PhD Position National Food Institute

July 26, 2008

Phd position – Is healthy eating at school associated with sustainable procurement strategies”?

At the National Food Institute a Phd scholarship is available.

Apply before: 17.08.2008 at 12:00 (noon)

There is growing evidence for the fact that there is a relationship between sustainable food consumption and choosing a healthy diet in institutional settings. For instance it has been shown that caterers serving organic food serve healthier meals than their non organic counterparts. The iPOPY project (http://www.ipopy.coreportal.org/ ) is now hiring a PhD student to study the above hypothesis in a Danish school food & nutrition context and to test if the price premium and food and nutrition policy induced change processes initiated by organic procurement policies in school food systems directly or indirectly act as a driver for healthier eating among students. The project is a part of the iPOPY research project funded through the European Research Arena project CoreOrganic. The PhD project is a part of the Danish lead workpackage

The anticipated methodology is an observational cross sectional design and will be used to test whether the change processes initiated by organic conversion in public food system directly or indirectly correlates with healthier eating habits and behaviour among consumers. A sample of 1000 students that are all potential users of school meals in 5 schools having an organic policy will be chosen. Individuals are 5-6th graders and the methodology will be based on a self administered assessment tool developed to measure frequency of intake of healthy eating indicator food items using a FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) approach. Inclusion criteria for the study will be presence of a prepared food provision (as opposed to tuck shop). The methodology has been pilot tested in spring 2008. The project will run parallel to school food intervention study Evaluation of Interventions towards Young people in school food programs – project EVIUS

Applicants need to have relevant academic education in public health, nutrition or similar, with experience in dietary assessment methodologies including web and mobile technologies. Interest and knowledge of community nutrition and sustainable nutrition programmes, as well as sustainable food strategies.

Good command of both English and Danish. Experience in working in a multidisciplinary and international team with both natural & social science approaches is considered an asset.

The scholarships for the PhD degree are subject to academic approval, and the candidates will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes of DTU. Information about the general requirements for enrolment and the general planning of the scholarship studies is included in the general rules of DTU, which may be obtained by application to the PhD programme office at tel: +45 45 25 11 76 or +45 45 25 11 77.

The salary and appointment terms are consistent with the current rules for PhD degree students.

Employment will be at the National Food Institute. Enrolment at the PhD school FOOD.

Further information may be obtained from Bent Egberg Mikkelsen, tel.+45 25 38 43 66

Applications must include a curriculum vitae and documentation of a completed master’s degree.

Applications with enclosures should be submitted electronically to Bent Egberg Mikkelsen at bemi@food.dtu.dk no later than 17^th of August 2008 at 12:00 noon.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

Scholarship