Prof Claire Farrow

Prof Claire Farrow is a Reader in Psychology and Director of the Applied Health Research Group. Claire is interested in the factors that influence eating behaviour and weight gain or weight loss, in adults and children. She has overseen and conducted several longitudinal studies concerned with the development of eating behaviours in early life. She is involved in research about parental influences on child food preferences and weight; how siblings influence each other’s eating; parental perceptions of child weight and weight monitoring feedback; and the experiences of discrimination for individuals who are overweight. Claire is a Chartered Psychologist, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society.

For details of resources that I have co-developed to support healthy eating in children please see:

Vegetable Maths Masters http://vegetablemathsmasters.co.uk/

Child Feeding Guide: https://www.childfeedingguide.co.uk/about/meet-the-team/

• 2017- present: Reader in Child Eating Behaviour, Dept of Psychology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University (2013 – 2017: Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Aston University)
• 2010- 2013: Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Loughborough University (Lecturer 2007-2010)
• 2005 - 2009: Honorary Fellow, School of Psychology, The University of Birmingham
• 2005 - 2007: Lecturer, School of Psychology, Keele University
• 2004 - 2005: Research Fellow, The University of Birmingham
• 2001-2004: Ph.D. Applied Developmental Psychology. The University of Birmingham.
• 1998-2001: B.Sc. Psychology. First Class (Hons.). The University of Birmingham.

• Povey, R., Blissett, J., & Farrow, C. (Sept 2017). Psychological perspectives on healthy eating in children. British Psychological Society Research Seminars Fund
• Farrow, C., Lumsden, J., Haycraft, E., Coulthard, C., & Thomas, J. (2016-2019). Fruit and Vegetable Maths Masters: disseminating psychological evidence in a fun mobile application to improve children’s eating through the home, preschool or school. British Psychological Society. 
• Haycraft, E., Witcomb, G. & Farrow, C. (2017).  Enhanced optimisation of the Child Feeding Guide website and app. Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF; via Loughborough University Enterprise Project Group).
• Farrow, C., Heath, G., Pattison, H., Barrett, L., Chiswell, C., & Evans, T. (2016). Treating comorbid obesity in children with asthma, Birmingham Children’s Hospital. 
• Coulthard, H., Farrow, C., & Haycraft, E. (2016).  5-a-day fillers:  Development and preliminary validation of a mobile app to increase children’s exposure to, and liking of, vegetables.  Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF; via De Montfort University).
• Haycraft, E., Witcomb, G., & Farrow, C. (2015-2016).  Child Feeding Guide website sponsorship.  Riverside Cares, UK.  
• Tarrant, M., Kos, K., Daly, M., & Farrow, C (2012-2015). Using social identity to promote well-being and reduce maladaptive eating amongst morbidly obese people, The Leverhulme Trust: Research Project Grant. 
• Farrow, C., Haycraft, E., & Mitchell, G., (2011-2015). Guide to Child Feeding Difficulties mobile app, Loughborough Enterprise Group.
• Haycraft, E., Witcomb G., & Farrow, C. (2014). A half day training event to deliver tipsandtools about childfeeding to healthcare professionals. Loughborough Enterprise Group.
• Meyer, C., Farrow, C., Dovey, T., Wallis, D., & Haycraft, E (2010-2013). Feeding Disorders Diagnosis and Outreach. The Garfield Weston Foundation. 
• Haycraft, E., Mitchell, G., & Farrow, C. (2013). Tipsandtoolsfor childfeeding: A halfday trainingevent for childcare providers, Loughborough Enterprise Group.
• Inglis, M., Gilmore, C., Haycraft, E., & Farrow, C. (2012-2013). Development of a Toddler Research Lab, Research Capital Investment Fund. 
• Griffiths, P., Kulkarni, B., Cameron, N., & Farrow, C.  (2011-2012). Developmental origins of inequalities for risk factors for disease/poor wellbeing through infancy – Indian-UK Scientific Seminar, The Royal Society.
• Farrow, C. (2006). Royal Society Travel Award.
• Farrow, C., Crisp, R., Walsh, J., & Blissett, J. (2005-2006). Interpersonal attachment and social identification. ESRC. 

• 2016: Nominated for the Rosalind Franklin Appathon Competition (UCL advances) to recognise leading women in STEMM who have pioneered new apps for research, societal good and enterprise.       2015: Highly Commended for the Best App for the Child Feeding Guide, Loughborough University.  2014: Winner of Social Enterprise Award for the Child Feeding Guide, Loughborough University.       2014: Highly Commended for the Intellectual Property Award for the Child Feeding Guide, Loughborough University
• 2014, 2015 & 2016: nominated/ won Astonishing Academic Awards (most supportive academic,  best personal tutor, and  most motivational academic, Life and Health Sciences, Aston University)            

1. Farrow, C. (2018). Using apps to expose children to vegetables: the impact of Vegetable Maths Masters on intake and liking, International Conference on Children’s Eating Behaviour, Birmingham, UK. March 2019 (invited plenary).

2. Farrow, C., (2018). Vegetable Maths Masters: exposing children to vegetables through a maths app. Psychological perspectives on healthy eating in children, Staffordshire University, April 2018
3. Farrow, C. (2016). The mealtime environment, relationships with eating behavior and food fussiness in young children. International Feeding Disorders Conference. Institute of Child Health, London (invited plenary).
4. Farrow, C. (2014). The development of emotional eating in children, School of Health and Life Sciences Seminar Series, Aston University: UK (invited speaker).
5. Farrow, C. (2012). Parental feeding practices and children’s emotional eating, The Association for Obesity, The University of Warwick Medical School: UK (invited plenary).
6. 4.Farrow, C. (2012). Maternal and child anxiety; influences on child eating, National Feeding Disorders Conference, Institute of Child Health: UK (invited plenary).
7. Farrow, C (2011). The impact of responsive parental feeding practices upon subsequent child eating and growth: findings from the UK, Royal Society funded Indo-UK symposia, Hyderabad: India (invited plenary).
8. Farrow, C. (2008). Specificity in maternal behaviours in feeding and non-feeding contexts, Childhood Feeding Conference, The University of Birmingham: UK (invited speaker).
9. Farrow, C. (2008). Maternal and environmental factors and children’s feeding problems, Eating and Drinking Difficulties in Children Conference, The University of Glasgow: UK (invited keynote).
10. Farrow, C. (2007). Eating disorders and personality. Exploring Psychology Conference, Nottingham University: UK (invited speaker).
11. Farrow, C. (2007). The way forward: delivering the message on toddlers’ diets, Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum: Toddler Nutrition, Surrey: UK (invited keynote).
12. Farrow, C. (2006). Maternal control and feeding, Developmental Psychology Group, The University of Birmingham: UK (invited speaker).
13. Farrow, C. (2004). Maternal anxiety, obsessive compulsiveness and child feeding, Human Nutrition: Helping Children Who Can’t or Won’t Eat, The University of Glasgow: UK (invited keynote).
14. Farrow, C. (2004). Maternal cognitions and child feeding difficulties, British Association for Community Child Health, Wolverhampton: UK (invited speaker).

• Member of the UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowships (UKRI FLF) programme Peer Review College

• 2014 – present: Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (member of the British Psychological Society since 2001, chartered psychologist since 2010)
• 2008 – present: Invited Committee member of the National Steering Group for Children’s Feeding Problems
• 2008 – present: Member of the British Feeding and Drinking Group  
• 2007- present: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Reference number: 32159)
• 2007 – 2010: Invited Committee Member of the Association for Infant Mental Health. U.K. 
• 2008 - 2009: Invited Member of the Association for Psychological Science
• 2006 - 2008: Member of the Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology

 Funded PhD Students

• Rebecca Stone. Emotion regulation and the development of early emotional eating: The interaction of mood state, child temperament and parental feeding practices. April 2019 onwards.

• Christopher Delivett. Memory distortions and biases as consequences of, and contributors to, (un)healthy eating. July 2018 onwards.

• Nabila Jones. The impact of visual loss on nutritional status. January 2018 onwards.

• Lily Hawkins: Social norms, social media and eating behaviour. October 2017 onwards.
• Rebecca Clark: Treating comorbid obesity in children with asthma. Jan 2017 onwards

• Nichola Salmon: Understanding the Effects of Vegetable Consumption on Psychological Wellbeing and Cognitive Performance. Jan 2017 onwards. 

• Dr Clare Holley: “Why don’t you try it again?” factors associated with repeated exposure to fruits and vegetables during early childhood. Completed June 2016. 

• Dr Laura Houldcroft: Peer and friendship influences on eating behaviour in school children: a longitudinal study.  Completed July 2015.
• Dr Faye Powell: Family- environmental influences on child eating behaviour: a longitudinal and observational evaluation from 2-4 years. Completed December 2012.
• Dr Michelle Haslam: Interpersonal functioning and eating-related psychopathology.  Completed January 2012.
• Dr Chuma Owuamalam: Responses to Meta-stereotype activation among members of devalued groups. Completed July 2009.