Helen McCarthy

Dr. Helen McCarthy is a Professor at Victoria University in Australia, serving as Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching in the College of Sport, Health & Engineering. She previously held roles as Deputy Associate Dean (2023-2025) and Co-Director of Learning and Teaching (2021-2022). As Course Chair for the Bachelor of Human Nutrition, Bachelor of Nutritional Science/Master of Dietetics, and Master of Dietetics programs, she plays a pivotal leadership role in nutrition education at the university.

Her educational background includes a BSc (Hons) from Ulster University (1991), UK PgC HEP (2009), and PhD (2008). Professionally, she is a Registered Dietitian with the Health and Care Professions Council (UK) since 1991, a former Full Member of the British Dietetic Association (1991-2019), and an Accredited Practicing Dietitian with Dietitians Australia since 2017. She also earned Fellowship in the Higher Education Academy in 2014.

Dr. McCarthy's research focuses on pediatric and neonatal nutrition support, malnutrition identification and management across age groups, and effective nutrition education strategies. She is best known as the lead investigator in developing and validating the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP), which has become an important clinical tool internationally. Her work spans clinical practice, educational interventions, and nutritional assessment methodologies.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trajectory in geriatric nutrition alongside her pediatric expertise, with growing interest in digital health interventions, sarcopenia in older adults, and the application of nutrition frameworks like EAT-Lancet to specific populations. Her research demonstrates consistent focus on practical clinical tools and evidence-based approaches to nutrition screening and assessment across the lifespan.

• Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2014)

As an active supervisor, Dr. McCarthy leads or co-supervises multiple graduate research projects including studies on healthy eating approaches for people with intellectual disability, nutrient associations with physical performance in military personnel, and family-focused food literacy interventions. She has served as external examiner for pre-registration dietetic programs in the UK and Europe and for the Masters in Paediatric Dietetics at Plymouth University. Her professional service includes being a founding steering committee member of the Need for Nutrition Education Programme, Australia and New Zealand Network, past Chair of the BDA Education Board, and member of the BDA Council.

Dr. McCarthy collaborates extensively across disciplines, working with teams from other fields to embed nutrition knowledge appropriately in their courses through innovative unit design. Her leadership extends to media appearances in the UK and Ireland discussing childhood nutrition and serving as a journal reviewer and guest editor for multiple publications.