Dr Magaly Aceves Martins

Biography

I am a researcher and advocate for nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and health policies to build a better and sustainable future. I serve as a public health nutrition expert affiliated with the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen. In this role, as part of projects funded by the Scottish Government's RESAS, I investigate the relationships among healthiness, environmental impact, food processing levels, and prices within UK diets. Before this position, I contributed to the Knowledge Synthesis group at the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation (formerly the Health Services Research Unit), participating in various complex evidence syntheses and health technology assessment projects. I have experience evaluating nutritional outcomes through quantitative and qualitative research, clinical nutrition fieldwork, and designing, implementing, and evaluating nutritional interventions. Furthermore, I have substantial expertise in synthesising quantitative and qualitative evidence and meta-analyses.

My research focuses on a comprehensive analysis of human diets, including their nutritional aspects and how various factors (e.g., price) influence food choices (e.g., unprocessed vs ultra-processed foods). I am particularly interested in understanding how cultural factors and other sociodemographic characteristics shape dietary habits. Additionally, my work explores the impact of diets and food choices on public health issues (e.g., childhood obesity) and their role in climate change (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and dietary biodiversity). By analysing the complex relationships between dietary patterns and health outcomes, I aim to identify strategies for transforming human diets that enhance individual well-being and support planetary health.

I am also an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (aFHEA), course coordinator for Assessment of Nutritional Health (RN5002), and module coordinator for Challenges in Global Nutrition (PU5547, PU5566).

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).
• Diet 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's 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. 
• Red meat consumers and purchasers' characterisation 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

Participation in national and international research projects related to childhood obesity, including:

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

Participation in 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. 

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 within the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation (formerly the Health Services Research Unit). 

Teaching Responsibilities

I am the course coordinator for Assessment of Nutritional Health (RN5002), and module coordinator for Challenges in Global Nutrition (PU5547, 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.