In January 2020, Lisa moved from Scotland to London to join Gemini as a PhD student. With a master’s degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Glasgow, Lisa has a keen interest in eating behaviour and dietary assessment.
Currently, Lisa’s research focusses on the impacts of free sugar and low-calorie sweetener intake on healthy growth, appetite and preference for sweet taste during childhood. To look at this, she is examining diet diaries gathered from the Gemini twins at two different timepoints – the ages of 2 years old and 7 years old. Using this information, Lisa is attempting to understand how genes and the surrounding environment can influence sweetener consumption during some of the key developmental stages of early life. Ultimately, she would like to know how diets differing in levels of free sugar and artificial sweeteners can contribute to the way children grow, how avid their appetite is and how big their
‘sweet tooth’ is.
Lisa is part of a large European group of researchers collaboratively investigating the use of sweeteners in the diet to support health – the results of her project will inform public health policy.
Lisa would like to thank the Gemini families for the time and commitment they have given to the Gemini study, and greatly appreciates the ongoing participation of all Gemini twins who are now teenagers.
If you would like to know more about Lisa’s research, you can follow her updates on Twitter (@LisaaHeggie) or she would gladly speak with you via email (lisa.heggie.19@ucl.ac.uk).
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