Skip to main content

The content on Patient is peer reviewed by our clinical content team, following the NHS Standard for Creating Health Content.

Dr Carrie Ruxton

Dr Carrie Ruxton, PhD, Child Nutrition

Dietitian and Health Writer

PhD, Child Nutrition

Dr Carrie Ruxton qualified as a Dietitian at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, before gaining a PhD in Child Nutrition.

Her work has been published widely in academic and health professional literature but she loves to write for the general public to bring to life the hugely interesting topics of diet and nutrition science.

Since 2003, Carrie has worked in a freelance capacity as a health writer and consultant to the food industry. Her specialist topics are functional foods, weight management, children’s diets, dietary advice and supplements, despite cooking not being one of her stronger skills!

Carrie contributes regularly to TV, print media and radio, most recently on BBC’s Food Detectives.

Carrie’s web presence

Recently contributed to:

Dietary fat has received its share of bad press, but not all fat is bad for us. We delve into this important food group, separating the healthy from the unhealthy, and fact from fiction.

Feature Image

A Mediterranean diet conjures up an image of fresh fish and colourful salads doused in olive oil, washed down with a glass of red wine - all while sitting in the sun of course. While we may not have reliable sunshine in the UK, we can certainly tap into the wide-ranging health benefits offered by the Mediterranean diet.

Feature Image

Your body doesn't make vitamin B12. That means you need to get it from food or supplements. We'll explore why this nutrient is needed, the best sources and the signs you're not getting enough.

Feature Image

According to an NHS survey published in 2017, secondary school children in the UK are now more likely to have tried illegal substances than cigarettes, with cannabis being the main drug of choice. The research also found that 25% of 15-year-olds had tried recreational drugs at least once, down from 30% in 2014.

Feature Image

Around a quarter to a third of schoolchildren are overweight or obese according to a House of Commons report. These alarming figures have led governments to introduce policies to get children fitter and healthier, such as a sugar tax on soft drinks and restrictions on the promotion of sugary, fatty foods. This may be great on a national basis but what should you do if your own child is overweight? Is it best to raise the topic and risk hurting their feelings, or should you ignore your child's expanding waistline but worry in silence about their future health and well-being?

Feature Image