Professor Cath Conlon

Cath Conlon is a Professor in the Nutrition and Dietetic research group within the College of Health at Massey University. Her area of expertise is early life nutrition and her research fits within the global challenge of improving nutrition in the first 1000 days of a child’s life from conception to two years of age. By understanding what, when, why and how to eat during early life we can better understand current practices, design and test interventions, and ensure that dietary changes consider the wider environment and culture. Underpinning her research is the translation of research into practice. Prof Conlon was a member of the Technical Advisory Group to the New Zealand Ministry of Health for revising and updating the “Healthy Eating Guidelines for NZ Babies and Toddlers” and the incorporation of the guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women into the “Eating and Activity Guidelines for NZ adults”. She is currently leading an international team exploring manipulating infant taste preferences to promote vegetable acceptance (Vegetables as first foods for babies) and following up with the infants to determine whether increased intake and acceptance of vegetables is maintained at two years of age.

Prof Conlon is the major leader for the MSc programme in Human Nutrition. She currently supervises MSc and PhD students and teaches early life nutrition across the undergraduate and postgraduate courses within the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition at Massey University.