Project title: Understanding Factors Contributing to Emotional Overeating in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children

Primary supervisor: Dr Maria Laura Filippetti (University of Essex)

Second supervisor: Dr John Day (University of Essex)

University: University of Essex, Department of Psychology

SENSS Theme: Health, Wellbeing and Social Care

Collaborative partner: Essex County Council

Collaborative partner supervisor: Adrian Coggins

Degree structure: The structure of the studentship offered will depend on your personal training needs. However, the minimum duration of a SENSS-funded studentship will be 3.5 years: this covers a PhD and a mandatory placement of approximately 3 months. The maximum duration of a studentship will be 4.5 years: this covers a Masters degree followed by a PhD, as well as the mandatory 3-month placement.

Project background

This collaborative PhD project aims to explore the complex factors contributing to emotional overeating in toddlers from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Emotional overeating refers to eating in response to emotions, rather than hunger, and is more likely to happen in stressful situations (Hill et al., 2018). Understanding these behaviours is important because children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods are at a much higher risk of obesity. In fact, research shows that the prevalence of obesity in these areas is almost double that of children from more affluent families (NHS, 2018; Rautava et al., 2022).

By investigating the factors contributing to emotional overeating among toddlers in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods, this research aims to identify ways to prevent or reduce it. The goal is to develop practical, evidence-based resources to support families and address health inequalities, which refers to differences in health outcomes between groups, often linked to factors like income or education. Thanks to its collaborative nature, this PhD will give you with both academic knowledge and practical experience, preparing you for a career in public health research, policymaking, or applied social sciences.

Project aims and objectives

This PhD project aims to explore the factors that lead to emotional overeating in toddlers from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. By focusing on early prevention and intervention, the project seeks to reduce rising obesity rates and encourage healthier eating habits in vulnerable children.

Objectives:

  1. Investigate how family dynamics and the surrounding environment influence emotional overeating in toddlers from disadvantaged backgrounds.

  2. Study whether parental feeding styles affects how toddlers respond to emotional situations, especially under stressful familiar circumstances.

  3. Use the findings to create practical strategies to help families reduce obesity and address health inequalities among disadvantaged children.

Training opportunities

A comprehensive package of training will be agreed in consultation with the supervisors. Elements of training will be provided by the supervisors, University of Essex, and by other providers. Training offered will be designed in a bespoke way to address the training needs of the individual selected for the award.

Essential and/or desirable attributes/skills

  • Qualifications: essential - a 2:1 or above at Bachelor’s level or equivalent in Psychology or a psychology-related field; desirable - a Masters level degree in Psychology or a psychology-related field.

  • Skills: essential - experience running lab-based experimental studies in psychology/neuroscience; high levels of resourcefulness and attention to detail; desirable - experience of using statistics to analyse quantitative data, experience running qualitative studies and analysing qualitative data.

  • Experience: desirable – experience working with families and children.

Studentship details

This studentship is offered as between +3.5 and +4.5-year (1+3.5, 2+2.5, +4.5) awards. The standard length of an ESRC-funded studentship is +3.5. This includes the standard +3 PhD, plus an +0.25 term for the integrated placement which the collaborative partner is expected to offer the DR, and a further additional +0.25 to enable the student to undertake training relevant to their research project (including career progression). All studentships are offered on either a full-time or part-time basis. 

The studentship award covers your university fees and provides you with a stipend of £19,237 per year (for 2024-2025 academic year). You will also be able to apply for additional funding via the SENSS Research Training Support Grant to support your training needs.

Residential eligibility

All applicants, whether Home or International, are eligible for a full award, that is, they will receive a stipend (salary) and they will not have to pay any university tuition fees during their studentship award.

How to apply for this studentship

To be considered for this funding, you must first apply to SENSS for this collaborative studentship. Please read the SENSS Collaborative Studentship Application Guidance Notes before completing our online application form. The Guidance Notes are available here.

If your application is accepted by SENSS, you will need to make a separate application for a place to study at University of Essex as your host University. You will be provided with a link with information on how to make your application to University of Essex once the SENSS proposal has been accepted. 

Deadline:

The deadline for submitting your application for SENSS funding on HEI Apply is 12:00 GMT on Monday 24 February 2025. No extensions to this deadline will be permitted.

For further enquiries:

For enquiries about this research project, please email Dr Maria Laura Filippetti (m.filippetti@essex.ac.uk).

For enquiries related to your eligibility for this studentship, and/or the application process, please email: Laura Ruddick (laura@essex.ac.uk)

The likely interview date for this studentship will be Friday 14 March 2025 (am).