Faculty

Neha Rathi

Visiting Professor

PhD (Deakin University)

+91.79.61911257

neha.rathi@ahduni.edu.in

Research Interests: Qualitative Research Methods, Nutrition Education, Food Literacy, Home Food Environment, School Food Environment, Home Economics

Profile

Professor Rathi received her PhD in Health Sciences (specialisation in Behavioural Nutrition) from Deakin University (Geelong, Australia) in 2018. She completed her MSc in Home Science from SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, and BSc Honours in Home Science from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. Professor Rathi is an expert in health behaviour, especially exploring facilitators and barriers to food intake and assessing barriers and facilitators to physical activity participation through qualitative research. She is also an expert in nutrition education and the food environment, particularly in schools and homes.

Professor Rathi has published 28 first /corresponding author research articles in peer-reviewed international journals. Deakin University awarded her the Higher Degree Research Publication Award based on her research track record. She is also a recipient of two prestigious post doctoral fellowships of India (i.e. Institute Post Doctoral Fellowship of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Malaviya Post Doctoral Fellowship of Banaras Hindu University) as well as several international research grants (e.g. International Society of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity Pioneer Program Research Grant 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026, International Federation for Home Economics Development Grant). Professor Rathi has a versatile background. She has worked as a nutritionist for adults with obesity and underweight children and has been a secondary school Home Economics Educator.

Professor Neha Rathi also serves as a Member of the Editorial Board of International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (Springer Nature).

Research

As a Principal Investigator, Professor Rathi has carried out the following research projects:

How young adults classify food as healthy and unhealthy - A qualitative study
Young adults'perceptions of a healthy lifestyle & its associated factors - A qualitative inquiry
The role of adolescents in home cooking
Involvement of fathers in child rearing and family food practices across socioeconomic strata
Exploring barriers and facilitators of fruit and vegetable consumption among Indian adolescents – A qualitative inquiry
Will India ever become anaemia-free? – A qualitative inquiry
Which factors influence urban Indian adolescents’ snacking behaviours – A qualitative study
Creating healthy eating schools in India

Publications

Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2016). What influences urban Indian secondary school students' food consumption? A qualitative study. Appetite, 105, 790-797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.07.018
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2017). Food and nutrition education in private Indian secondary schools. Health Education, 117(2), 193-206. https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-04-2016-0017
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2017). Secondary school students’ views of food and nutrition education in Kolkata, India. Health Education, 117(3), 310-322. https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-08-2016-0030
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2017). Food environment and policies in private schools in Kolkata, India. Health Promotion International, 32(2), 340-350. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daw053
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2017). Food consumption patterns of adolescents aged 14-16 years in Kolkata, India. Nutrition Journal. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-017-0272-3
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2018). Urban Indian adolescents practise unhealthy dietary behaviours. British Food Journal, 120(7), 1657-1665. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-09-2017-0510
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2018). Parents’ and teachers’ views of food environments and policies in Indian private secondary schools. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15071532
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2018). Barriers to nutrition promotion in private secondary schools in Kolkata, India: Perspectives of parents and teachers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15061139
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2018). Indian adolescents’ perceptions of the home food environment. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5083-8
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2018). The role of Indian school canteens in nutrition promotion. British Food Journal, 120(1), 196-209. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-05-2017-0275
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2019). Parents’ and teachers’ critique of nutrition education in private Indian secondary schools. Health Education, 119(2), 150-164. https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-11-2018-0054
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2020). Perceptions of eating and food preparation behaviours for urban private school students in India. Child and Adolescent Obesity, 3(1), 42-56. https://doi.org/10.1080/2574254X.2020.1753472
Ronto, R., Rathi, N., Worsley, A., Sanders, T., Lonsdale, C., & Wolfenden, L. (2020). Enablers and barriers to implementation of and compliance with school-based healthy food and beverage policies: A systematic literature review and meta-synthesis. Public Health Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980019004865
Rathi, N., Riddell, L., & Worsley, A. (2020). “Do you think adolescents’ food intake is satisfactory?” – Views of Indian parents and teachers. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.104740
Ronto, R., Nanayakkara, J., Worsley, A., & Rathi, N. (2021). COVID-19 & Culinary behaviours of Australian household food gatekeepers: A qualitative study. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105598
Menon, L., Roy Choudhury, D., Ronto, R., Sengupta, R., Kansal, S., & Rathi, N. (2022). Transformation in culinary behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic: In-depth interviews with food gatekeepers in urban India. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.105948
Kumar, G., Kulkarni, M., & Rathi, N. (2022). Evolving food choices among the urban Indian middle-class: A qualitative study. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.844413/full
Rathi, N., Bhandarkar, R., & Kulkarni, M. (2022). Recreational physical activity in urban India: Perceptions and a pilot intervention. Behaviour Change, 40(2), 133-153. https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2022.9
Rathi, N., Nanayakkara, J., Worsley, A., & Ronto, R. (2022). Exploring cooking skills, food preparation, and quality of dinner meals in Australian households during COVID-19. International Journal of Home Economics, 15(2), 138-150. https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.844887780702477
Kansal, S., Raj, A., Pendapanga, N., Worsley, A., & Rathi, N. (2023). Indian adolescents’ perceptions of packaged food and food labels - A qualitative inquiry. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.106342
Kansal, S., Raj, A., Kumari, S., Worsley, A., & Rathi, N. (2023). How do adolescents classify foods as healthy and unhealthy? A qualitative inquiry from rural India. Journal of Nutritional Science. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2023.101
Rathi, N., Kansal, S., & Worsley, A. (2024). Indian fathers are involved in nurturing healthy behaviours in adolescents: A qualitative inquiry. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-17634-7
Rathi, N., Kansal, S., Raj, A., Pendapanga, N., Joshua, I., & Worsley, A. (2024). Indian adolescents’ perceptions of anaemia and its preventive measures: A qualitative study. Journal of Nutritional Science. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2024.4
Rathi, N., Kansal, S., & Worsley, A. (2024). Indian fathers’ perceptions of young childcare and feeding – A qualitative study. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107404
Rathi, N., Worsley, A., & Bruening, M. (2025). Perceived influences of fruit and vegetable consumption among Indian adolescents – A qualitative inquiry. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21408-0
Rathi, N., Tiwari, P., Kanwar, M., Patel, A., Singh, M., Gupta, K., & Worsley, A. (2025). What influences Indian primary school children's food behaviours? Perceptions of children, mothers and teachers. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22660-0
Vatta, L., Pandey, U., Pandey, A., Yelam, B., & Rathi, N. (2025). Open gyms and physical activity in a university setting: A mixed-methods study from Varanasi, India. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-00916-0
Rathi, N., Singh, B., Singh, M., & Worsley, A. (2025). Household dietary gatekeepers’ perceptions of home cooking and its associated factors: A qualitative inquiry from urban India. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108162
Rathi, N., Worsley, A., & Bruening, M. (2025). Factors that influence snacking behaviors among urban Indian adolescents – a qualitative inquiry. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1637799

Teachings

SKL100 - Food and your life stages (Winter 2026)