Rate My Professor Lee Ashton

Dr. Lee Ashton is a Senior Research Academic in the School of Education and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Newcastle, Australia, affiliated with the Centre for Active Living and Learning and previously the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition in the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine. He earned his PhD in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Newcastle in 2017, an MSc in Nutritional Epidemiology from the University of Leeds in 2011, and a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science from Leeds Beckett University in 2010. Prior to his doctoral studies, he served as a Research Assistant at the University of Leeds from 2011 to 2012. Ashton's research specializes in developing and evaluating innovative, gender-tailored eHealth and digital interventions to enhance nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and mental well-being, with a particular emphasis on young adults, men, families, and workplace settings to prevent chronic diseases. His work includes leading projects such as the HEYMAN tailored lifestyle program for young men, the No Money No Time healthy eating website, Workplace POWER and RESHAPE health promotion programs for the coal mining industry, and the Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered father-daughter initiative promoting physical activity and empowerment.

Ashton has authored or co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses like 'Effectiveness of interventions and behaviour change techniques for improving dietary intake in young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs' (2019), 'Workplace Health Promotion Programs Targeting Smoking, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials' (2023), 'Process Evaluation of the ‘No Money No Time’ Healthy Eating Website' (2021), and RCTs such as 'Dietary Outcomes of the ‘Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads’ Randomised Controlled Trial' (2021) and 'Impact of the ‘Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads’ program on physical activity and other health behaviours' (2022). He has received the University of Newcastle Research Scholarship Central (UNRSC50:50), an international award for advancing behavior change science at ISBNPA 2023, and recognition as an emerging researcher in 2018. Ashton contributes to knowledge translation through media, podcasts, and practical programs influencing public health policy and practice in Australia.