Helen Coulthard

Dr. Helen Coulthard is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Applied Social Sciences at De Montfort University (DMU), within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. Her research focuses on child and adult eating behaviors, sensory processing, and the psychosocial factors influencing food choices. Key areas include food neophobia, parental feeding practices, and the impact of sensory play on food acceptance in children.

Her work addresses topics such as obesity prevention in Ghanaian schoolchildren, the development of assessment tools for food avoidance (e.g., the Food Averse Questionnaire), and the role of music in reducing emotional eating. She has also explored the lived experiences of parents of picky eaters and the psychological mechanisms underlying recovery from eating disorders.

Recent studies highlight her engagement with plant-based dietary trends, social norms influencing meat consumption, and the long-term effects of early feeding practices on later food preferences. Her research often employs mixed methods, combining qualitative insights with experimental and quantitative approaches.

Dr. Coulthard’s publications span over two decades, with a notable concentration on child feeding difficulties, sensory sensitivity, and the application of behavioral interventions in pediatric and adult populations. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to advance understanding of eating behaviors across the lifespan.