Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Leigh Gibson read Psychology and Physiology at the University of London, and then completed a PhD and post-doctoral fellowship at the School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, studying mechanisms by which nutrients in food influence food choice and appetite. In 1989, Leigh joined the Institute of Neurology in London, to work on the neurochemistry of appetite, anxiety and stress. In 1993, he joined the Health Behaviour Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry, and then moved with the HBU to the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, in 1996, where, as Senior Research Fellow, he studied food choice, appetite, and their interactions with stress and health. In 2004, Leigh joined the School of Human and Life Sciences, University of Roehampton.
Leigh is currently Associate Professor in Biopsychology, and President of the Food & Health Forum, Royal Society of Medicine.
Qualifications
BSc, PhD, C Psychol, R Nutr, AFBPsS, FHEA
Research interests
Leigh Gibson's current research is concerned with influences on appetite and food choice, and their interaction with stress, health, and cognitive and emotional well-being. The work is aimed at understanding processes controlling people's habitual diet, attempts at dietary change, weight control and disordered eating. His work derives mainly from psychological and physiological mechanisms underlying dietary habit formation, especially the role of learning, but also including influences of nutrition and stress on brain/behaviour and cardiovascular adaptations protecting health.
For a detailed profile of Leigh's research publications, please visit this site: http://tinyurl.com/el-gibson-pubs
Professional affiliations
British Psychological Society; British Neuroscience Association; Nutrition Society; Association for the Study of Obesity; Association for Nutrition; Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior
Consultancy work
Dr Leigh Gibson has acted as an expert consultant for the food and drink industry, including Unilever, the Natural Hydration Council and the International Life Sciences Institute.
A recent collaboration with Abbott Nutrition and Nyxeon led to Dr Gibson's participation in a training film on "The Power of Taste", which has been endorsed by the British Dietetic Association for continous professional development. More details and a link to the film are available here:
https://www.abbottnutrition.co.uk/support-and-tools/power-of-taste-elearning/
Teaching
Leigh contributes lectures to a broad range of modules across the Departments of Psychology and Life Sciences, including those for Nutrition, Health and Sports Science undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as in Psychology. He has convened several psychological modules including "Experiencing Psychological Research", "Mind, Body and Brain" and an MSc module, "Experimental Design, Data Collection and Analysis". Leigh is also a visiting lecturer at King's College London and Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.
Links
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 1 Finished
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ME, HENRY & TastEd
Abrahams, I. (PI), Gibson, L. (CoI) & Tovee, M. (CoI)
17/06/22 → 16/06/23
Project: Research
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Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are associated with brain connectivity and mood in young adults with subthreshold depression: a preliminary study
Faulkner, P., Gibson, E. L. & Dyall, S. C., 18 Jan 2025, In: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Longitudinal Associations between Food Parenting Practices and Dietary Intake in preschool Children: The ToyBox Study
Flores-Barrantes, P., De Miguel-Etayo, P., Iglesia, I., ChinAPaw, M. J., Cardon, G., De Craemer, M., Iotova, V., Usheva, N., Kułaga, Z., Kotowska, A., Koletzko, B., Birnbaum, J., Manios, Y., Androutsos, O., Moreno, L. A. & Gibson, E. L., 23 May 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Nutrition. 124, p. 112454 112454.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Resting metabolic rate and relative fat mass predict estimated maximum portion size in children, adolescents and adults.
Coxon, C., Gibson, E. L., Halsey, L. G. & Brunstrom, J., 1 Jul 2024, (Accepted/In press) 1 p. Appetite.Research output: Other contribution › peer-review
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Correction to: Process evaluation of a kindergarten-based intervention for obesity prevention in early childhood: the Toybox study Malaysia
Cheah, W. L., Poh, B. K., Ruzita, A. T., Lee, J. A. C., Koh, D., Reeves, S., Essau, C., Summerbell, C., Hafizah, Y. N., Anchang, G. N. J. & Gibson, E. L., 3 Aug 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: BMC PUBLIC HEALTH. 23, 1, p. 1480Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile29 Downloads (Pure) -
Effects of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on reducing anxiety and/or depression in adults; A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Kelaiditis, C., Gibson, E. L. & Dyall, S. C., 1 May 2023, In: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
Activities
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Diet and Dementia
Gibson, L. (Advisor)
13 May 2024Activity: Public engagement and outreach › Public speaking engagements
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Diet, Lifestyle and Mental Health Research Day
Coxon, C. (Organiser), Brandt, K. (Organiser), Brandt, K. (Invited speaker), Gibson, L. (Invited speaker), Lamport, D. (Invited speaker), Hepsomali, P. (Organiser), Faulkner, P. (Invited speaker) & Dyall, S. (Invited speaker)
6 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an academic event › Participation in academic conference
File -
Importance of diet for brain health and cognitive function through the lifespan
Gibson, L. (Organiser)
8 Nov 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an academic event › Participation in academic conference
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Dietary inequality during an economic crisis: Can a health Titanic be averted?
Gibson, L. (Organiser)
2 Jun 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an academic event › Participation in academic conference
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Eating disorders: Advances in science and treatment
Gibson, L. (Organiser)
21 Feb 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an academic event › Participation in academic conference
Press/Media
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Why might antidepressants dampen our emotions?
26/01/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media