Dr Magaly Aceves Martins

Biography

I am a public health nutrition scientist whose research generates evidence to inform policy and practice. My work addresses a key challenge in nutrition science: how to make diets healthy, environmentally sustainable, affordable, and culturally appropriate, while understanding the trade-offs that can arise between these goals. A central focus of my research is identifying pathways to healthier and more sustainable diets without exacerbating social inequalities. Funded by the Scottish Government, I investigate the relationships between the nutritional quality, environmental impact, and cost of foods in Scotland and the UK, as well as the behavioural, economic, and structural factors that shape dietary choices.

My research is underpinned by expertise in evidence synthesis, including systematic reviews and other methods that bring together findings from large bodies of research to support evidence-informed decision-making. More recently, I have explored how artificial intelligence can enhance the efficiency of evidence synthesis while maintaining scientific rigour and quality. I also lead research on childhood and adolescent obesity through the COMO Project, an international initiative that synthesises evidence on the causes, consequences, and economic burden of childhood obesity in Mexico to inform effective prevention strategies.

Since joining the University of Aberdeen in 2017 and The Rowett Institute in 2020, my research has contributed to reports and initiatives led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and the European Commission.

Alongside my research, I coordinate the postgraduate courses Assessment of Nutritional Status (RN5008 and RN5011) and have supervised one PhD student and more than 25 master's students. I am also committed to supporting women in science through international networking, mentoring, and leadership initiatives that foster inclusive and collaborative research communities.

Research Overview

• Healthiness, environmental impact, levels of food processing, and prices associated with human diets.
• Dietary patterns and food choices and their contribution to climate change (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions or land use).
• Dietary biodiversity.
• Personalised nutrition for healthy and sustainable diets (Food Swap Study).
• Cultural factors and sociodemographic characteristics' influence on dietary patterns and food choices.
• Evidence synthesis for public health nutrition.
• Childhood obesity.

Current Research

Current Scottish Government RESAS-funded projects:

• Exploring the relationships among healthiness, environmental impact, levels of food processing, and prices in UK diets. 
• The Food Swaps Study includes a personalised nutrition trial to explore potential barriers to healthy and sustainable diets among young people. 
• Estimating the readiness of Scottish adults to adopt a more sustainable diet. 
• Characterisation of red meat consumers and purchasers in Scotland and the UK.

Other projects: 

• The COMO (Childhood Obesity in MexicO) project intends to synthesise and use available data to comprehend the extent, nature, effects, and costs of childhood or adolescent obesity in Mexico.

Past Research

Cochrane Reviews: 

• Strategies to improve retention in randomised trials
• Aerosol-generating procedures and their mitigation in international dental guidance - a rapid review

Health Technology Assessment Programme projects commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research. Some of these include:

• A systematic review and integrated report on the quantitative, qualitative and economic evidence base for managing severe obesity (REBALANCE) project.
• Testosterone Effects and Safety in Men with Low Testosterone levels (TestES Consortium): An evidence synthesis (including an individual participant data meta-analysis) and economic evaluation.
• The ARCHITECT Urine NGAL assay, NephroCheck Test and NGAL Test to help assess the risk of acute kidney injury for people who are being considered for admission to critical care.
• A rapid review of child food insecurity in the UK: evidence on its extent, nature and effects and what can be done to address it. 

National and international research projects related to childhood obesity:

• European Youth Tackling Obesity (EYTO) Project
• EYTO-Kids Project
• EdAl (Educació en Alimentació) Programme
• Health Behaviours in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study

Knowledge Exchange

I am a strong advocate for #WomenInScience and #WomenInSTEM. More women are needed in the scientific community; once they are present, it is essential to retain them. Many stereotypes and gaps still need to be addressed, and I am eager to help achieve this. 

I was previously part of the Public Engagement Group at the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation (formerly the Health Services Research Unit). 

Teaching Responsibilities

I am the course coordinator for Assessment of Nutritional Status (RN5008 and RN5011) and module coordinator for Challenges in Global Nutrition (PU5547 and PU5566).

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

I have been an Associate Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy (aFHEA) since 2020, and have experience teaching higher education in Mexico, Spain, and the UK.