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Tormod Bjørkkjær

Associate Professor

 
Office:
I1044 ( Universitetsveien 25, Kristiansand )
Office hours:
08:00-16:00

My main research focus is on the impact of food and meals related to universal arenas such as kindergartens and schools, and higher education. Within the school, I have special responsibility for the school subject Food and Health (Home Economics) within the prioritized research center Lifecourse nutrition, which focuses on food and nutrition from early development.

In the period 1st August 2023 to 31st July 2027, I am a faculty member of the Equality and Inclusion Committee (LiU) at UiA. Furthermore, I am second deputy on the faculty board for the Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences in the period 1st January 2024 to 31st July 2027.

 

Research interests

I research on the role of food and meals, especially in kindergartens, schools and higher education. This includes mapping, designing interventions, user participation, implementation and evaluation of outcomes and process. Furthermore, I research on teaching practices in Food and Health (Home Economics) in primary and lower secondary school, as well as the importance of formal competence in Food and Health subject, and interdisciplinarity related to the subject renewal in school. All the above relates to public health efforts connected to different target groups in important universal arenas that reach many.

Among other things, we have shown an untapped potential in kindergarten, where one-year-olds accept the introduction of vegetables through the Pre-schoolers’ Food Courage intervention. Experiences show that this surprises and positively affects the kindergarten employees' practices and their preconceptions. This can have long-term public health effects. Pre-schoolers’  Food Courage is part of the implementation project Nutrition Now, where I am the work package leader for data management.

In Nutrition Now project, evidence-based digital dietary interventions are implemented, for example in the kindergarten sector. Furthermore, I am a co-supervisor in the PhD project Skills for life, a dietary course for students in higher education.

In the Nordic networks LEARNFOOD and FENN, the focus is on sharing experiences on school meals and food education through Food and Health in school, respectively.

Among other things, I lead the PhD project TEACHFOOD, which examines teaching practices in year 9 in Food and Health related to the core elements health-promoting diet and sustainable diet.

 

Courses and teaching

I teach on Public Health Science, Bachelor's programme and supervise master students in Public Health Science. I supervise on PhD-level in public health specialization at the faculty. I also teach on Master's level in Food and Health (Home Economics) and food and meals for primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education.

Work experience

01.03.19-dd: Associate Professor of Nutrition, Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences, UiA (changed name from Department of Public Health, Sports and Nutrition in 2019). Temporary position in the period 1st August 2016 to 31st July 2017.

01.08.13-28.02.19: Associate Professor of Food and Health, Department of Sports, Nutrition and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Teacher Education, Culture and Sports, University of Western Norway (HVL, formerly Bergen University College)

01.01.12-31.07.13: Subject coordinator Evje clinic (obesity lifestyle clinic)

01.10.03-30.06.13: Researcher National Institute for Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES, now Institute of Marine Research). In the period 01.10.03-31.12.04 I was a junior researcher, and in the period 01.01.05-31.12.08 I was a PhD fellow with workplace NIFES (affiliated to the Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, as well as Haukeland University Hospital)

 

 

Academic interests

Teaching practice in the school subject food and health

The importance of competence in the school subject of Food and Health

Food and meal practices in the kindergarten

School lunches and after-school meals

Children's food courage

Food and learning

Healthy and sustainable diet

Changing habits – mapping, interventions and implementation

Projects

Lifecourse Nutrition - responsible for research related to the school subject Food and Health

Projects: 

Nutrition Now 

LEARNFOOD 2

TEACHFOOD - TEACHing practices, learning processes and food competence in the school subject FOOD and health

Food Education Network North (FENN) 

Competence needs for Food and Health 

Food and Health in the future primary and lower secondary school 2

Skills for life 

 

Selected publications

·       Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Øverby, Nina Cecilie (2023). Betydningen av mat og måltider for læring i grunnskolen. Læring gennem mad og måltider i grundskolen Teori og praksis fra Danmark, Sverige og Norge. ISBN: 9788202797744. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. Kapitel 3.2. s 215 - 235.

·       Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Palojoki, Päivi; Beinert, Cecilie (2023). Harnessing the untapped potential of food education in schools: Nurturing the school subject Food and Health. Maternal & Child Nutrition. ISSN: 1740-8695. doi:10.1111/mcn.13521.

·       Helland, Sissel Heidi; Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Blomkvist, Eli Anne Myrvoll; Hillesund, Elisabet Rudjord; Strømmer, Sofia; Barker, Mary Elizabeth; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2021). Wow! They really like celeriac! Kindergarten teachers' experiences of an intervention to increase 1-year-olds' acceptance of vegetables. Appetite. ISSN: 0195-6663. 166doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105581.

 

General outreach

Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Vik, Frøydis Nordgård. Nordic nutrition recommendations and future dietary advice. Commentary from Norway with focus on dietary advice and further process. Learnfood 2 webinar; 2023-11-08

Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Palojoki, Päivi; Beinert, Cecilie. Is it about time to take food competence seriously? Fædrelandsvennen, 2023-09-07

Korslund, Silje; Hansen, Bjørge Herman; Bjørkkjær, Tormod. Unhealthy health behaviors in Agder County. Fædrelandsvennen, 2023-05-11

Aadland, Eli Kristin; Bjørkkjær, Tormod. Which frame factors impact the implementation of school lunch in primary and secondary school? Learnfood 1 webinar; 2023-04-25

Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Øverby, Nina Cecilie. Which impact does food and meals have for learning in primary and lower secondary school? Learnfood 1 webinar; 2023-04-25.

Scientific publications

  • Helland, Sissel Heidi; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Vejrup, Kristine; Øverby, Nina Cecilie (2024). Enhancing core components for a digital “healthy eating” resource in early childhood and care settings: staff’s perceptions and needs. BMC Public Health. ISSN: 1471-2458. 24doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20456-2.
  • Osorio, Natalie Garzon; Vik, Frøydis Nordgård; Helle, Christine; Hillesund, Elisabet Rudjord; Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Helland, Sissel Heidi; Love, Penelope; Barker, Mary Elizabeth; Van Daele, Wim; Abel, Marianne Hope; Rutter, Harald Roderick; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Gebremariam, Mekdes; Lian, Henrik; Medin, Anine Christine (2024). Implementing an early-life nutrition intervention through primary healthcare: staff perspectives. BMC Health Services Research. ISSN: 1472-6963. 24 (1). doi:10.1186/s12913-024-11582-z.
  • Medin, Anine Christine; Vik, Frøydis Nordgård; Helle, Christine; Helland, Sissel Heidi; Wills, Andrew Keith; Osorio, Natalie Garzon; Lian, Henrik; Iveland Ersfjord, Torunn; van Daele, Wim; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Valen, Erlend Larsen; Gebremariam, Mekdes; Grasaas, Erik; Kiland, Charlotte; von Thiele Schwarz, Ulrica; Hope Abel, Marianne; Love, Penny; Campbell, Karen; Rutter, Harry; Barker, Mary Elizabeth; Hillesund, Elisabet Rudjord; Øverby, Nina Cecilie (2024). Scaling up evidence-based digital early life nutrition interventions in a county setting: an implementation trial – protocol for Phase 2 of the Nutrition Now project. Frontiers in Public Health. ISSN: 2296-2565. 11doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1326787.
  • Korslund, Silje Bjørnerud; Hansen, Bjørge Hermann; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2023). Association between sociodemographic determinants and health behaviors, and clustering of health risk behaviors among 28,047 adults: a cross-sectional study among adults from the general Norwegian population. BMC Public Health. ISSN: 1471-2458. 23 (1). doi:10.1186/s12889-023-15435-y.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Øverby, Nina Cecilie (2023). Betydningen av mat og måltider for læring i grunnskolen. Læring gennem mad og måltider i grundskolen Teori og praksis fra Danmark, Sverige og Norge. ISBN: 9788202797744. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. Kapitel 3.2. s 215 - 235.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Palojoki, Päivi; Beinert, Cecilie (2023). Harnessing the untapped potential of food education in schools: Nurturing the school subject Food and Health. Maternal & Child Nutrition. ISSN: 1740-8695. doi:10.1111/mcn.13521.
  • Aadland, Eli Kristin; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2023). Rammefaktorenes påvirkning for gjennomføring av skolelunsj i norske skoler. Læring gennem mad og måltider i grundskolen Teori og praksis fra Danmark, Sverige og Norge. ISBN: 9788202797744. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. kapittel 3.1. s 193 - 214.
  • Helland, Sissel Heidi; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Grasaas, Erik; Øverby, Nina Cecilie (2022). Staff feeding practices, food neophobia, and educational level in early education and care settings: A cross-sectional study. Appetite. ISSN: 0195-6663. 180doi:10.1016/j.appet.2022.106379.
  • Valand, Ida Ulrikke; Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Strömmer, Sofia; Barker, Mary Elizabeth; Bjornes, Camilla; Nordli, Julie; Pettersen, Line; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Vik, Frøydis Nordgård; Kiland, Charlotte; Hillesund, Elisabet Rudjord (2022). “It is really just brilliant to get credits for something that is so important to you!” Skills for Life: University students’ perceptions of a planned dietary life skills course. PLOS ONE. ISSN: 1932-6203. 17 (4). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0260890.
  • Engeset, Dagrun; Beinert, Cecilie; Ask, Anne Merete Selvik; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2021). Food and health teachers’ experience of online teaching of a practical school subject during the initial Corona lockdown. International Journal of Home Economics. ISSN: 1999-561X. 14 (2). s 39 - 52.
  • Helland, Sissel Heidi; Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Blomkvist, Eli Anne Myrvoll; Hillesund, Elisabet Rudjord; Strømmer, Sofia; Barker, Mary Elizabeth; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2021). Wow! They really like celeriac! Kindergarten teachers' experiences of an intervention to increase 1-year-olds' acceptance of vegetables. Appetite. ISSN: 0195-6663. 166doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105581.
  • Valand, Ida Ulrikke; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2020). Impact of Adizes’ Team Roles on Collaboration, Disagreements and Success in Student Enterprises – Teamwork Pedagogy in Higher Education. Journal of the International Society for Teacher Education. ISSN: 1029-5968. 23 (2).
  • Wergedahl, Hege; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2019). Skolen som matlandskap. Mat og helse i grunnskolelærerutdanningene. ISBN: 9788245032901. Fagbokforlaget. 5. s 71 - 84.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Bere, Elling Tufte (2019). Strategier i skolen for helsefremmende kosthold hos barn og unge. Mat og helse i grunnskolelærerutdanningene. ISBN: 9788245032901. Fagbokforlaget. 9. s 129 - 142.
  • Araujo, Pedro; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Frøyland, Livar; Waagbø, Rune (2017). Effect of storage time, temperature, antioxidant and thawing on fatty acid composition of plasma, serum and red blood cells – A pilot biobank study. Clinical Biochemistry. ISSN: 0009-9120. 52s 94 - 105. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2017.10.004.
  • Fossgard, Eldbjørg; Wergedahl, Hege; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Holthe, Asle (2018). School lunch ‐ Children's space or teachers’ governmentality? A study of 11‐year‐olds’ experiences with and perceptions of packed lunches and lunch breaks in Norwegian primary schools. International Journal of Consumer Studies. ISSN: 1470-6423. s 1 - 9. doi:10.1111/ijcs.12501.
  • Dahl, Lisbeth; Kringen, Camilla; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2011). A short food frequency questionnaire to assess intake of seafood and n-3 supplements: validation with biomarkers. Nutrition Journal. ISSN: 1475-2891. 10doi:10.1186/1475-2891-10-127.
  • Reme, Silje Endresen; Tveito, Torill Helene; Chalder, Trudie; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Indahl, Aage; Brox, Jens Ivar; Fors, Egil Andreas; Hagen, Eli Molde; Eriksen, Hege Randi (2011). Protocol for the Cognitive Interventions and Nutritional Supplements (CINS) trial: A randomized controlled multicenter trial of a brief intervention (BI) versus a BI plus cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) versus nutritional supplements for patients with long-lasting muscle and back pain. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. ISSN: 1471-2474. 12 (1). doi:10.1186/1471-2474-12-152.
  • Gregersen, Kine; Lind, Ragna; Valeur, Jørgen; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Berstad, Arnold; Lied, Gülen Arsland (2010). Duodenal administered seal oil for patients with subjective food hypersensitivity: an explorative open pilot study. International Journal of General Medicine. ISSN: 1178-7074. 3s 383 - 392. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S13013.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Araujo, Hernandez Pedro W; Madland, Tor Magne; Berstad, Arnold; Frøyland, Livar (2009). A randomized double blind comparison of short-term duodenally administrated whale and seal blubber oils in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and joint pain. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. ISSN: 0952-3278. doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2009.07.005.
  • Gregersen, Kine; Lind, Ragna; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Frøyland, Livar; Berstad, Arnold; Lied, Gülen Arsland (2008). Effects of seal oil on meal-induced symptoms and gastric accommodation in patients with subjective food hypersensitivity. A pilot study. Clinical Medicine : Gastroenterology. ISSN: 1178-119X. 1s 33 - 41.
  • Araujo, Hernandez Pedro W; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Berstad, Arnold; Frøyland, Livar (2007). Improved quantification of prostaglandins in biological samples by optimizing simultaneously the relationship eicosanoid/internal-standard and using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. ISSN: 0952-3278. doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2007.04.007.
  • Arslan, Gülen; Erichsen, Kari; Milde, Anne Marita; Helgeland, Lars Inge; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Frøyland, Livar; Berstad, Arnold (2007). No Protection against DSS-induced Colitis by Short-term Pretreatment with Seal or Fish Oils in Rats. Integrative Medicine Insights. ISSN: 1177-3936. 2s 25 - 34.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Brun, Johan G; Valen, Merete; Arslan, Gülen; Lind, Ragna; Brunborg, Linn Anne Bjelland; Berstad, Arnold; Frøyland, Livar (2006). Lipids in health and disease. Lipids in Health and Disease. ISSN: 1476-511X. 5doi:10.1186/1476-511X-5-6.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Brun, Johan G; Valen, Merete; Arslan, Gülen; Lind, Ragna Anne; Brunborg, Linn Anne Bjelland; Berstad, Arnold; Frøyland, Livar (2006). Short-term duodenal seal oil administration normalised n-6 to n-3 fatty acid ratio in rectal mucosa and ameliorated bodily pain in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Lipids in Health and Disease. ISSN: 1476-511X. 5 (6). doi:10.1186/1476-511X-5-6.
  • Madland, Tor Magne; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Brunborg, Linn Anne Bjelland; Frøyland, Livar; Berstad, Arnold; Brun, Johan G (2006). Subjective improvement in patients with psoriatic arthritis after short-term oral treatment with seal oil. A pilot study with double blind comparison to soy oil. Journal of Rheumatology. ISSN: 0315-162X. 33 (2). s 307 - 310.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2004). Reduced joint pain after short-term duodenal administration of seal oil in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: comparison with soy oil. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. ISSN: 0036-5521. 39s 1088 - 1094.
  • Guttormsen, Vigdis; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Aadland, Eli Kristin (2024). A teacher's reason for taking formal education in home economics.
  • Vedøy, Ingeborg Barth; Hausmann, Frøydis; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2023). Kjernekompetanseområder bachelor i folkehelse/folkehelsearbeid.
  • Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Vik, Frøydis Nordgård (2023). Nordiske næringsstoff-anbefalinger og kommende kostråd. Kommentar fra Norge med fokus på kostråd og prosess videre.
  • Valand, Ida Ulrikke; Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Kiland, Charlotte; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Bjornes, Camilla; Nordli, Julie; Pettersen, Line; Vik, Frøydis Nordgård; Hillesund, Elisabet Rudjord (2023). The development of course content for a dietary life skills course targeting students – co-creation with future users.
  • Helland, Sissel Heidi; Bjørkkjær, Tormod; Vejrup, Kristine; Øverby, Nina Cecilie (2023). Facilitators and barriers related to the forthcoming implementation of a web-based “healthy eating” resource to support ECEC staff: A qualitative interview study with teachers.
  • Aadland, Eli Kristin; Bjørkkjær, Tormod (2023). Hvilke rammefaktorer påvirker gjennomføring av skolelunsj i skolen?.

Last changed: 12.03.2024 10:03