Katy Tapper

Professor Katy Tapper is a distinguished academic in the Department of Psychology at City, University of London. She holds a prominent position as a Professor specializing in health psychology and behaviour change, with a particular focus on interventions that promote both population and planetary health. Her work bridges experimental research with practical applications across multiple domains of public health.

Dr. Tapper's research program centers on understanding and modifying health-related behaviors, with special expertise in mindful eating, craving management, and calorie labelling in food service environments. Her work spans both laboratory-based experimental studies and real-world interventions, examining how psychological principles can be applied to influence dietary choices and promote healthier behaviors. Recent projects have expanded into sustainability-focused research, investigating how to nudge consumers toward lower carbon food choices in restaurant settings.

Her research portfolio reveals several key thematic areas: mindfulness interventions for eating behavior modification, digital behavior change techniques for weight management, science communication strategies to combat misinformation, and environmental interventions to influence food choices. These themes reflect her integrative approach that combines cognitive psychology, behavioral science, and public health implementation.

• Currently holds £238k UKRI funding for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Oviva UK Ltd to enhance digitally enabled weight management programs
• Secured £46k BBSRC Consumer Lab funding to reduce carbon footprints in restaurant chains
• Authored the textbook Health Psychology and Behaviour Change (Bloomsbury, 2021)
• Research featured on BBC's Trust Me I'm a Doctor and Channel 4's Food Unwrapped
• Regular contributor to The Conversation on mindful eating topics

Professor Tapper actively supervises research students, including Khaleda Ahmadyar, and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across various institutions. Her work demonstrates a consistent commitment to translating psychological theory into practical interventions that address pressing public health challenges related to nutrition, weight management, and sustainable consumption patterns.