Staff Profile
Dr Mackenzie Fong
Research fellow
- Email: mackenzie.fong@ncl.ac.uk
- Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
Faculty of Medical Sciences
Newcastle University
M1.151 William Leech Building, Framlington Place
Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH
Education
2008-2011: Bachelor of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) (Honours 1), University of Sydney
2015-2019: Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney
Research interests
I am a research fellow at the NIHR's Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria in the Prevention, Early Intervention and Behaviour Change theme. I work with academic and practitioner colleagues to evaluate real-world interventions, services, and policies designed to improve the health and care of people in the region. While I work on projects that target many health behaviours, my special interest is in obesity prevention, particularly among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
Ongoing projects:
- Filipe, L., Keeble, M,. Fong., M. NIHR ARC National Priorities Health and Care Inequalities and Prevention with Behavioural Risk Factors - Researcher network funding call (£9794; 02/22). Factors perceived to influence the purchase of takeaway food amongst adults in the UK: a multimethod study.
- Heslehurst, A., Fong, M., Thomson, K., Nguyen, G., Cullen, E., Moffatt, M., Aquino, MJR. Public Health Wales (£35,109; 12/22). Effectiveness and implementation of non-specialist interventions for weight management up to 5 years following pregnancy: a systematic review
- Fong, M., Aquino, MJR., Talbot, C. NIHR ARC Methodology internship fund (£6472; 08/2022-12/2022). An exploration of weight management information, experiences and perceptions using data from online forums and social media.
- Fong, M., Adamson, A., Mathews, C., van Dijk, M., Blackshaw, J., Lloyd, S., Aveyard, P., Jebb, S., Barber, J. North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) (£79,548; 01/2022). A 'deep dive' exploration of Tier 2 Local Authority weight management services from stakeholder and service user perspectives
- Kaner, E. et al. NIHR ARC National Priority in Prevention with Behavioural Risk Factors (£369,628.87; 09/2021). Supporting the NHS Long Term Plan: An evaluation of the implementation and impact of NHS-funded tobacco dependence services
- Kudrna, L. et al. NIHR ARC National Priority in Prevention with Behavioural Risk Factors (09/2021; £299,987). A mixed-methods evaluation of cross-regional workplace health initiatives including a cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) of a behaviour change intervention
- Aveyard, P. et al. NIHR ARC National Priority in Prevention with Behavioural Risk Factors (09/2021; £398,557). Evaluation of the national rollout of the NHS Enhanced Service Incentive for weight management in primary care
- Fong, M., Prentis, J., Kaner, E., Rowland, M., Bhattarai, N., McCone, E., Nesbitt, C., Snowden, C., Nandhra, S., Court, P., Bell, O. NIHR ARC NENC Responsive Funding (01/2021; £32,099). Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of an exercise and behaviour change intervention in socioeconomically deprived patients with peripheral arterial disease (the TEXT-PAD study)
Previous projects:
- Fong, M., Scott, S., Visram, S. Public Health England (02/2021; £5,000). A mixed-methods study exploring enhanced takeaway services and eating out-of-home foods during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Aquino, MRJ. and Fong, M. UKRI QQR Strategic Priorities Fund via Newcastle University (01/2021; £14,256). Health visiting in NENC during COVID-19
- Fong, M. and Aquino, MRJ. UKRI QR Strategic Priorities Fund via Newcastle University (01/2021; £9,730). Obesity prevention in the NENC: connecting with the third sector
I supervise research projects for:
- Undergraduate students studying Food and Human Nutrition, Nutrition with Food Marketing, Sport and Exercise Science
- Postgraduate students studying Masters of Public Health
- PhD candidates conducting work in the areas of nutrition, public health and/or obesity
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Articles
- Li A, Del Olmo MG, Fong M, Sim K, Lymer S, Cunich M, Caterson ID. Effect of a smartphone application (Perx) on medication adherence and clinical outcomes: a 12-month randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2021, 11, e047041.
- McMaster C, Fong M, Franklin J, Hart S. Dietetic intervention for adult outpatients with an eating disorder: a systematic review and assessment of evidence quality. Nutrition Reviews 2021, 79(8), 914–930.
- Fong M, Li A, Hill AJ, Cunich M, Skilton MR, Madigan CD, Caterson ID. Mood and appetite: Their relationship with discretionary and total daily energy intake. Physiology and Behavior 2019, 207, 122-131.
- Fong M, Li A, Hill AJ, Cunich M, Skilton MR, Madigan CD, Caterson ID. Modelling the association between core and discretionary energy intake in adults with and without obesity. Nutrients 2019, 11(3), 683.
- Fuller NF, Sainsbury A, Caterson ID, Denyer G, Fong M, Gerofi J, Leung C, Lau NS, Williams KH, Januszewski AS, Jenkins AJ, Markovic TP. Effect of a high-egg diet on cardiometabolic risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes: the Diabetes and Egg (DIABEGG) Study - randomized weight-loss and follow-up phase. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2018, 107(6), 921-931.
- Fuller NR, Sainsbury A, Caterson ID, Enarsson M, Denyer G, Manns C, Swinbourne J, da Luz F, Fong M, Markovic TP. Examining mindfulness as a predictor of weight loss - findings from the DIABEGG study. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice 2017, 11(1), 88-96.
- Fuller NR, Fong M, Gerofi J, Ferkh F, Leung C, Leung L, Skilton M, Caterson ID. Comparison of an electronic versus traditional food diary for assessing dietary intake - a validation study. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice 2017, 11(6), 647-654.
- Fong M, Caterson ID, Madigan C. Are large dinners associated with excess weight, and does eating a smaller dinner achieve greater weight loss? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition 2017, 118(8), 616-628.
- Fuller NF, Fong M, Gerofi J, Leung L, Leung C, Denyer G, Caterson ID. A randomised controlled trial to determine the efficacy of a high carbohydrate and high protein ready-to-eat food product for weight loss. Clinical Obesity 2016, 6(2), 108-116.
- Fuller NR, Caterson ID, Sainsbury A, Denyer G, Fong M, Gerofi J, Baqleh K, Williams KH, Lau NS, Markovic TP. The effect of a high-egg diet on cardiovascular risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes: the Diabetes and Egg (DIABEGG) study - a 3-mo randomised controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2015, 101(4), 705-713.
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Book Chapter
- Fuller NR, Fong M, Lau NS. Commercial weight loss programs and their effectiveness in managing obesity. In: Gill T, ed. Managing and Preventing Obesity: Behavioural Factors and Dietary Interventions. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing, 2014.
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Reviews
- Fong M, Scott S, Albani V, Adamson A, Kaner E. 'Joining the Dots': Individual, sociocultural and environmental links between alcohol consumption, dietary intake and body weight—A narrative review. Nutrients 2021, 13(9), 2927.
- Madigan CD, Fong M, Howick J, Kettle V, Rouse P, Hamilton L, Roberts N, Gomersall S, Daly A. Effectiveness of interventions to maintain physical activity behavior (device-measured): Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Obesity Reviews 2021, 22(10), e13304.