity programmes?.

Research areas

I have an interest in research and teaching within the field of health improvement; specifically within the fields of nutrition and physical activity. I have experience of mixed methods research design and in addition I have interests in co-design and participatory research.

Selected publications

• Colour as a cue to eat: effects of plate colour on snack intake in pre-school children

  Carstairs, S. A., Caton, S., Hetherington, M., Rolls, B. & Cecil, J. E., 2 Dec 2019, In : Food Quality and Preference. In press, 103862.

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

• Snack portion sizes for preschool children are predicted by caregiver portion size, caregiver feeding practices and children's eating traits

  Reale, S., Simpson, R., Marr, C., Carstairs, S. A., Cecil, J. E., Hetherington, M. & Caton, S., 10 Dec 2019, In : Nutrients. 11, 2, p. 1-17 17 p., 3020.

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

• Can reduced intake associated with downsizing of a high energy dense meal item be offset by increased vegetable variety in 3-5-year-old children?

  Carstairs, S. A., Caton, S. J., Blundell-Birtill, P., Rolls, B. J., Hetherington, M. M. & Cecil, J. E., 3 Dec 2018, In : Nutrients. 10, 12, 15 p., 1879.

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

• Downsizing meal items in pre-schoolers using variety

  Cecil, J. E., Carstairs, S., Caton, S., Blundell-Birtill, P., Rolls, B. & Hetherington, M. M., 1 Apr 2018, In : Appetite. 123, p. 460

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Abstract

• Increasing physical activity levels: designing a referral pathway to a community- and volunteer-based physical activity programme

  Ozakinci, G., Carstairs, S. A., Rogowsky, R. H., Cunningham, K. B., Wilkie, L. M., Stevens, J., McTavish, M., Shield, I. & Sullivan, F., 7 Nov 2018.

  Research output: Contribution to conference ? Poster

• The feasibility and acceptability of two methods of snack portion control in United Kingdom (UK) preschool children: reduction and replacement

  Reale, S., Kearney, C., Hetherington, M., Croden, F., Cecil, J. E., Carstairs, S. A., Rolls, B. & Caton, S., 12 Oct 2018, In : Nutrients. 10, 10, 25 p., 1493.

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

• Factors influencing mothers' decisions on whether to provide seafood during early years? feeding: a qualitative study

  Carstairs, S. A., Craig, L. C. A., Marais, D. & Kiezebrink, K., 1 Jan 2017, In : Appetite. 108, p. 277-287

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

• How important are the influencing factors to the decision on whether to provide seafood in infant and young child feeding?

  Carstairs, S. A., Marais, D., Craig, L. C. A. & Kiezebrink, K., 1 Oct 2017, In : Appetite. 117, p. 224-233 10 p.

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

• A comparison of pre-prepared commercial infant feeding meals with home-cooked recipes

  Carstairs, S. A., Craig, L. C. A., Marais, D., Bora, O. E. & Kiezebrink, K., Nov 2016, In : Archives of Disease in Childhood. 101, 11, p. 1037-1042

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

• Seafood inclusion in commercial main meal early years' food products

  Carstairs, S. A., Marais, D., Craig, L. & Kiezebrink, K., Oct 2016, In : Maternal and Child Nutrition. 12, 4, p. 860-868

  Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article

See more publications