Diet, obesity and genes (DiOGenes)
Summary
Diet, obesity and genes (DiOGenes) is an innovative multi-disciplinary, multi-centre research project to advance understanding of how obesity can be prevented and treated from a dietary perspective. It integrates does so by integrating studies of dietary, genetic, physiological and psychological/behavioural factors.
The project team is made up of world-class centres in diet and health studies, epidemiology, dietary genomics and food technology. It also includes 3 major representatives of the food industry and 5 Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The project will use the new knowledge generated to demonstrate prototypes of innovative products or advice regimes which will help susceptible individuals to avoid weight gain and re-gain, collaborating with implementers to facilitate commercialisation in the market place .
The University of Surrey leads the research on the psychosocial and behavioural factors associated with successful weight maintenance following weight loss in overweight/obese participants, including expectations, attitudes, beliefs, concerns and acceptability of diets. This includes research both in the European cohort trials and in separate UK studies.
Funder
Team
University of Surrey researchers
Professor Monique Raats
Professor; Director of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre
Biography
Professor Monique Raats is a senior academic and research leader with more than 35 years of experience in developing interdisciplinary research, securing external funding, and translating evidence into policy, practice and societal impact. Originally trained as a nutrition scientist, she has built an internationally recognised interdisciplinary research portfolio spanning behavioural and social sciences, public health, health services research, healthy ageing, sustainability, governance and implementation.
Professor Raats is an inclusive, evidence-led leader with extensive experience directing large multidisciplinary programmes and fostering collaborations across universities, government, healthcare, social care, industry and international organisations. She previously served as Founding Co-Director of the University of Surrey's Institute for Sustainability and as Associate Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, where she led research strategy, infrastructure development and cross-faculty/university collaboration.
She is Director of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health (FCBH) Research Centre, one of Europe's leading centres for interdisciplinary food-related research. Together with the Department of Nutritional Sciences, FCBH was awarded the prestigious 2017/2018 Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognition of its internationally outstanding research and impact.
Research
Professor Raats' research focuses on understanding how individuals, organisations and systems influence food-related behaviours, health outcomes and sustainable lifestyles. Her work integrates behavioural, social, policy and systems perspectives to address major societal challenges including healthy ageing, obesity, public health, food security and sustainability.
Key areas of research include:
- Behavioural and policy interventions that support healthier and more sustainable lifestyles
- Social, ethical and governance dimensions of food, health and sustainability challenges
- Food systems research that examines the interactions of stakeholders across complex food environments
- Innovation in food consumer science through new data sources, data linkage methods and interdisciplinary approaches
- Public health nutrition and the implementation of evidence into policy and practice
Her research has employed a wide range of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods approaches and has informed policy development, health promotion initiatives and stakeholder engagement across multiple sectors.
Career and Scholarly Contributions
Prior to joining the University of Surrey, Professor Raats held positions at the Institute of Food Research (now the Quadram Institute), Health Education Authority and University of Oxford.
She has published more than 160 peer-reviewed journal articles, numerous professional and policy publications, over 20 book chapters, and has co-edited two influential volumes:
- The Psychology of Food Choice (2006)
- Food for the Ageing Population (1st edition 2009; 2nd edition 2016)
Her work has contributed significantly to the development of behavioural nutrition, food choice research, healthy ageing and public health policy.
National and International Leadership
From 2011 to 2018, Professor Raats served on the UK Government's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and was a member of its Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition, contributing evidence and expertise to national nutrition policy and guidance.
She is also a founding member of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Between 2001 and 2006 she served on the Society's Board of Directors and was Secretary from 2004 to 2006. ISBNPA has become the leading international learned society for researchers working at the intersection of diet, physical activity, behaviour and health, and supports excellence in research through its annual congress and the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Professor Richard Shepherd
Emeritus Professor of Psychology
Biography
Richard Shepherd is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology, having retired in August 2011. He obtained degrees in Natural Sciences from Cambridge and in Psychology from Cardiff and Southampton. He was a Research Fellow at the University of Surrey and then worked at the Institute of Food Research from 1982 to 1998, initially in Norwich and then in Reading, before joining the University of Surrey as a Reader.
He has carried out research on a range of issues related to the factors influencing food choice. In particular this has involved the development and application of social cognition models to food choice issues and the exploration of the factors influencing dietary change. He has also conducted research on the perception of risk and risk communication particularly in relation to food issues. He has published widely in all of these areas of research, including editing two books.
He has directed research funded by BBSRC, ESRC, MAFF, FSA, Wellcome Trust and industry, in addition to several collaborative European projects funded by the EU. He is a Chartered Psychologist and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society. In the past Richard has been a member of the UK Food Standards Agency Social Science Research Committee, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Social Science Expert Advisory Group and the ESRC Grant Assessment Panel.
Dr Kath Hart
Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics
Biography
Research dietitian with a passion for improving the management of under-researched clinical populations and for the collection of accurate and robust dietary data to classify nutritional status, evaluate interventions and develop guidelines.
Experienced teacher across all levels from undergraduate to Continuing Professional Development for practising Health Professionals passionate about the communication of up to date science and scientific methods.
Fellow of the Institute for People centred AI and the Institute for Sustainability
Professor Christopher Fife-Schaw
Emeritus Professor of Psychology
Biography
Chris has research interests in the promotion of healthy behaviours, recovery from stroke, health claims for food products and methods of online deliberative engagement. He has secured research grants from ESRC, Sport England, EU, the Wellcome Trust and various UK government departments and is most recently PI on an RCT evaluating sports-oriented exercise programmes as an alternative to GP referral for gym-based exercise. He has extensive experience of supervising trainee clinical psychologists’ major research projects and an interest in statistical methods. In addition to numerous journal articles and conference proceedings he has published a textbook on research methods for psychologists. He is the former Director of the ESRC’s Southeast Doctoral Training Centre and was Chair of the Association of Heads of Psychology Departments until May 2022 when he retired.
Dr Bernadette Egan
Senior Research Fellow/Deputy Chair University of Surrey Ethics Committee
See profile
Professor Lada Timotijevic
Deputy Director of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre
Biography
A social psychologist by training, Lada leads pioneering research on the governance of food innovation systems, responsible research and innovation, and digital data systems for food and health infrastructures. Lada has led or contributed to 16 major funded projects, securing over £5 million in research income, and collaborates extensively across disciplines and sectors, shaping European and UK food and health research agendas.
Her expertise spans food and health practices, citizen engagement and citizen science, food policy, risk perception and communication, and food citizenship. Her work aligns with sustainability and public good, supporting SDGs on Zero Hunger, Good Health, and Responsible Consumption. Internationally recognised for her citizen engagement approaches, including citizens’ juries and serious games, she embeds ethical reflexivity and societal perspectives into research and innovation.
Lada actively supports early career researchers, fostering interdisciplinary, impactful work that bridges science and policy. She has published widely in high-impact journals and is Deputy Director of the international Food Nutrition Health Research Infrastructure, contributing to responsible data systems for food and health research. She welcomes collaborations advancing healthy, sustainable, and just food systems.
Researchers
- Dr Áine McConnon
- Prof Gary Frost
- Dr Michelle Gibbs
- Dr Stephen Whybrow
Research groups and centres
Our research is supported by research groups and centres of excellence.