Events from our partners - HYMS Inaugural lecture Professor Maria Bryant

Approximately 25% of children in the UK don’t have reliable access to nutritious food. Also known as food insecurity, this can have a huge impact on their health and wellbeing and is one of the major public health challenges of today. 

In this inaugural lecture, Professor Maria Bryant will provide insight into her career in this field and the impact of her work – reflecting on the somewhat unconventional nature of her career path but acknowledging how influential and beneficial her work has been to public health. Maria will give particular reference to research focused on food availability and accessibility, food insecurity, obesity and inequalities. She will highlight the importance of acknowledging complexity and showcase examples of research that is driven by an understanding of need rather than interest. 

Professor Maria Bryant is Professor of Public Health Nutrition at Hull York Medical School and the University of York. A nutritionist with over 20 years’ experience in the design and delivery of trials and related methodological research in diet and obesity, Maria has a special interest in early years and childhood. In addition to her academic role, she is the Director of Nutrition Research for Born in Bradford, the lead for Diet and Obesity evaluation for a Better Start Bradford and the evaluation Chair of ‘ActEarly’, a Medical Research Council funded project aiming to promote a healthier, happier, and fairer future for children.