Introduction

My research focuses on maternal weight and reproductive health, particularly relating to inequalities and health service improvement. I commenced my current role at Newcastle University in January 2012.

I currently hold an NIHR Advanced (Career Development) Fellowship which uses risk prediction and health economics to explore whether alternative measures of adiposity in early pregnancy would be more preferable to BMI in identifying women who require additional clinical care and weight management support. 

I am co-lead for the Early Life and Adolescence Programme (ELAP) in Fuse, a Public Health Research Centre of Excellence for Translational Research.

Qualifications

PhD “Trends in Maternal Body Mass Index, Health Inequalities, and the Impact of Maternal Obesity on NHS Maternity Services”. 2009, Teesside University

MSc Health Sciences: Public Health. 2007, Teesside University

BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition. 1999, Teesside University  

Previous Positions  

Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO) Trustee, September 2014-present 

NIHR Postdoctoral Research Fellow January 2012-May 2017

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Research, Teesside University, October 2007–December 2011

Research Assistant/Lecturer in Research Methods, Teesside University, March 2005–October 2007

  

Postgraduate Supervision

I have supervised four PhD student to completion

• Dr Claire O'Malley, "Determinants and influences of diet and physical activity in pre-school children in the UK" Durham University (NIHR School for Public Health Research PhD studentship)
• Dr Uma Padmanabhan, "Excess gestational weight gain: exploring the role of weight-related behaviours" Teesside University (Teesside University PhD studentship) 
• Emma Slack, "A life course investigation of maternal ethnic group and pregnancy weight in the development of short and long-term health outcomes for women and their offspring", Newcastle University (MRC studentship)
• Lem Ngongalah, "Knowledge, beliefs and perceptions on maternal obesity, childhood obesity and infant feeding amongst African immigrant women in the UK", Newcastle University (Overseas Research Scholarship)

 

I am currently supervising six PhD students.

• Zainab Akhter, "An investigation of maternal obesity, bariatric surgery in women of reproductive age and associations with severe adverse perinatal outcomes in subsequent pregnancy", Newcastle University (Research Excellence Academy studentship)
• Augustina Pemu, "Asylum seekers and refugees in the North East of England: an advanced quantitative study of inequalities in maternity care and costs to NHS maternity services", Newcastle University (ESRC studentship)
• Zoe Bell, "Austerity and Nutrition: A Qualitative exploration of the social determinants of food poverty and its nutritional impact amongst women and children in the North East of England" (ESCR Collaboration studentship)
• Anna Boath, "Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Targeting Weight Management Interventions in Pregnancy using Risk Prediction Models" (Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences studentship)
  

I regularly supervise undergraduate and masters student research projects and internships.

Funding

Thangaratinam, S., Pilar Betrán Lazaga, P., Foster, C.,  Allotey, J., Dodds, J., Nirantharakumar, K., Heslehurst, N., Iliodromiti, S., Austin, F., Moss, N., Hitman, G., Teede, H., Poston, L., Riley, R., Simpson, S., Roberts, T. NIHR HTA Researcher led evidence synthesis (03/2021), £315,207, "Diet and physical activity in pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes: Individual Participant Data (IPD) meta-analysis on the differential effects of interventions with economic evaluation"

Aquino, R., Farnworth, A., Heslehurst, N. ARC North East and North Cumbria  PhD Studentship (01/2021), £76,000, "Using Intersectionality and Behaviour Change to Enhance Maternity Care for Black Women in the UK" 

Heslehurst, N., Brown, H., Bambra, C., Rankin, J. Public Health Wales (09/2019), £50,000, "Upstream factors and wider determinants of health associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes "

Atkinson, H., Smith, J., Heslehurst, N., Farnworth, A., Smith, J. NIHR Clinical Research Network PPIE Small Grants Project (08/2019), £1,000, “Increasing diversity and inclusivity of PPIE in maternal and child research across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) region”

Heslehurst, N., Vale, L. Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences PhD studentship funding (10/2019), £85,000, “Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Targeting Weight Management Interventions in Pregnancy using Risk Prediction Models”

Heslehurst, N. NIHR Career Development Fellowship (01/2019), £867,956, “Adiposity risk in pregnancy: identifying cost effective risk prediction measures that can be implemented at scale within NHS maternity services”

Bell, Z., Bambra, C., Heslehurst, N., Rankin, J. ESRC PhD Studentship (10/2018), £82,259, "Austerity and nutrition: A qualitative exploration of the social determinants of food insecurity and its nutritional impact amongst women and children in the North East of England"

Heslehurst, N. Research Design Service North East (2017), £390.25, “Patient and Public Involvement: PPI activities”

Lesley Wicks, L., Collins, C., Hutchesson, M., Rollo, M., Wynne, W., Heslehurst, N. University of Newcastle Australia Strategic Pilot Grant (08/2017), $3064 (AUD), “Health professional provision of nutrition and weight management advice to women who are pregnant; A survey to inform nutrition support as part of routine ante-natal care”

Jones, A., Heslehurst, N., Adamson, A., Ells, L., Woodcock, C., Fuse, Institute of Health & Society, Durham County Council (05/2017), "Developing and feasibility testing an intervention to prevent childhood obesity in the early years”

Heslehurst, N., Rankin, J., Devlieger, R., Ackroyd, R., Newcastle University Research Excellence Acadamy (09/2016),  £71,373, "An investigation of maternal obesity, bariatric surgery in women of reproductive age and associations with severe adverse perinatal outcomes in subsequent pregnancy”

Rankin J., Heslehurst, N., Brown, H. ESRC PhD Studentship (09/2016), £82,259.50, "Asylum seekers and refugees in the North East of England: an advanced quantitative study of inequalities in maternity care and costs to NHS maternity services”

Heslehurst, N., Rankin, J., Rushton, S. MRC 1 3 MSc/PhD Studentship (09/2013), £87,000, "A Life Course Investigation of Maternal Ethnic Group and Pregnancy Weight in the Development of Short and Long-term Health Outcomes for Women and their Offspring”

Heslehurst, N., McColl, E., Knight, M. NIHR Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (01/2012), £290,379, “The development and rehearsal pilot of a guideline implementation intervention for the management of maternal obesity by midwives”

Heslehurst, N. North East Strategic Health Authority (10/2010), £29,070, “A Scoping Study to Develop Midwifery Training for Obesity in Pregnancy”

Heslehurst, N., Holt, A., Simpson, H., Sedgewick, G. South Tees NHS Trust Small Grant Application (06/2009),£5,802, “An evaluation of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal clinical pathways for obese pregnant women within South Tees NHS Trust maternity services, and partnership public health organisations”

Heslehurst, N., Griffrin, K., Long, H. Teesside University Research Fund (06/2009), £4,348, “A qualitative study exploring experiences of the implementation of dietetic referrals for women with a raised body mass index in pregnancy”

Heslehurst, N., Ells, L., Wilkinson, JR. Public Health North East (09/2008), £50,000, “Maternal Obesity Maternity and Community Service Evaluation”

My teaching activities include teaching qualitative research to students on the Masters programme for Clinical Research, facilitating Stage 4 medical student public health case study sessions on obesity, and contributing to ongoing institute and working group research seminars. My teaching responsibilities include student supervision and assessments for for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as PhD external examinations.

• Coomar D, Hazlehurst JM, Austin F, Foster C, Hitman GA, Heslehurst N, Iliodromiti S, Betran AP, Moss N, Poston L, Nirantharakumar K, Roberts T, Simpson SA, Teede HJ, Riley R, Allotey J, Thangaratinam S. Diet and physical activity in pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes: A protocol for an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis on the differential effects of interventions with economic evaluation. BMJ Open 2021, 11(6), e048119.
• Ngongalah L, Rankin J, Heslehurst N, Rapley T. Pre-and post-migration influences on weight management behaviours: Perceptions of african migrant women in england. Nutrients 2021, 13(5), 1667.
• Akhter Z, Heslehurst N, Ceulemans D, Rankin J, Ackroyd R, Devlieger R. Pregnancy after bariatric surgery: A nested case-control study of risk factors for small for gestational age babies in aurora. Nutrients 2021, 13(5), 1699.
• Thomson K, Moffat M, Arisa O, Jesurasa A, Richmond C, Odeniyi A, Bambra C, Rankin J, Brown H, Bishop J, Wing S, McNaughton A, Heslehurst N. Socioeconomic inequalities and adverse pregnancy outcomes in the UK and Republic of Ireland: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2021, 11, e042753.
• Hayes L, McParlin C, Azevedo LB, Jones D, Newham J, Olajide J, McCleman L, Heslehurst N. The effectiveness of smoking cessation, alcohol reduction, diet and physical activity interventions in improving maternal and infant health outcomes: A systematic review of meta-analyses. Nutrients 2021, 13(3), 1036.
• Insan N, Slack E, Heslehurst N, Rankin J. Antenatal depression and anxiety and early pregnancy BMI among White British and South Asian women: Retrospective analysis of data from the Born in Bradford cohort. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2020, 20(1), 502.
• Slack E, Best KE, Rankin J, Heslehurst N. Maternal obesity classes, preterm and post-term birth: a retrospective analysis of 479,864 births in England. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2020, 19, 1-9.
• Heslehurst N, Hayes L, Jones D, Newham J, Olajide J, McLeman L, McParlin C, De Brun C, Azevedo L. The effectiveness of smoking cessation, alcohol reduction, diet and physical activity interventions in changing behaviours during pregnancy: A systematic review of systematic reviews. PLoS ONE 2020, 15(5), e0232774.
• Akhter Z, Rankin J, Ceulemans D, Ngongalah L, Ackroyd R, Devlieger R, Vieira R, Heslehurst N. Pregnancy after bariatric surgery and adverse perinatal outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine 2019, 16(8), e1002866.
• Shawe J, Ceulemans D, Akhter Z, Neff K, Hart K, Heslehurst N, Stotl I, Agrawal S, Steegers-Theunissen R, Taheri S, Greenslade BV, Rankin J, Huda MSB, Douek I, Ogden J, Galjaard S, Blumenfeld O, Robinson A, Whyte M, Murphy E, Wood C, Devlieger R. Pregnancy after bariatric surgery: Consensus recommendations for periconception, antenatal and postnatal care. Obesity Reviews 2019, 20(11), 1507-1522.
• Heslehurst N, Vieira R, Akhter Z, Bailey H, Slack E, Ngongalah L, Pemu A, Rankin J. The association between maternal body mass index and child obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine 2019, 16, e1002817.
• Stephenson J, Heslehurst N, Hall J, Schoenaker DAJM, Hutchinson J, Cade JE, Poston L, Barrett G, Crozier SR, Barker M, Kumaran K, Yajnik CS, Baird J, Mishra GD. Before the beginning: nutrition and lifestyle in the preconception period and its importance for future health. The Lancet 2018, 391(10132), 1830-1841.
• Ngongalah L, Rankin J, Rapley T, Odeniyi A, Akhter Z, Heslehurst N. Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours in African Migrant Women Living in High Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Framework Synthesis. Nutrients 2018, 10, 8.
• Watterson C, MacDonald-Wicks L, Collins C, Hutchesson M, Shrewsbury V, Vincze L, Heslehurst N, Follong B. Effectiveness of maternal dietary interventions for improving mother and infant health outcomes: an umbrella review protocol. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports 2018, 16(10), 1929-1938.
• Slack E, Rankin J, Jones D, Heslehurst N. Effects of maternal anthropometrics on pregnancy outcomes in South Asian women: a systematic review. Obesity Reviews 2018, 19(4), 485-500.
• Heslehurst N, Rankin J, McParlin C, Sniehotta FF, Howel D, Rice S, McColl E. GestationaL Obesity Weight management: Implementation of National Guidelines (GLOWING): A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of a guideline implementation intervention for the management of maternal obesity by midwives. Pilot and Feasibility Studies 2018, (4), 47.
• Bell R, Hayes L, Pasecinic N, Heslehurst N. Implementation of national screening guidelines for gestational diabetes: A national survey of maternity units in England. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 2018, 146, 58-66.
• Akhter Z, Rankin J, Vieira R, Ngongalah L, Devlieger R, Ackroyd R, Heslehurst N. Investigating the association between pregnancy following bariatric surgery and adverse perinatal outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. In: 20th Annual Conference of the British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society (BMFMS 2018). 2018, Brighton, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
• Heslehurst N, Brown H, Pemu A, Coleman H, Rankin J. Perinatal health outcomes and care among asylum seekers and refugees: a systematic review of systematic reviews. BMC Medicine 2018, 16, 89.
• Heslehurst N, Dinsdale S, Brandon H, Johnston C, Summerbell C, Rankin J. Lived experiences of routine antenatal dietetic services among women with obesity: A qualitative phenomenological study. Midwifery 2017, 49, 47-53.
• Barber C, Rankin J, Heslehurst N. Maternal body mass index and access to antenatal care: a retrospective analysis of 619,502 births in England. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2017, 17(1), 1-10.
• Heslehurst N, Vieira R, Hayes L, Crowe L, Jones D, Robalino S, SLack L, Rankin J. Maternal body mass index and post-term birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews 2017, 18(3), 293–308.
• Dinsdale S, Azevedo LB, Shucksmith J, Newham J, Ells LJ, Jones D, Heslehurst N. Effectiveness of weight management, smoking cessation and alcohol reduction interventions in changing behaviors during pregnancy: an umbrella review protocol. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports 2016, 14(10), 29-47.
• Padmanabhan U, Summerbell CD, Heslehurst N. A qualitative study exploring pregnant women's weight-related attitudes and beliefs in UK: the BLOOM study. BMC Pregnancy and Birth 2015, 15, 99.
• Heslehurst N, Dinsdale S, Sedgewick G, Simpson H, Sen S, Summerbell CD, Rankin J. An Evaluation of the Implementation of Maternal Obesity Pathways of Care: A Mixed Methods Study with Data Integration. PLoS ONE 2015, 10(5), e0127122.
• Heslehurst N, Russell S, Brandon H, Johnston C, Summerbell C, Rankin J. Women's perspectives are required to inform the development of maternal obesity services: a qualitative study of obese women's experiences. Health Expectations 2015, 18(5), 969-981.
• Heslehurst N, Newham J, Maniatopoulos G, Fleetwood C, Robalino S, Rankin J. Implementation of pregnancy weight management and obesity guidelines: a meta-analysis of healthcare professionals' barriers and facilitators using the Theoretical Domains Framework. Obesity Reviews 2014, 15(6), 462-486.
• Heslehurst NH, Crowe L, Robalino S, Sniehotta FF, McColl E, Rankin J. Interventions to change maternity healthcare professionals' behaviours to promote weight-related support for obese pregnant women: a systematic review. Implementation Science 2014, 9, 97.
• Heslehurst N, Russell S, McCormack S, Sedgewick G, Bell R, Rankin J. Midwives perspectives of their training and education requirements in maternal obesity: a qualitative study. Midwifery 2013, 229(7), 736-744.
• Heslehurst N. Systematic review and meta-analysis: Diet and physical activity interventions reduce pregnancy weight gain compared with control, with dietary interventions having the greatest effect (Thangaratinam S, Rogozinska E, Jolly K, et al. Effects of interventions in pregnancy on maternal weight and obstetric outcomes: meta-analysis of randomised evidence. BMJ 2012;344:e2088). Evidence-Based Nursing 2013, 16(2), 41-42.
• Heslehurst N, Sattar N, Rajasingam D, Wilkinson J, Summerbell C, Rankin J. Existing maternal obesity guidelines may increase inequalities between ethnic groups: a national epidemiological study of 502,474 births in England. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2012, 12(1), 156.
• Smith SA, Heslehurst N, Ells LJ, Wilkinson JR. Community-based service provision for the prevention and management of maternal obesity in the North East of England: A qualitative study. Public Health 2011, 125(8), 518-524.
• Heslehurst N, Moore H, Rankin J, Ells LJ, Wilkinson JR, Summberbell CD. How can maternity services be developed to effectively address maternal obesity? A qualitative study. Midwifery 2011, 27(5), 170-177.
• Heslehurst N. Identifying groups of 'at risk' women, associated health inequalities and the impact of maternal obesity on NHS maternity services. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2011, 70(4), 439-449.
• Heslehurst N, Bell R, Rankin J. Tackling maternal obesity: the challenge for public health. Perspectives in Public Health 2011, 131(4), 161-162.
• Heslehurst N. The 'Obesity Cycle': The impact of maternal obesity on the exogenous and endogenous causes of obesity in the offspring. In: Unnithan-Kumar, M., Tremayne, S, ed. Fatness and the Maternal Body: Women's Experiences of Corporeality and the Shaping of Social Policy. Oxford: Bergham Books, 2011, pp.111-129.
• Heslehurst N, Rankin J, Wilkinson J, Summerbell CD. A nationally representative study of maternal obesity in England, UK: trends in incidence and demographic inequalities in 619 323 births, 1989–2007. International Journal of Obesity 2010, 34(3), 420-428.
• Heslehurst N, Simpson H, Ells LJ, Rankin J, Wilkinson J, Lang R, Brown TJ, Summerbell CD. The impact of maternal BMI status on pregnancy outcomes with immediate short-term obstetric resource implications: a meta analysis. Obesity Reviews 2008, 9(6), 635-683.
• Heslehurst N, Lang R, Rankin J, Wilkinson JR, Summerbell CD. Obesity in pregnancy: a study of the impact of maternal obesity on NHS maternity services. BJOG: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology 2007, 114(3), 334-342.
• Heslehurst N, Ells LJ, Simpson H, Batterham A, Wilkinson J, Summerbell CD. Trends in maternal obesity incidence rates, demographic predictors, and health inequalities in 36 821 women over a 15-year period. BJOG 2007, 114(3), 334-342.