2022: NIHR: A syndemic approach to the prevention of diet- and physical activity-related NCDs (GDAR SPACES) – Global Health Research Group on Diet and Activity (GDAR) - Dr. Georgiana Gordon-Strachan

The Global Diet and Activity Research Network (GDAR) was established in 2017 its work aims to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) a growing cause of death in Lower and Middle-Income Countries. The network’s research focuses on unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, two important NCD risk factors. The proposed work builds on an existing body of work in GDAR 1 which explored how policy, community and commercial systems shape diet and physical activity environments and behaviours in LMIC’s.

GDAR SPACES considers the risks of urbanization and climate change and their effect on diet and physical activity. These risks are referred to as syndemic hazards, the interaction of urbanisation, climate change, and diet and physical activity behaviours is one example. This project will use the syndemic approach to develop interventions that will work in two ways: first by reducing the exposure of individuals in cities and second by reducing the vulnerability of the wider built and food environments to these hazards.

The project, led by The University of Cambridge and funded by the NIHR UK, will be conducted in Cameroon, South Africa, Kenya and Jamaica, Nigeria, and Brazil and will be done in collaboration with UN Habitat.

Investigators: Principal Investigator (Jamaica): Georgiana Gordon-Strachan. Co-Investigators: Joanne Smith, Natalie Guthrie-Dixon, Marshall Tulloch-Reid, Trevor Ferguson, Suzanne Soares-Wynter.

Sponsor: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute of Health and Research (UK)