This bulletin is to keep you up to date with the work of the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR). It is emailed to our academic, practice and policy partners. You can sign up for future Bulletins here.
1. CEDAR Evidence Briefing: supporting physical activity in schools
The first in our series of Evidence Briefings, succinct summaries of our research findings, is now available:
Your views needed. We want to know what you think about this Evidence Briefing and how documents like this can best support decision making within policy and practice.
We know that there can be gaps between the evidence that individual studies are able to generate and the broader information that policy makers and practitioners need to support their decisions.
Some of these gaps can be filled over time by academic research, and other information will need to be brought together by national organisation such as NICE and, in the future, Public Health England. CEDAR is involved in providing evidence to these national bodies. We also feel it is useful to summarise our research as it emerges.
So let us know what you think. Even if you don’t work in this policy or practice area, your views can help us improve future Briefings on other topics.
- Take the survey
- Or send any questions or comments to Oliver Francis on ocf26@medschl.cam.ac.uk
2. Join us for a research translation conference
Our colleagues in the northeast, Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health (www.fuse.ac.uk), are hosting the 3rd Annual Conference for the UKCRC Public Health Research Centres of Excellence. The conference is in Durham on 5 July 2012, and we would like to invite some policy and practice partners to join us.
The conference will be a mixture of plenary and parallel sessions that will explore the theme of Translation of research evidence for public health policy and practice. The day will be followed by a drinks reception and dinner at Durham Castle. Transport and accommodation will be reimbursed.
We have a small number of places available, so if you are interested in joining us, please contact Oliver Francis (ocf26@medschl.cam.ac.uk) for more information by Wednesday 6 June.
3. New online publications database for CEDAR
You can now find CEDAR publications through our new online database: www.cedar.iph.cam.ac.uk/publications
On it you can search over 100 scientific papers by author, journal, CEDAR study, title and abstract keywords. We’re continuing to perfect the features on the database, so please do send any comments or suggestions to ocf26@medschl.cam.ac.uk
Recent publications from CEDAR include:
- Breakfast consumption and daily physical activity patterns in adolescents
- Towards a differentiated understanding of active travel behaviour: using social theory to explore everyday commuting
- Is active travel to non-school destinations associated with physical activity in primary school children?
- Will the recession be bad for our health? It depends
4. CEDAR – read all about us!
CEDAR has been featured in a recent article from Cambridge University Research Horizons magazine: Unhealthy diet and physical inactivity: understanding these silent killers.
You can also read all about a year in CEDAR in our recent brochure. Featuring news, case studies and future plans. The pdf is here, and if you would like any hard copies of this A5 document, please contact Oliver Francis on ocf26@medschl.cam.ac.uk
5. Baby Milk Study gets funding
CEDAR and MRC Epidemiology Unit Researchers have been working with mothers and healthcare professionals to develop a feeding programme which aims to avoid excess weight gain that can occur in formula-milk fed babies.
We are testing our infant feeding programme in a randomised controlled trial, and following a successful pilot period, we have recently been awarded a grant by the National Prevention Research Initiative to recruit 700 babies to the study.
The study recently recruited its 100th family. Many thanks to all those who have supported the study, and all the participant families. If you can help with further recruitment, please contact us on:
- 08007560878 or babymilkstudy@mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk
- Find out more at www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/Research/Studies/BabyMilk
6. Draft NICE Guidance on walking and cycling
NICE is currently consulting on draft guidance on ‘local measures to promote walking and cycling as forms of travel or recreation’. CEDAR members have contributed to the development of this guidance by commenting on the scope or contributing evidence.
NICE are now inviting all registered stakeholders for the above public health intervention guidance to comment on the provisional recommendations until 5pm on 19 June 2012.
Organisations not registered as stakeholders are not able to comment, but there is time for organisations to register as a stakeholder. Read more on the NICE website here.
7. CEDAR / MRC Epidemiology Unit Seminar 6 June: Protective infant feeding practices
Prof Lynne Daniels – Head of School, Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Australia – will be talking about Protective infant feeding practices. A window of opportunity for obesity prevention: The NOURISH RCT.
When: Wednesday 6 June, 2.30pm
Where: MRC Epidemiology Seminar Room, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0SP All are welcome, no booking required.
8. 2013 ISBNPA Conference Satellite Meeting, Cambridge, 26 – 28 May 2013
More than the sum of the parts?
Integration of individual and environmental approaches to changing population-level physical activity behaviour
CEDAR will be hosting a satellite meeting following the main 2013 ISBNPA Meeting in Ghent, Belgium. The satellite meeting will draw together those interested in designing, understanding and evaluating interventions using both individual and environmental approaches.
More information and register interest at www.cedar.iph.cam.ac.uk/isbnpa2013/
9. School for Public Health Research launches with Cambridge Institute as member
In April, the Cambridge Institute for Public Health (CIPH), which hosts CEDAR, became one of eight leading academic centres to begin collaboration as a member of the new National Institute for Health Research School for Public Health Research.
The School will place emphasis on what works practically, can be applied across the whole country and better meets the needs of policy makers, practitioners and the public.
The collaboration aims to support the development of public health by:
- Narrowing the gap between the users and suppliers of research
- Increasing the evidence base for effective public health practice
- Undertaking applied translational research
- Considering local public health needs and evaluating innovative local practices with potential for wider population benefit.
You can read more about the announcement here and about the national initiative here.
One of the first projects to be funded under this scheme is a suite of systematic reviews on the determinants of obesity related dietary and physical activity behaviours in preschool children (0-5 years). This study is currently recruiting a Research Associate in Systematic Reviews. Full details of the position here.
Sign up for future issues here.
Questions and comments to Oliver Francis: ocf26@medschl.cam.ac.uk