About

I was appointed as a full-time Lecturer in Nutrition at Sheffield Hallam University in June 2018 and became Senior Lecturer in 2020.

My research interests are nutrition and bone health, with particular interest in vitamin D. I was Chief Investigator on a National Osteoporosis Society funded clinical trial at the University of Sheffield that investigated changes to vitamin D metabolites in postmenopausal in response to bolus doses of vitamin D. The study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism for why some people fall more frequently after receiving a large dose vitamin D. This study formed the basis of my PhD.

Previously, I have worked on a Department of Health funded Policy Research Program (PRP) project which aimed to understand the potential causes and consequences of low vitamin D levels in obesity.

I have also worked on a project with a local professional football team investigating the vitamin D status of their players.

I have also worked as a Research Project Manager and Bone Densitometry Technician at the University of Sheffield. In this role I was responsible for several research studies which aim to better characterise the rare bone disease hypophosphatasia.

Teaching

Department of Service Sector Management

College of Business, Technology and Engineering

Subject area

Food and Nutrition

Courses taught 

BSc Food and Nutrition
BSc Human Nutrition and Health
MSc Food and Nutrition Sciences
MSc Nutrition with Public Health Management

Modules taught 

I have taught on a wide range of modules:

Nutrition Through the Lifecycle (Level 5)
Physiology and Biochemistry of Health and Disease (Level 5)
Academic Research Skills (Level 5)
Physical Activity and Health (Level 5)
Global Issues in Nutrition and Health (Level 6)
Food and Nutrition Research Project (level 6)
Research methods (Level 7)
Work-related Learning (Level 7)
Life-Course Approach to Nutrition (Level 7)
Dissertation (level 7)

Research

• Health Research Institute

Current research

I am currently involved in a number of research projects:

A comparative study of vitamin D status, dietary vitamin D intake, supplementation use and habitual sunlight exposure in UK-dwelling South Asians and Caucasian

The effect of feeding and exercise on bone turnover markers (AWRC affiliated)

The impact of food insecurity on families attending the complexities of excess weight clinic (Funded by the Sheffield Children's Hospital Research and Innovation Fund)

An NIHR funded project that aims to understand the scale and scope of 'Dark Kitchens' within the North of England, and explore how these businesses could be identified and managed in line with council priorities.

Selected research

My recent publications are:

Schwartz, J. B., Gallagher, C., Jorde, R., Berg, V., Walsh, J., Eastell, R., Evans, A.L., Bowles, S., Naylor, K. E., Jones K. S., I. Schoenmakers, M. Holick, E. Orwoll, C., Nielson, M. Kaufman, G., Jones, R., Bouillon, J. Lai, D. Verotta, D., & Bikle D. (2018) Determination of free 25(OH)D concentrations and their relationships to total 25(OH)D in multiple clinical populations. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, DOI: 10.1210/jc.2018-00295

Walsh, J. S., Bowles, S., & Evans, A.L. (2017). Vitamin D in Obesity. Current Opinions in Endocrinology Diabetes & Obesity, 24, 389-394.

Walsh, J. S., Evans, A.L., Bowles, S., Naylor, K .E., Jones, S. I., Schoenmakers, R. M. Jacques &. Eastell R. (2016). Free 25-hydroxyvitamin D is low in obesity, but there are no adverse associations with bone health. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103, 1465-1471.

Collaborators and sponsors 

Sheffield Children's Hospital Research and Innovation Fund

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)

Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre

Anglia Ruskin University

Publications

Postgraduate supervision

Megan Flint - PhD Student (Plant-Based Meat Alternatives: Consumer Perceptions, Nutrient Profile and Satiety)