In a study carried out at the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science (IMS) Translational Research Facility (TRF) in Cambridge,women with eating disorders were assessed to establish whether stress led to loss of control in eating behaviours. Researchers from the University of Cambridge Department of Psychiatry, supervised by Professor Paul Fletcher and Dr Hisham Ziauddeen – […]

We were very saddened to learn of the death of Sir Paul Cosford on April 5th. Paul was a great supporter of the MRC Epidemiology Unit and had chaired the International Scientific Advisory Group (ISAG) of the UKCRC Centre of Public Health Research Excellence in Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) since its inception. Latterly the […]

An international research team led by scientists at the MRC Epidemiology Unit has used a new approach to combine data from 27 individual population studies and conduct the largest ever investigation of the link between consumption of legumes and type 2 diabetes. A healthy diet is one important way to prevent type 2 diabetes, a […]

  The brain expressed Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) plays a critical role in regulating appetite and weight. Geneticvariants in MC4R represent the commonest monogenic form of severe obesity, being found in up to 6% of the GOOS cohort; over 300 MC4R variants have been identified by teams around the world to date (www.mc4r.org.uk).   In […]

A new study published today in Nature Medicine has identified key risk factors that increase the likelihood of individuals developing not only one but multiple non-communicable diseases, which include cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. The analysis of over 11,000 people found that rather than being due to chance, there are often underlying biological […]

The amount of sugar purchased by households through soft drinks fell by 10% in the year following the introduction of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy. While the volume of soft drinks purchased did not change, the amount of sugar in those drinks was 30g lower per household per week, which the researchers say represents […]

Yesterday the American Diabetes Association (ADA) announced the recipients of the 2021 National Scientific and Health Care Achievement Awards, which “recognize academics, health care providers and educators who have contributed to tangible advances in the field of diabetes care and research. Each of these leaders have unwavering dedication to achieving the mission of the ADA: […]

A detailed analysis of the UK landscape of prevention research has been published by the Medical Research Council (MRC). Here, Professor Nick Wareham, Director of the MRC Epidemiology Unit, Cambridge and Chair of MRC’s Population Health Sciences Group (PHSG); and Dr Gavin Malloch, MRC Programme Manager for Public Health Partnerships, tell us more about why this is […]

Unit scientists Professor Nick Wareham and Professor Martin White were involved in detailed analysis highlighting the need for multi-disciplinary capability for research into whole-system influences on behaviour and public health. Non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease have a huge impact on our quality of life and put pressure on the NHS and other […]

In this article for The Conversation, Unit and CEDAR PhD student Dolly Theis discusses new insights into why successive government’s obesity policies in England over the past three decades have largely failed. In England, 63% of men and women live with obesity or are overweight. Although the government has recognised obesity to be a significant […]