Dr Zeynep Caferoglu Akin
Research Fellow

Research

Overview

My research focuses on public health nutrition, with particular interest in sustainable food systems, childhood obesity, and metabolic health. I am also experienced in dietary interventions and nutritional epidemiology, aiming to improve health outcomes in both children and adults.

Projects

I am currently working on the FixOurFood project at the University of York, contributing to the school food work stream, which explores how food systems can be transformed to improve children’s health, wellbeing, and sustainability in education settings.

Publications

Selected publications

Dr Zeynep Caferoglu Akin has authored over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of public health nutrition, with a focus on childhood obesity, dietary interventions, metabolic health, and paediatric diabetes management. Her recent publications explore the effects of food insulin index, glycaemic load, omega-3 supplementation, and maternal nutrition on health outcomes. She has also contributed to several national and international book chapters related to clinical nutrition and child health. A full list of publications can be found in her academic CV or PURE profile.

Caferoglu Z, Hatipoglu N, Gokmen-Ozel H. Does food insulin index in the context of mixed meals affect postprandial metabolic responses and appetite in obese adolescents with insulin resistance? A randomised cross-over trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 2019;122(8):942–950. doi:10.1017/S0007114519001351

Caferoglu Z, Erdal B, Akin L, Kurtoglu S. Breakfast and dinner insulin index and insulin load in relation to overweight in children and adolescents. European Journal of Nutrition. 2021;60(5):2819–2829. doi:10.1007/s00394-020-02478-9

Erdal B, Caferoglu Z, Hatipoglu N. The comparison of two mealtime insulin dosing algorithms for high and low glycaemic index meals in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine. 2021;38(3):e14444. doi:10.1111/dme.14444

Caferoglu Z, Aytekin Sahin G, Gonulalan Z, Hatipoglu N. Effects of whole-grain barley and oat β-glucans on postprandial glycemia and appetite: a randomized controlled crossover trial. Food & Function. 2022;13(19):10225–10234. doi:10.1039/d2fo01717b

Caferoglu Z, Toklu H. Intuitive eating: associations with body weight status and eating attitudes in dietetic majors. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. 2022;27(2):683–692. doi:10.1007/s40519-021-01206-4

Toklu Baloglu H, Caferoglu Akin Z. A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of technology addiction in adolescents: associations with food addiction, emotional eating, and body weight status. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. 2024;43(1):187. doi:10.1186/s41043-024-00675-4

Caferoglu Akin Z, Aytekin Sahin G, Aslan Gonul B, Gunes Kaya D, Tokgoz Y. Are diet quality and dietary acid load associated with health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with celiac disease? Nutrition & Food Science. 2025;55(1):87–97. doi:10.1108/NFS-03-2024-0104

External activities

Memberships

• The Nutrition Society (UK)

• Association for the Study of Obesity (UK)

• Turkish Dietetic Association (Turkey)

• Diabetes Dietitians Association (Turkey)

• Clinical Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Society (Turkey)

• Pediatric Dietitians Association (Turkey)

Editorial duties

Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Health Sciences (March 2019 – June 2020)

Reviewer for the following journals:

• Quality of Life Research
• PeerJ
• Journal of the American College of Nutrition
• Frontiers in Nutrition
• British Journal of Nutrition
• Obesity