Ciarán Forde

This PhD project explores how food properties shape children’s eating behaviour and energy intake , bringing together nutrition, sensory science and innovative digital tools. The student will join the Child Eating Behaviour team at Wageningen University & Research and work within the chair group Sensory Science and Eating Behaviour in the Division of Human Nutrition and Health . The research programme combines literature review, experimental design and data analysis to understand factors that influence children’s eating behaviours and dietary patterns. A key part of the work is to study how specific food properties may moderate eating behaviour and energy intake in children, using digital tools to track eating behaviour. The project also includes publishing findings in peer-reviewed journals, presenting at international conferences, and turning evidence into practical recommendations for improving the food environment for children in the Netherlands. The position is embedded in an international and interdisciplinary research environment on the Wageningen campus. The group is led by Prof. Ciarán Forde , with Associate Prof. Guido Camps as co-supervisor. The student will also contribute to the supervision of MSc thesis projects related to this topic. The project is based at Wageningen University & Research, an institution focused on healthy food and living environment, with a strong emphasis on collaboration across disciplines.