Dr Diane Threapleton

Profile

I am a nutritional epidemiologist specializing in evidence-based healthcare, maternal and infant nutrition, and lifecourse nutrition. My research is dedicated to generating evidence that addresses public health challenges in the UK and globally, shaping policies to enhance overall well-being. I focus on nutrient intake and dietary patterns, exploring their impact on health, child growth, and development. My commitment to advancing research has contributed to meaningful insights that support effective public health interventions.

In recent years, I have played a key role in policy-driven initiatives to improve the nutritional quality of baby food. As part of the WHO Collaborating Centre in Nutritional Epidemiology, I led the development of the WHO Baby Foods Nutrient & Promotion Profile Model (NPPM), helping to establish evidence-based standards. My work has highlighted concerns about infant and toddler nutrition, including excess sugar levels, advocating for stricter regulations and improved nutritional standards to promote healthier early diets.

Responsibilities

• Co Principal Investigator for the Growing Well Study

Research interests

Early years nutrition:
As Co-Principal Investigator for the NIHR-funded ‘Growing Well Study’, my research focuses on diet quality in children aged 1-5 years, examining its role in optimal growth and dental health outcomes. This work will explore food portions, commercial foods and drinks, and plant-based diets, with a particular focus on nutritional adequacy in vulnerable populations.

My work on the WHO Nutrient & Promotion Profile Model (NPPM) baby foods standards began in 2018 and was published in 2022. These standards provide a framework for stakeholders to assess the nutritional quality of baby foods available in their region, highlight areas of concern, and serve as a lever for evidence-based policy change to improve child nutrition globally.
View the development timeline and international case-studies here: https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/food-nutrition/doc/promoting-regulatory-standards-baby-food-market-nppm
View the NPPM report here: https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2022-6681-46447-67287
View the online assessment tool and NPPM help toolkit here: https://babyfoodnppm.org/

Healthy diet across the lifecourse:
My work in maternal nutrition, healthy diets, and nutrition across the lifecourse focuses on how maternal diet during pregnancy influences both maternal and child health, as well as child growth and development. My research on iodine intake in UK populations has revealed widespread inadequacies, raising concerns about their impact on fetal growth and cognitive development. Ensuring sufficient iodine intake is crucial for supporting babies in reaching their full developmental potential, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and targeted nutritional interventions.

Beyond maternal nutrition, my research explores dietary assessment methodologies and how nutritional intakes and dietary patterns shape long-term health outcomes. During my PhD, I examined dietary fibre intake in relation to coronary, stroke, and cardiovascular disease risk within the UK Women’s Cohort Study. I have also collaborated on meta-analyses of dietary exposures and cardiovascular disease risk, contributing to the characterization of healthy dietary patterns essential for lifelong health and disease prevention.

Qualifications

• PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology
• MSc in Nutrition Obesity & Health
• BSc (Hons) in Medical Sciences