M Barker MRC MR/N011848/1

Staff

Lead researchers

Professor Mary Barker PhD, C Psychol

Prof of Psychology & Behavioural Science

Research interests

Mary Barker is Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Science. She has a joint appointment in both the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton UK. Mary runs a programme of work in both the UK and in low-income countries aiming to engage young people in improving their sense of agency, well-being and mental health, to benefit their health in general but their diets and physical activity habits more specifically. Her team’s approach is participatory and combines social activism focused on engaging young people in the climate change and health agenda and testing methods of one-to-one support and digital resources including smartphone games. Much of this work takes place as part of her NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research EACH-B (Engaging Adolescents in Changing Behaviour). She partners in this activity with the TALENT network of colleagues with interests in adolescent health and well-being based in institutions in low-and-middle-income countries. Her team also ran a five-country, longitudinal qualitative study with young people throughout the pandemic exploring their experience, mental health, well-being and resilience, data from which supported UK local and national government COVID messaging to young people. She is adjunct professor at the University of Agder, Norway, and has honorary appointments at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and University College London.

Connect with Mary

Email: meb@mrc.soton.ac.uk

Other researchers

Dr Leanne Morrison

Associate Professor

Research interests

Health Psychology
Person-based intervention development
Digital technology

Connect with Leanne

Email: L.Morrison@soton.ac.uk

Research outputs

Unheard, unseen and unprotected: DOHaD Council’s call for action to protect the younger generation from the long-term effects of COVID-19

Tessa J. Roseboom, Susan E. Ozanne, Keith Godfrey, Carmen R. Isasi, Hiroaki Itoh, Rebecca Simmons , Amita Bansal, Mary Barker, Torsten Plosch, Deborah M. Sloboda, Stephen G. Matthews, Caroline Fall, Lucilla Poston & Mark Hanson, 2020, Journal of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 12(1), 3-5

DOI: 10.1017/S2040174420000847

Type: article

Community perspectives on maternal and child health during nutrition and economic transition in sub-Saharan Africa

Daniella Watson, Sarah Kehoe, Agnes Erzse, Adelaide Compaore, Cornelius Debpuur, Engelbert A. Nonterah, Hermann Sorgho, Shane Norris, Karen J. Hofman, Wendy Lawrence, Marie-Louise Newell, Keith Godfrey, Kathryn Ward & Mary Barker, 2020, Public Health Nutrition, 24(12), 3710 - 3718

DOI: 10.1017/S1368980020003018

Type: article

Exploring influences on adolescent diet and physical activity in rural Gambia, West Africa; food insecurity, culture and the natural environment

Ramatoulie E. Janha, Polly Hardy-Johnson, Sarah Kehoe, Michael B. Mendy, Isatou Camara, Landing M. Jarjou, Kathryn Ward, Sophie E. Moore, Caroline Fall, Mary Barker & Susan Weller, 2020, Public Health Nutrition, 1-11

DOI: 10.1017/s1368980020002669

Type: article

Double-duty solutions for optimising maternal and child nutrition in urban South Africa: a qualitative study

Agnes Erzse, Susan Goldstein, Shane A. Norris, Daniella Watson, Sarah Kehoe, Mary Barker, Emmanuel Cohen & Karen J. Hofman, 2020, Public Health Nutrition

DOI: 10.1017/S1368980020002426

Type: article

Social, economic and cultural influences on adolescent nutrition and physical activity in Jimma, Ethiopia: perspectives from adolescents and their caregivers

Mubarek Abera , Polly Hardy-Johnson, Alemseged Abdissa, Abdulhalik Workicho, Rahma Ali, Susan Weller, Caroline Fall, Sarah Kehoe, Mary Barker & Abraham Haileamlak, 2020, Public Health Nutrition, 1-9

DOI: 10.1017/S1368980020001664

Type: article