You Are What You Eat

In this talk, I will explore how young people use the social media platform TikTok to communicate their lived and living experience of having an eating disorder. I will talk about the mixed results in research which shows that in some cases TikTok can be used to build supportive communities and raise awareness of symptoms, while other research reports on the potentially harmful effects of TikTok posts.

In the United Kingdom (UK), it is projected that by 2035 people over 65 years of age will make up 23% of the population, with those aged >85 years accounting for 5% of the total population. Ageing is associated with progressive changes in muscle metabolism and a decline in functional capacity, leading to a loss of resilience and independence. This talk will therefore focus on examining interactions between ageing, physical activity and muscle mass and metabolic health to inform on the ‘normal’ muscle ageing process and highlight strategies for improving health span and well-being as we age (healthy ageing).

Our adult health can be shaped and influenced by how we develop in the womb before birth. Prenatal exposures to a range of factors, such as maternal nutrition, alcohol consumption, drug use and stress can alter the in-utero development and influence offspring outcome. Surprisingly, although couples are most likely to share lifestyle habits and diet choices, the role of the father’s diet is often ignored. In this talk, I’ll talk about the impact of a father’s diet on his reproductive health, embryonic and fetal development and lifetime health of the offspring. I’d also talk about the mediators present in the semen and how they mediate the adverse effects of the father’s diet to future generations.