Local Nutritional Therapist and Author undertakes MSc in Public Health

Leading nutritional therapist Helen Adams is embarking on a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Public Health at the University of the West of England (UWE).

Helen, founder of Oakmead Clinicin Chippenham and the author of ‘I Don’t Know What To Eat’, is renowned for her work in helping people eat and live more healthy lives through nutrition. She supports clients with issues around obesity, diabetes, thyroid, chronic fatigue and many more conditions. 

“The knowledge gained from studying for my MSc will mean I can improve the help and support I already give my clients. I will be able to help them make even better changes in their lives so that they get better more quickly and importantly, stay better,” she said.

Public Health covers the health of the population as a whole, including how it is monitored, regulated and promoted by the Government.  Understanding how the cogs within Public Health go around will give Helen a much greater insight into the causes of health issues not just amongst her clients, but across the whole of society. 

Helen believes her MSc will give her insight into the processes that shape Public Health and the way that Public Health England (the executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care) decide on the content of general healthy eating statements and guidelines – some of which she does not agree with. 

“For example, it will be interesting to know why Public Health England recommended parents should limit children to two 100 calorie snacks a day, instead of highlighting rather than snacking at all, children should be eating regular healthy meals,” she said.

“The recommendation and media noise around the need to eat low-fat foods is also a real concern for me because, low-fat foods are not the right choice for everyone.”

As part of her MSc, Helen will be able to address her concerns around low-fat foods by conducting a research project which will ‘bust the myth’ that low-fat is good. She plans to publish this research and then turn the content into a second book.  

“My MSc will give me deeper knowledge and understanding with which to challenge how Public Health operates in its broadest sense. Not only around general health statements to the public, but also around the role taken in disease prevention, prolonging life and promoting health, and the action taken to prevent health inequalities.”