Adam Collins

Dr Adam Collins

Senior Teaching Fellow in Nutrition
BSc, MSc, PhD in Nutrition
+44 (0)1483 686465
25 AY 03
Monday-Friday: 9am-5:30pm (by appointment)

Academic and research departments

School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

Biography

University roles and responsibilities

  • Faculty Postgraduate Taught Coordinator
  • Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Nutrition
  • Programme Leader for MSc Human Nutrition

Research

Research interests

Supervision

Postgraduate research supervision

My teaching

Courses I teach on

Undergraduate

Food Science and Nutrition BSc (Hons)

Nutrition BSc (Hons)

Nutrition and Dietetics BSc (Hons)

Postgraduate taught

Human Nutrition MSc

Nutritional Medicine MSc

My publications

Highlights

Books and book chapters

Kwong K, Collins AL (2020), Student Perspectives on a nutrition curriculum.  In. Enhancing student-centred teaching in higher education. Gravett K, Yakovchuk N, Kincihn I (eds)..  Palgrave Macmillan, London.  https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030353957

Sports & Exercise Nutrition: A Nutrition Society Textbook. Lanham-New S, Sheriffs S, Stear S, Collins AL (eds).  2011.  Wiley Blackwell, London

Original articles

Antoni R, Johnston KL, Collins AL, Robertson MD . Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction: differential effects on postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism following matched weight-loss in healthy overweight/obese subjects, Br J Nutr, 2018 – 119(5):507-516.

Shamlan G, Bech P, Robertson MD, Collins AL. Acute effects of exercise intensity on subsequent substrate utilisation, appetite, and energy balance in men and women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2017 Dec;42(12):1247-1253

Antoni R, Johnston KL, Collins AL, Robertson MD. Effects of intermittent fasting on glucose and lipid metabolism. Proc Nutr Soc. 2017 Jan 16:1-8.

Antoni R, Johnston KL, Collins AL, Robertson MD. Investigation into the acute effects of total and partial energy restriction on postprandial metabolism among overweight/obese participants. Br J Nutr. 2016 Mar 28;115(6):951-9

Canaj R, Collins AL, Johnson K, Robertson MD (2014); The Effects of Intermittent Energy Restriction on Indices of Cardiometabolic Health.   Research in Endocrinology. 

Thomas EL, Parkinson JR, Frost G, Goldstone AP, McCarthy J, Collins AL, Fitzpatrick J, Durighel G, Taylor-Robinson S, Bell JD (2012):  The missing risk: accurate phenotyping of abdominal adiposity and ectopic fat.  Obesity 20(1):76-87.

Thomas EL, Collins AL, McCarthy J, Durighel G, Fitzpatrick J, Goldstone A, Bell J (2010): Estimation of abdominal fat compartments by bioelectrical impedance: The validity of the ViScan measurement system in comparison with MRI.  EJCN. 64, 525-37

Drysdale IP, Collins AL, Walters NJ, Bird D, Hinkley HJ. (2007): Potential benefits of marathon training on bone health as assessed by calcaneal broadband ultrasound attenuation. J Clin Densitom. 10(2):179-83.

Collins AL, Saunders S, McCarthy HD, Williams JE, Fuller NJ (2003): Within- and between-laboratory variability in air displacement plethysmography. Int J Obes. 28; 80-90

Collins AL & McCarthy HD (2003): Evaluation of factors determining the precision of body composition measurements by air displacement plethysmography. Eur J Clin Nutr. 57; 770-776

Publications

Thomas EL, Collins AL, McCarthy J, Fitzpatrick J, Durighel G, Goldstone AP, Bell JD (2010) Estimation of abdominal fat compartments by bioelectrical impedance: the validity of the ViScan measurement system in comparison with MRI, EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION 64 (5) pp. 525-533 NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.18
Thomas EL, Parkinson JR, Frost GS, Goldstone AP, Doré CJ, McCarthy JP, Collins AL, Fitzpatrick JA, Durighel G, Taylor-Robinson SD, Bell JD (2011) The Missing Risk: MRI and MRS Phenotyping of Abdominal Adiposity and Ectopic Fat, Obesity
DOI: 10.1038/oby.2011.142
Shamlan G, Bech P, Robertson M, Collins A (2017) Acute effects of exercise intensity on subsequent substrate utilisation, appetite and energy balance in men and women, Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 42 (12) pp. 1247-1253 NRC Research Press
DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0280
Exercise is capable of influencing the regulation of energy balance by acutely modulating appetite and energy intake coupled to effects on substrate utilization. Yet, few studies have examined acute effects of exercise intensity on aspects of both energy intake and energy metabolism, independently of energy cost of exercise. Furthermore, little is known as to the gender differences of these effect. One hour after a standardised breakfast, 40 (19 female), healthy participants (BMI 23.6±3.6 kg.m-2, VO2peak 34.4±6.8 ml.min-1.min-1) undertook either High intensity intermittent cycling consisting of 8 repeated 60s bouts of cycling at 95% VO2peak (HIIC) or low intensity continuous cycling, equivalent to 50% VO2peak (LICC), matched for energy cost (~950kJ) followed by 90mins of rest, in a randomised crossover design. Throughout each study visit satiety was assessed subjectively using visual analogue scales alongside blood metabolites and GLP-1. Energy expenditure and substrate utilization were measured over 75 minutes post-exercise via indirect calorimetry. Energy intake was assessed for 48hours post-intervention. No differences in appetite, GLP-1 or energy intakes were observed between HIIC and LICC, with or without stratifying for gender. Significant differences in post exercise non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were observed between intensities in both genders, coupled to a significantly lower respiratory exchange ratio (RER) following HIIC (P=0.0028), with a trend towards greater reductions in RER in men(P=0.079). In conclusion, high intensity exercise, if energy matched, does not lead to greater appetite or energy intake but may exert additional beneficial metabolic effects that may be more pronounced in males.
Antoni Rona, Johnston Kelly L., Collins Adam, Robertson Margaret (2018) Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction: differential effects on postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism following matched weight-loss in overweight/obese subjects, British Journal of Nutrition 119 (5) pp. 507-516 Cambridge University Press
DOI: 10.1017/S0007114517003890
The intermittent energy restriction (IER) approach to weight-loss involves short periods of substantial (>70%) energy restriction interspersed with normal eating. Studies to date comparing IER to continuous energy restriction (CER) have predominantly measured fasting indices of cardiometabolic risk. This study aimed to compare the effects of IER and CER on postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism following matched weight-loss. 27 (13 male) overweight/obese participants (46±3y, 30.1±1.0kg/m2) were randomised to either an IER (2638 kJ for two days/week with an overall ER of 22±0.3%, n=15) or CER (2510kJ below requirements with overall ER of 23±0.8%) intervention. Six-hour postprandial responses to a test meal and changes in anthropometry (fat mass, fat-free mass, circumferences) were assessed at baseline and upon attainment of 5% weight-loss, following a 7 day period of weight stabilisation. The study found no significant difference in the time to attain a 5% weight loss between groups (median 59 [41-70] days and 73 [48-128] days respectively, p=0.246), or in body composition (pe0.430). For postprandial measures, neither diet significantly altered glycaemia (p=0.226), whereas insulinaemia was reduced comparatively (p=0.903). The reduction in c-peptide tended (p=0.057) to be greater following IER (309128±23268 to 247781±20709 pmol.360min.L-1) versus CER (297204±25112 to 301655±32714 pmol.360min.L-1). The relative reduction in triacylglycerol responses was greater (p=0.045) following IER (106±30 to 68±15 mmol.360min.L-1) compared to CER (117±43 to 130±31 mmol.360min.L-1). In conclusion, these preliminary findings highlight underlying differences between IER and CER, including a superiority of IER in reducing postprandial lipaemia, which now warrant targeted mechanistic evaluation within larger study cohorts.