Sarah Hillier

Dr Sarah Hillier RNutr, PhD, FHEA, BSc

Course Leader

Faculty of Sport, Health and Social Sciences

Biography

Sarah is the course leader for the BSc Applied Human Nutrition programme. She is a Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) with the Association of Nutrition and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Sarah completed her PhD in 2013 at Oxford Brookes University in reproductive physiology, nutrition and exercise. She obtained a distinction in her Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (2016) and has a BSc (Hons) in Human Biology from Oxford Brookes University (2008). She is also an ISAK Level 3 (Instructor) accredited anthropometrist.

Her specialist research interests are in Women's Health, Weight Management, Appetite & Body Composition. She has extensive experience in conducting nutrition research in both academic and industry led professional environments and has published a number of peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Further information

  1. Industry experience

    Sarah has previously worked as a research associate at the UK's largest commercial weight management organisation, Slimming World.

  2. Teaching experience

    Sarah joined Solent as the course lead of the BSc Applied Human Nutrition programme in February 2020.

    She was previously the course lead of the MSc Applied Human Nutrition programme at Oxford Brookes University. During her time at Brookes, Sarah was promoted to senior lecturer, having joined the team as a lecturer in Nutrition in 2017.

    Sarah started her professional teaching career as a lecturer at St Mary’s University, Twickenham London in 2015. Here she obtained a Distinction in her PGCert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and gained Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

  3. Research interests

    Sarah has extensive experience in conducting nutrition research in both academic and industry led professional environments. Her specialist research interests are in women's health, weight management, appetite, and body composition.

  4. Recent publications

    Follow the link below for a list of Sarah's recent publications.
    • Hillier, S. E., Cook, R., Staulen, K, Van Ondheusden, T., and Pangua Irigary, C. (2020) The effects of the menstrual cycle on body composition using ultrasound. Women in Sport and Physical Activity 28 (1).
    • Chu, B.T.Y., Irigaray, C.P., Hillier, S.E. and Clegg, M.E. (2019) 'The sugar content of children’s and lunchbox beverages sold in the UK before and after the Soft Drink Industry Levy'. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 74, 598–603.
    • Hillier, S. E., Greene, R., Thakkar, H., Dangerfield, S., and Clegg, M. E. (2018) The effects of ready meal consumption on satiety, appetite and energy intake. Appetite 130, 307-308.
    • Hillier, S.E. and Olander, E. K. (2017) Women’s dietary changes before and during pregnancy: a systematic review. Midwifery: Obesity Special Edition 49, 19-31.
    • Avery, A. Nagar, R., Hillier, S., Pallister, C., Lavin, J. and Mellor, D. (2017) Studying the impact on weight and glycaemic control in adults with diabetes attending a group-based commercial weight management programme. Practice Nursing 28 (2) 60-66.
    • Hillier, S., Avery, A., Pallister, C., Barber, J. and Lavin, J. (2016) Factors influencing engagement in postnatal weight management and weight and wellbeing outcomes. British Journal of Midwifery 24 (11):806-812.
    • Croot, L., Rimmer, M., Dowse, E., Harries, J., Hatton, C., Hillier, S., Lavin, J. O’Cathain, A. and Salway, S. (2016) Modifying mainstream weight management interventions for use with people with intellectual disabilities: a user centred approach. Obesity Facts, 9 (suppl 1): 40.

  5. Awards

    Sarah was nominated for the Most Inspirational Lecturer Student Union Award in 2018.

    Sarah also won three awards as a postgraduate researcher:

    1. Pfizer Prize: Received for best oral communication, The Physiological Society, 2011.
    2. Nigel Groome Award: Received for best poster presentation, Postgraduate Symposium, Oxford Brookes University, 2012.
    3. Student Prize: Received for the best student oral communication, Oxford Nutrition Group, 2012.