Dr Camilla Nykjaer

Profile

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Public Health Nutrition from Leeds Beckett University in 2009 before completing an MSc in Nutrition, Obesity & Health at the University of Leeds in 2011. I remained at the University of Leeds, and completed a PhD with the School of Food Science & Nutrition, examining the association between maternal dietary patterns in pregnancy and offspring growth. Following this I was employed as a Teaching Fellow in Research Design and Statistical Analyses with the School of Biomedical Sciences (2015-2017). I was appointed a Lecturer in Nutrition, Physical Activity and Public Health in 2017 and Deputy Programme Leader for the now well-established MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine (2017-2020), which I co-developed. I am currently Programme Leader of the MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine as well as the online PGCert in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 

Responsibilities

• Programme Leader MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine
• Academic Programme Leader PGCert Musculoskeletal Medicine (online)

Research interests

My research focuses on improving women's health through lifestyle behaviors, particularly physical activity, during and after pregnancy. I am passionate about making maternity care during these key life stages accessible and inclusive for all women. I lead the physical activity workstream of the My First 1000 Days project, which aims to enhance the health and long-term outcomes of families in Leeds. As an Honorary Research Fellow at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) and a member of the Leeds Maternal Healthy Weight steering group, I work closely with Leeds City Council, Leeds Integrated Care Board, and LTHT and I support several of their initiatives to boost physical activity during the perinatal period, including Bump and Baby Fit and Athena. I have extensive experience in mixed-methods research, community interventions, feasibility studies, and systematic and scoping literature reviews.

• Enhancing access to maternity care using Wellbeing Pods in community hubs and libraries
• My First 1000 Days: A feasibility study of centering-based group care to improve physical, psychological, developmental, and social outcomes of caregivers and infants

Qualifications

• Honorary Research Fellow; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (2024)
• Fellow of Higher Education Academy; University of Leeds/Higher Education Academy (2020)
• PhD Nutritional Epidemiology; University of Leeds (2017)
• MSc Nutrition, Obesity and Health; University of Leeds (2011)
• BSc Public Health Nutrition; Leeds Beckett University (2009)

Professional memberships

• British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine

Student education

I am currently programme leader for the MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine and the PGCert in Musculoskeletal Medicine, and sit on our Student Taught Student Education Committee (STSEC).  In addition I contribute to modules across all degree programmes within the School of Biomedical Sciences (BMS), teaching research skills and statistics across all levels including Level 5. I manage modules at level 3 and 5 and supervise BMS BSc and MSc Sport and Exercise Science Medicine students for their final year research projects.

Research groups and institutes

• Physical Activity and Public Health
• Sport and Exercise Sciences
• Cardiovascular