Dr. Florence Sheen

SO excited to be hosting our first in-person L3 Event!

If you've been finding it hard to put pen to paper on your big idea, or to get a certain part of your fellowship application worked out, this day is for you 🌟

Further details + registration ⬇️

➡️Capability+motivation predicted willingness to try and regularly consume
➡️Opportunity was not a significant predictor, possibly indicating opportunities play a bigger role after initial trying
💭Initial willingness to try may be driven by knowledge/curiosity + overcoming food neophobia, fear/disgust

📣 New Year, New paper!

📰: lnkd.in/e5cHbkYC

🔍 This online study investigated facilitators + barriers to children & parents willingness to try, and regularly consume, alternative proteins in Singapore

📰 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/...

🎯Using Gemini Twin Study data, we explored parent responses to feedback on child weight via the National Child Measurement Programme

⭐Findings highlight the need to involve parents in delivery + feedback framing to understand how best to share this info

➡️ Understanding how AI could be supportive/unhelpful to adolescents presenting with eating/body/appearance concerns is important

➡️ Working with adolescents +policymakers to improve AI literacy + regulate communications are key next steps

🗨️We facilitated conversations with chatbots +asked about eating/body weight/appearance as if we were teens:

🛑Advice was often framed within societal ideals relating to eating/body weight/appearance

🛑Chatbots signposted to trusted adults/HCPs for support but not regulated resources (e.g., NHS)(2/3)

<em>Child and Adolescent Mental Health</em> | ACAMH Journal | Wiley Online Library Background Body image and eating behaviours are common areas of concern for early adolescents. Artificial Intelligence (AI) interactions are becoming commonplace, including with chatbots that provid.....

📣 NEW PUBLICATION #OpenAccess 📰: acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

🌟 Findings infographic: drive.google.com/file/d/11ZYD...

🧠 How would chatbots respond to eating, weight or appearance-related questions from adolescents? We decided to find out... (1/3)

📣 Our L3 #ECR End-of-Year wrap up and writing session is a week away!

🗨️ Ahead of the session, we would be grateful if you could complete our short survey. Your input will help us shape the types of the sessions we put on next year ➡️ lnkd.in/ecZQrRFU

Bring your favourite hot drink, see you there! ☕

📣 #ECRs! We invite you to the L3 ECR End-of-Year wrap up + writing session! We will:

⏩ Summarise progress made in 2025
🌟 Discuss what you want to see if 2026 (and share some exciting news!)
✍ Have protected time for writing towards your fellowship ideas, plans or application drafts

See you there!

Why stigmatising UPFs could be doing more harm than good ‘Ultra-processed’ has become a moral label, not a scientific one. Research shows why the term could be causing confusion, guilt and misinformation.

My take on the UPF thing

theconversation.com/why-stigmati...
#ultraprocessedfood #upf

The Collaboratory Research Hub 2026 PhD Studentship applications are now open + our PhD project is one of them! 🤩

💭 Further info + apply➡️ collaboratoryresearchhub.ac.uk/childhood-me...

🧠 Any questions? Feel free to reach out to us!

🌟 All PhDs ➡️ collaboratoryresearchhub.ac.uk/phd-students...

⭐This highlights:

1️⃣negative consequences which may undermine apps' potential to promote behaviour change & wellbeing

2️⃣need for user-centred app design based on psychological theory, wellbeing + intrinsic motivation

Thanks Paulina Bondaronek, Lucy Porter, Tris Papakonstantinou & Maria Çeka! [3/3]

We observed:
🧠 key challenges + unintended consequences, inc. negative psychological + behavioural impacts
🎯 challenges logging real-world activities, meeting algorithm-set goals + negative impacts on emotions, motivation + engagement [2/3]

📰 NEW PAPER #OpenAccess: bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

We used Machine-Assisted Topic Analysis to assess X posts about fitness apps, observing negative behavioural + psychological consequences which may undermine their potential to promote behaviour change & well-being [1/3]

Kids And Parents Have Mixed Views On Alternative Proteins - Faunalytics Focus groups with Singapore families reveal that children are more curious about alternative proteins than their parents, who worry about naturalness.

Thanks Faunalytics for writing a research summary of our focus group study on child+parent perceptions of alt. proteins in Singapore!

Read here ➡️ faunalytics.org/kids-and-par...

🧾 Available #OpenAccess ➡️ www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

🍽️>87% gave babies/toddlers processed baby snacks regularly between meals
⭐Snacks were frequently used to quieten/entertain
📣Brand communications+on-pack claims guide food choices

Greater transparency+regulation of on-pack marketing could help parents make healthier food choices for babies/toddlers

📰 NEW PAPER: Available #OpenAccess at: lnkd.in/eJkVvQmS

Fantastic work by the fabulous Alex Rhodes & dream team including @andreadsmith.bsky.social + @ranaconway.bsky.social! 👏

We investigated what is driving increased use of processed baby snack foods in the UK and found that...

📣Life update: I have started as a Lecturer in Psychology @uniofleicester.bsky.social

Bittersweet as I leave Loughborough Uni, but only down the road (+always up for a ☕!)

Thnks to my new colleagues for the warm welcome, v.excited to further my research in eating behaviour + adolescent health here!

Half marathon complete! ✅ Despite the heat we managed to meet our goal (running the whole thing without stopping)!

Any last donations would be amazing ⬇️

www.justgiving.com/page/flo-run...

📜NEW ARTICLE exploring min. age guidance & sugar warning labels through an online experiment + focus groups

✅labels could empower parents + shift feeding choices toward closer alignment with recommendations

✅impacts appear socioeconomically equitable + parents support labels

#OpenAccess paper⬇️

Pint of Science Loughborough Researchers from Loughborough share their discoveries with you.

Less than 1 week until #pintofscience🧠
I will share our work investigating how teens are using digital tools to find health info +discuss whether AI can provide better support

📅Mon 19 May
🕓4-7PM
📍Bom Bom Patisserie Canal House (could I BE at a better venue?!🍪)
🎫 pintofscience.co.uk/events/lough...

📜New publication!

Our mixed methods paper exploring views of regular consumers of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) is published!

Huge congrats to our dream team on delivering a fascinating study across time zones!

Infographic of findings ⬇️
Link to #OpenAccess paper➡️ doi.org/10.1016/j.fu...

Less than 3 weeks to go until my sister & I run the Greater Manchester Half Marathon - 6 years after we ran our first race together! I am raising money for the Samaritans to support all the lifesaving work that they do💚

Please donate if you can ⬇️

www.justgiving.com/page/flo-run...

Thank you @shihuiyu.bsky.social for promoting us, looking forward to seeing you all 🥰

@alice-kininmonth.bsky.social & I will be at the afternoon coffee break and more than happy to chat about all things fellowships and L3! ☕

Thank you @bfdgecr.bsky.social for promoting us 🥰

@alice-kininmonth.bsky.social & I will be at the afternoon coffee break and more than happy to chat about all things fellowships and L3 - see you there! ☕

First post will be a plug for our national fellowship network ➡️ We have an exciting new session focused on NIHR fellowships! 💡

Come along to this brilliant event and do spread the word for the network led by @flosheen.bsky.social @alice-kininmonth.bsky.social and myself 👇

📣Interested in learning more about NIHR fellowships?

Join our session featuring NIHR advanced fellows + an expert from the Research Support Service to:

🪜learn about the application & interview
🌟boost your confidence
🙋ask questions

Scan QR ⬇️ to join the group + get a link to this & future events!

📣NEW PAPER📣 We used WHO data to investigate UK women’s exposure to commercial milk formula (CMF) marketing + beliefs about breast/bottle feeding.

@ranaconway.bsky.social @andreadsmith.bsky.social
📃: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

📣 Calling Loughborough University students! 📣

Exciting opportunity to complete paid internships this summer, including ones with myself, Natalie Pearson, Lizzie Stamp & Hannah White! 🤩

Deadline to apply: 6th April

🔬 Are you an ECR researching appetite, eating, or drinking? 🍽️ FREE in-person ECR event 📅 April 23rd—the perfect pre-BFDG meet-up!

Connect with fellow researchers over:
✨ Career workshops
🗣️ Panels on academia & industry
🤝 Networking (+lunch)

📢 Sign up now: bfdg2025.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/ecr-event/