The Nutrition and Research team is dedicated to maintaining Slimming World’s position as the most advanced slimming club. To raise awareness of the company among health professionals, the team publishes papers in peer-reviewed journals and speaks at expert conferences, while providing information and advice to the public through expert comment in the media. They also monitor all latest diet and obesity research to ensure that members are given the most up-to-date information.
To find out more about Slimming World’s published research, which includes data on the influence of Slimming World on the lifestyle of members and their families and on the success of Slimming World on Referral in supporting the NHS, please visit Slimming World’s website for health professionals.
Meet Slimming World's in-house expert team
Dr Jacquie Lavin, MMedSci, RNutr
Head of Nutrition and Research
Well known in both the profession and the media, Dr Lavin has a Masters degree in Human Nutrition and completed a PhD in 1998. She has a particular interest in appetite regulation.
Dr Lavin has presented her work at a number of national and international conferences, published numerous papers in leading academic journals and was involved in the preparation of a distance learning Masters degree course in Human Nutrition.
She has extensive media experience, appearing as an expert on BBC1 6 ‘o’ Clock News, BBC2’s ‘Revealed’ show, and on Radio 1’s ‘Sunday Surgery’ and ‘Newsbeat’. She is also regularly quoted in the print media and has appeared in the Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail and Cosmopolitan among others.
Dr James Stubbs, BSc
Research Specialist
Renowned obesity and satiety expert Dr Stubbs became Slimming World’s Research Specialist in 2006 after 13 years at the Rowett Research Institute, which he joined after receiving his PhD from Cambridge University.
With considerable experience in co-ordinating large-scale complex human-based research projects, Dr Stubbs has produced award-winning research into the behavioural factors governing energy balance and weight control.
A regular on the international conference circuit where he presents latest research and reviews topics, he has also produced an extensive number of publications and book chapters, and has conducted over 50 studies on different aspects of eating behaviour, appetite control, diet composition and energy balance.
Dr Stubbs has managed Slimming World’s involvement in pan-European research programme Diogenes, and related projects, which aim to advance understanding of how obesity can be prevented and treated.
He has provided expert commentary on latest obesity research in a range of consumer, health and specialist media.
Carolyn Pallister, BSc (Hons), RD
Dietitian and Referral Scheme Manager
Carolyn joined Slimming World in 2006 having graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a first in Dietetics.
She is responsible for developing and managing the Slimming World on Referral service, which supports the NHS, while also continuing to support the Nutrition department.
Carolyn is a regular in the national, consumer and health trade media. She has been quoted in publications such as The People, Zest and Reveal and her work has been published in a number of leading academic journals.
Jenny Allan, MSc, APHNutr
Nutritionist
Jenny joined Slimming World in October 2008 with a Masters in Public Health Nutrition.
With a key role in the publication of Slimming World’s health and nutrition-based literature, Jenny is also the first port of call for nutrition-based enquiries from the public.
She is responsible for reviewing latest weight management guidelines to ensure that Slimming World’s policies and advice to members remain at the forefront of current nutrition research.
Amanda Avery BSc (Hons), RD
Consultant Dietitian in Weight Management
Amanda initially joined Slimming World on a part-time basis, after project managing the Slimming World on Referral feasibility study.
After working in Southern Derbyshire for over 20 years as a community dietitian, with both a public health remit and as a clinician working in primary care, Amanda moved to Nottingham University in 2009 as a lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics.
Amanda now focuses on helping to establish a growing body of evidence to support the role of commercial slimming organisations in tackling obesity, with a particular focus on weight management services to support the NHS.
Caryl Richards BSc (Hons) Food Science
Managing Director
Caryl joined Slimming World as a member in 1991. She became a Slimming World Consultant and was promoted through the field management structure to her current position of Managing Director, which she’s held since 2001.
With extensive experience of implementing weight management services at local, regional and national level, Caryl has led the company through a period of rapid growth and into new markets, while developing innovative policies to support children and pregnant women.
Before joining Slimming World, Caryl was the International Product Development Manager for food manufacturer Cadbury Schweppes, where she headed a number of technical teams responsible for food and drink developments in the UK and overseas.
Margaret Whittaker OBE
Founder and Chairman
Margaret started Slimming World from her home in Derbyshire in 1969, at the age of just 21. Deeply disillusioned with the weight loss methods available at the time, and with a deep understanding of the twin burdens faced by slimmers - hunger and guilt - Margaret launched a new approach to weight loss that encouraged slimmers to eat to satisfy their appetite and offered motivational support from a ‘Consultant’ trained in the psychology of slimming – support that has evolved into a unique and extraordinary system at the cutting edge of behaviour change techniques. In the past 40 years, her vision to create a radically different approach to weight loss, built on the twin pillars of a healthy eating plan and a group environment where slimmers are treated with warmth, dignity and respect has seen Slimming World become a multi-national and multi-platform organisation.
In 2009, the 40th anniversary year of Slimming World, Margaret was awarded an OBE for services to the field of weight management and soon after she received an Honorary Masters Degree from the University of Derby for founding a company that has improved the health, happiness and wellbeing of millions around the country, pioneered an NHS referral scheme now used in health trusts across the country and donated more than £2.5 million to charity since 1996.
Slimming World's specialist advisor panel
Slimming World’s independant specialist advisor panel brings together leaders in a range of obesity-related disciplines including nutrition, exercise, psychology and child and adult health. The panel advises our in-house nutrition and research team and keeps Slimming World at the leading edge of weight management. We consult them on developments and policy changes to ensure our programmes around healthy eating, behaviour change and increasing activity levels are all in line with current best practice. The members of the panel are:
Jane De Ville-Almond
Vice Chair of the National Obesity Forum
Tam Fry
Honorary Chair of the Child Growth Foundation
Professor Andrew Hill
Professor of Medical Psychology at the University of Leeds
Professor Ken Fox
Professor of Exercise, Nutrition & Health Science at Bristol University
Professor Judith Buttriss
Director General of the British Nutrition Foundation