- SF15, PAHC, Peninsula Allied Health Centre (PAHC) Derriford Road, Plymouth, PL6 8BH
- +44 1752 588822
- clare.pettinger@plymouth.ac.uk

Profiles
Dr Clare Pettinger
Lecturer in Public Health Dietetics
School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health)
- Nutrition
- Public health dietetics
- Public health nutrition
- Food insecurity
- Food justice
- Food systems and sustainability
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
Highlights
Clare Pettinger is a Registered Dietitian, Public Health Nutritionist and experienced educator, who is actively engaged in community-focussed research around food systems, poverty and social justice.
She is passionate about radical creative approaches to tackle local (and global) health, (in)equality and social well-being challenges.
Currently (from Feb 2021) Principal Investigator (Plymouth workpackage) for 5 year national consortium project led by University of Reading (Chief investigator Professor Carol Wagstaff) 'Co-producion of healthy, sustainable food systems for disadvantaged communities'. £6million funded by UK Research and Innovations (UKRI) Strategic Priorities fund. Leading local research team, liaising nationally and training community food researchers in Plymouth to support inclusive approaches to food system change (see PhD student)
Previously (2015-2018): Led the 'Food as a Lifestyle Motivator' (FLM) project (British Academy funded), exploring creative methods to engage 'marginalized' communities in food activities to enhance their health, well-being and life skills. See publications and link: FLM project See recent documentary film: Food on the margins in Plymouth (produced by Fotonow CIC, funded via Creative Associates award from Sustainable Earth Institute)
Completed research fellowship (2017) to evaluate the initial stages of the Thrive Plymouth (4-4-54) 10 year inequalities programme, which led to winning the CAHPR Public Health Research award. Previously led comprehensive process evaluation of the Cities of Service 'Grow, Share, Cook' project in Plymouth (2016).
Clare is an enthusiastic 'sustainability advocate' involved in promoting 'collaborative leadership for sustainability' (2022 collaborating with Smita Tripathi Plymouth Business School) and environmentally sustainable diets for nutrition professionals and Allied Health Professionals. She regularly engages with the faculty Sustainability Health & Wellbeing Interest Group (SHWIG), working with staff and alumni to develop more sustainable practices in education and healthcare. She also worked with British Dietetic Association to co-produce One Blue Dot campaign & AHP sustainability advisory group, for which she was nominated for a 'Greener AHP' award (CAHPO) in 2022. She previously won highly commended for a 2017 SSTAR award for sustainability in the curriculum. She delivered the prestigious British Dietetic Association's Elsie Widdowson memorial lecture on 6th September 2022 with the title 'How Dietitians Can Protect the Planet'. Presented evidence (on behalf of BDA) in parliament at APPG Food&Health Forum (6.12.22) on 'Healthy Sustainable Diets'. Shortlisted (2023) for Caroline Walker Trust 'Lecturer of the Year' award for 'sustainable food'.
Qualifications
- 1999 BSc Hons Nutrition & Dietetics, Glasgow Caledonian University (2i)
- 2004 PhD Public Health Nutrition, University of Nottingham "A comparison of the influences on food choice in Southern France and Central England"
- 2007 Post Graduate certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
Professional membership
- Health & Care Professions Council - Registered Dietitian
- Association for Nutrition - Registered Nutritionist (Public Health)
- Member of British Dietetic Association (BDA)
- Public Health Nutrition Network (BDA specialist group)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (from 2008)
Roles on external bodies
- Advisor to the the BDA Sustainable Diets specialist group (from 2022)
- Chief Alllied Health Professional (AHP) Officers Sustainability Advisory Group (from June 2020-July 2021)
- Greener AHP Advisory Group (from October 2021)
- British Dietetic Association (BDA) steering group for Environmentally Sustainable Diets (2017-2019) One Blue Dot
- Food Plymouth partnership - Action lead for Health and Wellbeing (food equality/poverty focus)
- Strategic Lead Plymouth Food Equality Project (2017-2021)
- Sunflower Recovery Project steering group (2016-2019)
- Editorial Board for Urban Food Futures (online magazine) (from 2017-2021)
- Advisory panel for Food Research Collaboration (from March 2018-2020)
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
- 'Food choice' /availability/access
- Public Health Nutrition
- Environmentally Sustainable Diets
- Food Systems
- Inequalities, food (in)security, poverty and social justice
- Nutritioinal Epidemiology
- Research skills
I also deliver Public Health Nutrition for other faculties.
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with a keen interest in enhancing student learning experiences using creative pedagogic methods.
Nominated for SSTAR award (Feb 2017) for 'sustainability within the curriculum'
Staff serving as external examiners
Previously external examiner for Sheffield Hallam University (2013-17) Masters in Public Health Management
Research
Research
Research interests
My research falls into two broad fields:
- Public Health Nutrition
- Pedagogy
Public Health Nutrition
(current - from 1st Feburary 2021) “Co-production of healthy, sustainable food systems for disadvantaged communities” UKRI funded (£6milliion) - 5 year national consortium led by University of Reading (Plymouth workpackage £604K) led by The University of Reading (Professor Carol Wagstaff)
Previous (2015-18) The 'Food as a Lifestyle Motivator' (FLM) project: Using Creative methods to explore food as a lifestyle motivator to enhance health, well-being and life-skills in marginalized communities. Funded by ISSR, ESRC and British Academy
Interests: Critical nutrition/dietetics - creative methods - food systems - co-production - community engagement - evaluation of community food projects
Pedagogy
Current - (2022) Collaborative leadership for sustainability in Allied Health Professionals (collaboration with Smita Tripathi, Plymouth Business School - Small collaborative Arts/Health seed fund Dec 2021)
Previous - Exploring the importance of 'sustainability principles' for dietetic practice and how to streamline these into the dietetic curriculum (PEDRIO award)
Supporting students with Specific Learning Difficulties on placement
Keen interest in participatory creative and visual methodologies, and use of knowledge exchange and 'Public Engagement', making research more accessible to diverse audiences
Research groups
Other research
Plymouth Integrative Health and Social Care Education Centre (PIHC)
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
Supervising PhD Students:
Mx Hannah Gardiner - (working title) A 'Community Food Researcher' model: exploring the impact of community based research for food systems transformation . Start date Jan 2022 (linked to FoodSEqual)
Grants & contracts
Public Health Nutrition
- Community grants (Food Power) 2018-2020 to run Food Equality Project
- Food Plymouth (Sustainable Food Places) grant holder (2020)
- British Academy summer showcase - 2019
- Recently completed (2017) British Academy/Leverhulme small grant (£10K) to evolve the creative methods used in the 'Food as a Lifestyle Motivator' (FLM) to turn these into solutions for engaging individuals through food activities.
- 2015 (April) £3K Plymouth City Council - independent evaluation 'Grow Share Cook'
- 2010 £1500 Dept Health local - evaluation consultancy 'Food Cultures'
University of Plymouth internal funding bids:
- 2015 - 2020 - annual award funding success to host ESRC Festival of Social Science food event
- 2014 (March) £5K - ISSR small collaborative award - food as a 'lifestyle motivator'
- 2015 (Jan) £1K - IHC pump priming grant
Pedagogy
- 2021 (Dec) £2K Collaborative Leadership for Sustainability in Allied Health Professionals
- 2016 (June) £4500 PedRIO Teaching Innovation fund 'exploring importance of sustainability principles for dietitians.
- 2014 (Jan) £19K Inclusivity Development project 'creating an interactive toolkit for supporting health profession students with Specific learning difficulties on placement
Creative practice & artistic projects
Food on the Margins in Plymouth - documentary film co-created with Fotonow CIC - funded via Sustainable Earth Institute Creative Associates Award
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
JournalsPersonal
Personal
Other academic activities
Programme Lead for MSc Human Nutrition
Previously - Marketing and Admissions tutor for BSc (Hons) Dietetics programme - Values Based Recruitment
Actively engaged in communication activities that promote (nutritional and sustainable) health and wellbeing of students and staff in the University and other local sectors and communities
Have acted as peer reviewer for various journals: e.g. Appetite; Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics; Public Health Nutrition
Invited reviewer for Department of Health Policy Research Programme
Frequent media engagement
Additional information
Personal interests:
Mother of twin boys (Clyde and Jago), born July 2011
Music and performance: The Singing Dietitian (YouTube); lead vocalist in 9 piece soul/funk band The Cuckoo Collective; 4 female a capella group The Q-dettes ; Trustee for Plymouth Music Zone; art and craft; cooking; fund-raising; running, wild swimming...