Academic Biography

Claire O’Malley is a research associate and is currently involved in a number of public health related projects which aim to improve diet, health, mental health and wellbeing. Claire has a degree in Nutrition and Health Science, and an MSc in Health Science (Public Health) from Teesside University. Following on from this she went onto study for a PhD at Durham University titled “Determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption in pre-school children”. Claire is also an MBACP registered Counsellor, practising on a part-time basis.

Claire recently led an NIHR ARC funded project which explored how social supermarkets shape access and availability to healthier foods in food insecure communities and continues to work on a number of related projects. She has also worked alongside The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to examine ways in which the planning system and local authority public health teams contribute towards creating a healthier food environment. She is also involved in a series of workplace health projects to facilitate employee engagement and improve health. Additionally, Claire engages in research which helps raise awareness of period poverty and provide menstrual support within her academic institution.

Summary of Research Interests

Claire’s research interests lie within the areas of: public health, obesogenic environments, health policy, behaviour change and mental health and wellbeing. She is particularly keen on the use of mixed methods to synthesise and evaluate evidence to improve health.

Research Projects and External Funding

Health Economic Analysis incorporating effects on Labour outcomes, households, Environment and Inequalities (HEALTHEI) for food taxes. Awarded 2022. NIHR. Total grant: £734,714. Co-Investigator.

A collaborative approach to the implementation of restrictions of hot food takeaway outlets. Awarded 2022. NIHR SPHR Impact Accelerator Account. Total grant: £14,537. Co-Investigator.

NIHR ARC Community Social Supermarkets: understanding how they shape access and availability to healthier foods in food insecure communities. Feb 2022 - Jan 2023. £59,216. Principal Investigator

NIHR SPHR Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Regulatory Mechanisms. Jan 2020 – Jan 2021. £85,000. Co-Investigator

Recent Publications

Moore, Helen J; Connor, Natalie; Burrows, Andrea; Breeze, Penny; Reynolds, Christian; O'Malley, Claire; et al. (2024). Identification of tax options for high fat, sugar and salt foods and non-alcoholic beverages: Results of a rapid review for the HEALTHEI project. The University of Sheffield. Report. https://doi.org/10.15131/shef.data.26356048.v1

Moore, H. J., O'Malley, C. L., Lloyd, S., Eskandari, F., Rose, K., Butler, M., Townshend, T. G., Brown, H., Clarkson, D., & Lake, A. A. (2024). Measuring the association between the opening of a new multi-national restaurant with young people's eating behaviours. Appetite, 203, 107651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107651

Bradford, C. P., O'Malley, C. L., Moore, H. J., Gray, N., Townshend, T. G., Chang, M., ... & Lake, A. A. (2024). ‘Acceleration’ of the food delivery marketplace: Perspectives of local authority professionals in the North‐East of England on temporary COVID regulations. Nutrition Bulletin, 49(2), 180-188.

Rose K, O’Malley C, Lake A, Lalli G. ‘Doing school food!’: a practical toolkit for adopting a whole school food approach. Perspectives in Public Health. 2023;0(0). http://10.1177/17579139231185302

Lake AA, Moore HJ, Cotton M, O’Malley CL. (2023) Opportunities to improve population health: possibilities for healthier food environments. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2023;82(3):264-271. http://10.1017/S0029665123002677  

Eskandari, F., Lake, A. A., Rose, K., Butler, M., & O'Malley, C. (2022). A mixed‐method systematic review and meta‐analysis of the influences of food environments and food insecurity on obesity in high‐income countries. Food science & nutrition, 10(11), 3689-3723.

Moore H, Lake A, O’Malley C, et al. The impact of COVID-19 on the hot food takeaway planning regulatory environment: perspectives of local authority professionals in the North East of England. Perspectives in Public Health. 2022;144(1):52-60. http://10.1177/17579139221106343  

O’Malley C, Lake A, Moore H, et al. Regulatory mechanisms to create healthier environments: planning appeals and hot food takeaways in England. Perspectives in Public Health. 2023;143(6):313-323. http://doi:10.1177/17579139231187492