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Joanna Kowalkowska, PhD
An Assistant Professor at the Department of Human Nutrition, The Faculty of Food Science, the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn
She studies eating habits and dietary status of various human groups, together with their non-nutritional determinants (demographic, social and economic, and behavioural) conditions. An important part of her scientific and research activities involves improving methods for evaluating nutrition, including development and validation of Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs), adjusted to specific characteristics of the Polish diet and intended for various populations – children, youth, and adults. She applies a holistic approach to dietary assesment, which involves determining dietary patterns characteristic for different population groups. She is also interested in a relationship between the eating styles and the quality of the diet in adults, especially in the context of adverse and positive childhood experiences.
She is a co-author of about 100 publications and scientific communications, including several dozen publications in peer-reviewed international journals. She participated in multi-centre research and educational projects and underwent two internships at the University of Porto, Portugal. She is a member of the Polish Society of Nutritional Sciences and the Polish Society of Dietetics.
Assessment of dietary behaviours in the context of traumatic experiences
In our studies, we also focus on evaluation of dietary habits in the context of traumatic experiences. Joanna Kowalkowska focuses on studying a relationship between extremely stressful childhood experiences and dietary behaviours in adulthood.
Our studies show that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may lead to a diet of lower quality and health problems. We also analyse how problems with controlling emotions caused by traumatic experiences may affect emotional eating and development of obesity.
