MRC Epidemiology UnitThis page contains a number of our evidence submissions to policy bodies and guidance producing organisations. A number are produce by or with the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), a strategic research partnership that was led by the MRC Epidemiology Unit.
If you have questions about these, please contact comms@mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk
On this page
2024
2022
- House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: Food Security – September 2022
- House of Lords Built Environment Committee: Public transport in towns and cities – March 2022
2021
- All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking (APPGCW) – July 2021
- House of Lords inquiry: The long-term impact of the pandemic on towns and cities – June 2021
- Ethnic disparities in the major causes of mortality and their risk factors – a rapid review – April 2021
- House of Lords National Plan for Sport and Recreation Committee – January 2021
2020
- Introducing a total online advertising restriction for products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) – December 2020
- Committee on Food, Poverty, Health and the Environment. Hungry for change: fixing the failures in food – July 2020
2019
- Health and Social Care Committee – Childhood Obesity Follow-Up – October 2019
- Department of Health and Social Care Chief Scientific Advisor – Experts Meeting – March 2019
2018
- House of Commons Transport Committee – Active travel inquiry – October 2018
- DEFRA – The future for food, farming and the environment – May 2018
- Health and Social Care Committee – Childhood Obesity – April 2018
2015-2016
- Committee of Advertising Practice – new food advertisement rules – July 2016
- House of Lords National Policy for the Built Environment Committee Oct 2015
- House of Commons Health Select Committee – Diet & Physical Activity – March 2015
2011-2014
- Transport for London – Cycle Superhighway – November 2014
- All Party Commission on Physical Activity – April 2014
- All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group – April 2013
- NICE Walking & Cycling Guidance – November 2012
- House of Lords Science & Tech Select Committee – Behaviour Change – July 2011
House of Lords Select Committee: Food, Diet and Obesity
October 2024
The Food, Diet and Obesity Committee is appointed to consider the role of foods, such as ‘ultra-processed foods’, and foods high in fat, salt and sugar, in a healthy diet and tackling obesity.
- Evidence submitted by MRC Epidemiology Unit (pdf)
- Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system
- Inquiry homepage
House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: Food Security
September 2022
This inquiry examined the pressures facing the UK food supply chain and its implication of UK food security and public access to access healthy and nutritious food. MRC Epidemiology Unit authors contributed to this submission as part of the Transforming UK Food Systems Programme’s research community, of which the Mandala Consortium is a member.
House of Lords Built Environment Committee: Public transport in towns and cities
March 2022
This inquiry assessed public transport travel trends in towns and cities. It considered the impact of technological and digital developments on travel behaviours, future trends in public transport innovation and how public policy may be shaped in light of these trends. The inquiry also explored the extent to which local authorities are equipped with delivering high-quality public transport services.
All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking (APPGCW)
July 2021
Dr David Ogilvie gave oral evidence to the All Party Group about the government Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 2. (From 00:48)
- All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking website
- APPGCW CWIS2 Inquiry Report: Reaching Our Active Travel Potential – September 2021(pdf)
House of Lords inquiry: The long-term impact of the pandemic on towns and cities
June 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our relationship with towns and cities, and the dynamic within those areas. This inquiry looks at the long-term impact of the pandemic on large towns and smaller cities, concentrating particularly on housing and green spaces, the changing nature of employment and public transport, and the resulting impact on inequality. The Committee is also exploring the potential to develop and implement an innovative vision for the future of towns and cities, especially how we create more equal towns and cities.
- Evidence submitted by CEDAR / MRC Epidemiology Unit (pdf)
- Committee Report, 7 December 2021
- Committee homepage
Ethnic disparities in the major causes of mortality and their risk factors – a rapid review
April 2021
Ethnic disparities in the major causes of mortality and their risk factors in the UK – submission to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. Raghib Ali, Avirup Chowdhury, Nita Forouhi, Nick Wareham. MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge.
House of Lords National Plan for Sport and Recreation Committee
January 2021
The National Plan for Sport and Recreation Committee was appointed to consider the effectiveness of current sport and recreation policies and initiatives, and the case for a national plan for sport and recreation.
The full text of the report, published 10 December 2021:
- PDF version – https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5802/ldselect/ldsportrec/113/113.pdf
- HTML version – https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5802/ldselect/ldsportrec/113/11302.htm
- Committee homepage
Introducing a total online advertising restriction for products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS)
Department of Health and Social Care, and Department For Digital, Culture, Media and Sport consultation – December 2020
House of Lords Committee on Food, Poverty, Health and the Environment
Hungry for change: fixing the failures in food – July 2020
The report of the House of Lords Committee on Food, Poverty, Health and the Environment, published on 6 July 2020, calls upon the Government to end years of inaction and ensure that a healthy, sustainable diet is accessible for everyone.
Health and Social Care Committee
Childhood Obesity Follow-Up 2019
The Health and Social Care Committee followed up on its inquiry (Childhood obesity: Time for action), and its predecessor’s work (Childhood obesity: brave and bold action and Childhood obesity: follow-up) by requesting further evidence on childhood obesity.
The committee invited submissions on assessments of the Government’s progress in introducing measures to tackle childhood obesity; and views on the next steps that the Government should take.
Department of Health and Social Care Chief Scientific Advisor
Experts meeting – March 2019
Evidence submitted to the Chief Scientific Advisor at the Department of Health and Social Care at an our expert meeting at the Wellcome Trust in March 2019.
House of Commons Transport Committee
Active travel inquiry – October 2018
The Committee called for written evidence on benefits and risks of active travel, recent trends in walking and cycling, and what should be done to encourage more active travel.
- Evidence from the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR (pdf)
- Read the final report from the Committee
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
The future for food, farming and the environment – May 2018
DEFRA sought input on the future of agricultural policy in England in the context of Brexit.
House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee
Childhood Obesity Inquiry – April 2018
The Health and Social Care Committee followed up its predecessor’s work in the last Parliament (Childhood obesity: brave and bold action and Childhood obesity: follow-up) by holding further evidence sessions on childhood obesity. Committee Inquiry homepage.
- Evidence from the MRC Epidemiology Unit and CEDAR (pdf)
- Evidence from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) Evaluation, led by CEDAR (pdf)
- Supplementary evidence on takeaways and child obesity, Dr Jean Adams, Dr Thomas Burgoine, Dr Oliver Mytton – CEDAR (pdf)
- Expert testimony given by Dr Jean Adams (panel starts at 17:53:25) and Dr Thomas Burgoine (panel starts at 18:42:16). Watch on Parliament TV.
Read the final report – Childhood Obesity: Time for Action
Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP)
Consultation on new food advertisement rules – July 2016
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) write and maintain the UK Advertising Codes, which are administered by the Advertising Standards Authority. CEDAR responded to their public consultation on introducing new rules on the advertising to children of food and soft drink products in non-broadcast media, including online.
- Written evidence from the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) (pdf)
- Food and soft drink advertising to children consultation and regulatory statement (CAP)
House of Lords National Policy for the Built Environment Committee
Development of national policy – October 2015
The National Policy for the Built Environment Committee was appointed on 11 June 2015 to consider the development and implementation of national policy for the built environment. www.parliament.uk/built-environment
- Written evidence from the MRC Epidemiology Unit and CEDAR (pdf)
- Final report of the Committee, 19 February 2016
House of Commons Health Select Committee
The impact of physical activity and diet on health – March 2015
This inquiry of the House of Commons Select Committee looked at evidence of the impact of diet on health and the most effective way of conveying healthy eating and drinking to the public in order to achieve a more healthy weight, and evidence of the impact of physical activity on health, including its impact independent of weight.
- Physical Activity: written evidence submitted by physical activity research groups at the MRC Epidemiology Unit and CEDAR (pdf)
- Diet: written evidence submitted by nutritional epidemiology and dietary public health research groups at the MRC Epidemiology Unit and CEDAR (pdf)
- Expert testimony given by Prof Nick Wareham (on witness panel with Prof Gillian Leng, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Health and Social Care, NICE & Prof Susan Jebb OBE, Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences). Watch on Parliament TV here (requires Silverlight).
At the expert testimony session, the Committee asked for follow-up information on two specific areas of interest:
- What would be the most effective ways of promoting physical activity in young people? (pdf)
- What is the evidence base for various fiscal measures? (with Prof Susan Jebb, University of Oxford) (pdf)
- Final Report: Impact of physical activity and diet on health (18 March 2015)
- Select Committee inquiry homepage
- Government response to the Report (16 July 2015)
Transport for London
London Cycle Superhighway Consultation – November 2014
- CEDAR submission – to both the consultation on the East-West Cycle Superhighway and the North-South Cycle Superhighway (pdf)
- Transport for London cycling website
All-Party Commission on Physical Activity
Tackling Physical Inactivity, a Coordinated Approach – April 2014
The All Party Commission on Physical Activity was set up in response to the Designed to Move report (pdf) and the “the need for action to end the physical inactivity epidemic in the UK”.
- CEDAR/MRC Epidemiology Unit submission 1: adult and child physical activity (pdf)
- CEDAR/MRC Epidemiology Unit submission 2: active travel physical activity (pdf)
- Commission Report: Tackling Physical Inactivity – A Coordinated Approach (pdf)
All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group (APPCG)
Get Britain Cycling – April 2013
The All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group (APPCG) conducted an inquiry in looking at the state of cycling in Britain.
- Submission from the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) (pdf)
- Get Britain Cycling report (pdf)
- Group website: http://allpartycycling.org/
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
Guidance on Walking and Cycling – November 2012
- Expert testimony submission from Dr David Ogilvie and Dr Jenna Panter (pdf)
- NICE Guidance on Walking and Cycling (PH41)
House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee
Behaviour change report – July 2011
The purpose of this inquiry was to consider whether the Government’s approach to behaviour change was effective and whether it could be improved.