In October 2017, Alice joined the Gemini team to begin her 4-year PhD. Prior to joining the team Alice completed an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Public Health, and a master’s degree in Health Psychology. This background developed Alice’s interest in how genes and the wider environment interact to influence our behaviours, and in particular, our relationship with food.
Alice’s PhD research explores the role of the early home environment in children’s appetite, health behaviours and growth. To examine this, she is using information collected through telephone interviews that were first carried out with Gemini families when the twins were 4 years old, and then again when they were 12. These interviews collected detailed information about the food, activity and media environment within the family home. Using this information, Alice is investigating how the home environment changes over time and importantly, how our genes and the home environment interact to influence appetite and growth during childhood.
Alongside her PhD, Alice has also been working hard on the Gemini Covid-19 study. This study is using information provided by the Gemini families, both before and during the pandemic, to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and their families. This work is still ongoing but you can read more about it here.
Alice has personally carried out 464 Gemini Home environment interviews and had the privilege of speaking to many Gemini families. She would like to say a huge thank you to the Gemini families for their time and commitment when taking part in 589 phone interviews over the past 2 years. Our research would not be possible without the support and involvement of the Gemini twins and their families, so thank you!
If you would like to know more about Alice’s research, you can follow her updates on Twitter (@alicekini) or you can contact her via email (a.kininmonth@ucl.ac.uk).
