Research areas
I am a behavioural scientist with research interests that include:
- eating behaviour, obesity
- healthcare communication
- wellbeing and health behaviours
My research aligns directly with interest in health behaviour interventions and the interface of the healthcare practitioner and patient, and follows an interdisciplinary approach, straddling psychological, behavioural and physiological domains. I conduct empirical research (lab, community-based, primary care) in human populations across the age span. I look at factors that create so-called obesogenic environments as well as individual characteristics. I combine my obesity expertise with interests in clinical communication, where I have developed a research program investigating healthcare communication within the context of patient overweight and obesity in primary care. I am interested in how health behaviours (e.g. consumption behaviour, sleep) contribute to stress and wellbeing.
I utilise a mixed methods research methodology and have expertise in quantitative and qualitative techniques including behavioural observation, measurement of appetite and ingestive behaviour, anthropometry, coding of clinical communication behaviour using behavioural coding software, textual analysis, development of semi-structures interviews and surveys, intervention development.
I teach behavioural medicine, communication skills and research skills to medical undergraduates, and students on the ScotGEM programme. I have led on taught postgraduate modules and programmes [MSc Health Psychology, MRes Medicine, MSc Global Health]. I supervise MSc and Phd students.
Selected publications
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Open access
Walker, K., Cunningham, K., Ferguson, J., Gibson Smith, K., Scanlan, G. M., Cecil, J. E., Gordon, L., Laidlaw, A., Pope, L. M., Johnston , P. & Aitken, G., Aug 2025, In: BMJ Open. 15, 8, p. 1-8 8 p., e096154.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Gale, E. L., Cecil, J. E. & Williams, A. J., 14 Nov 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Sleep Research. Early View, p. 1-10 10 p., e70239.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Gale, E. L., Williams, A. J. & Cecil, J. E., 7 May 2025, In: BMC Public and Global Health. 3, p. 1-17 17 p., 42.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Gale, E. L., Cecil, J. E. & Williams, A. J., 2025, In: Journal of Sleep Research. Early View, 40 p., e70029.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Open access
Gale, E. L., Cecil, J. E. & Williams, A. J., 20 Nov 2025, In: Pediatric Obesity. Early View, p. 1-12 12 p., e70049.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Quirke-McFarlane, S., Carstairs, S. A. & Cecil, J. E., Jun 2025, In: Nutrition and Health. 31, 2, p. 701-714 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Tooman, T. R., Wakeling, J., Cunningham, K. B., Smith, K. G., Walker, K. A., Cecil, J. E. & Laidlaw, A., 1 Jun 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: BMC Psychology. 12, 12 p., 320.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Gale, E. L., Williams, A. J. & Cecil, J. E., Feb 2024, In: Sleep Medicine Reviews. 73, 11 p., 101875.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Open access
McInnes, C., Carstairs, S. A. & Cecil, J. E., 31 Aug 2023, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 14, 12 p., 1196142.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Fischera, W., van Beusekom, M., Higgs, S. & Cecil, J., 17 May 2022, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 13, 13 p., 838394.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review