Melanie Wakeman

I specialise in nutrition and have been teaching nutrition since 1996. Currently I am the Programme Director for the BSc. (Hons) Health and well-being (Nutrition Science) at Birmingham City University (BCU).

A big interest of mine is around nutrition and behaviour - what influences what we eat, why we eat and particularly with children and teenagers, what makes us 'fussy'. I get annoyed with pseudoscience and even more annoyed with companies and individuals that claim to have found 'the next best thing' and mislead the public. A big part of my role is to teach about evidence based nutrition and help people understand the myths and truths when it comes to eating healthily. I write a blog called The Grub Hub where I aim to provide healthy eating advice to all.

I have a broad remit in teaching both physiology and nutrition across the Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences at BCU. I contribute to a variety of programmes including pre and post-registration nursing (particularly adult and paediatric with some Learning disabilities and Mental Health). My areas of most interest are digestive and cardiorespiratory physiology. Concerning nutrition, I am interested in diet & obesity for all fields of nursing, nutrition and pressure ulcers for ODP's, nutrition and immunity / wound healing for child nurses, nutritional assessment and requirements for community health nurses, alcohol Misuse for MH nurses, nutrition and feeding problems for LD nurses.

I will teach pretty much anything on food, nutrition and guts that is health related! I am a media Champion and have been asked to comment on BBC Radio (West Midlands, Coventry & Warwick), ITV Central and several magazines and papers (Daily Mail, Birmingham Mail, Nursing Standard, Cycling Plus). I have also presented for external groups and meetings on nutrition and health.

Basically I am fascinated by this subject and can talk about it until the cows come home! I will teach pretty much anything on food, nutrition and guts that is health related! I am a media Champion and have been asked to comment on BBC Radio (West Midlands, Coventry & Warwick), ITV Central and several magazines and papers (Daily Mail, Birmingham Mail, Nursing Standard, Cycling Plus). I have also presented for external groups and meetings on nutrition and health.