Rate My Professor Kathryn Reilly

Dr. Kathryn Reilly serves as Conjoint Lecturer in the School of Medicine and Public Health within the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Behavioural Science and Bachelor of Health Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Newcastle. Her research focuses on chronic disease prevention, nutrition guideline implementation, and policy implementation, particularly in school and early childhood education settings. Reilly has made significant contributions to public health through studies aimed at improving the nutritional quality of school canteens and promoting healthy eating policies. Notable publications include 'The impact of an e-newsletter or animated video to disseminate outdoor free-play information in relation to COVID-19 guidelines in New South Wales early childhood education and care services: a randomised controlled trial' (BMC Public Health, 2023); 'Scale up of a multi-strategic intervention to increase implementation of a mandatory school healthy food service policy: The 'healthy food@school' program' (Implementation Science, 2019); 'Increasing Australian schools' implementation of a mandatory state-wide school healthy food policy: results of three randomised-controlled trials' (Implementation Science, 2018); 'Validity of four measures in assessing school canteen menu compliance with state-based healthy canteen policy' (Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2016); 'Assessing the potential impact of a front-of-pack nutritional rating system on food availability in school canteens: A randomised controlled trial' (Appetite, 2018); and 'Economic analysis of three interventions of different intensity in improving school implementation of a government healthy canteen policy in Australia: Costs, incremental and relative cost effectiveness' (BMC Public Health, 2018).

As an investigator, Reilly has secured grants totaling $194,700, including 'Addressing the health risk behaviours of the education workforce: A program to enhance the wellbeing of primary school teachers' (2018-2020, $124,700) and 'Enhancing Teacher's Health' (2018, $70,000). She currently co-supervises a PhD student examining evidence and practice gaps in obesity prevention policies and practices in early childhood education and care settings in Australia and internationally. Her collaborative research with teams at the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Population Health has advanced strategies for scaling up interventions to support healthier food environments in educational institutions.