Stephanie Atkinson

Biography

A declaration by the United Nations (UN) in 2010 stated that “maternal and child health is inextricably linked with non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes later in life and that maternal obesity and gestational diabetes are associated with similar risks in both the mother and her offspring". To address the issue of prevention of NCDs from early life, Dr. Atkinson’s research centres on developmental programming as influenced by environmental exposures (such as nutrition, physical activity, stress) during fetal, neonatal and early childhood life, which may program metabolic regulation thereby altering normal growth, body composition and risk of major NCDs in childhood and adult life. A declaration by the United Nations (UN) in 2010 stated that “maternal and child health is inextricably linked with non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes later in life and that maternal obesity and gestational diabetes are associated with similar risks in both the mother and her offspring". To address the issue of prevention of NCDs from early life, Dr. Atkinson’s research centres on developmental programming as influenced by environmental exposures (such as nutrition, physical activity, stress) during fetal, neonatal and early childhood life, which may program metabolic regulation thereby altering normal growth, body composition and risk of major NCDs in childhood and adult life.

Research Interest

Metabolism & Nutrition