IMS Epidemiology

Cambridge Festival - What does research tell us about maintaining a healthy weight?
2025-04-03 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | Online, United Kingdom
Live NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) webinar for the Cambridge Festival: What does research tell us about maintaining a healthy weight?
Have you ever wondered why some people have a large appetite and never gain weight, while others try to eat healthily but find it difficult to lose the pounds? Can health research unlock the secrets on to how to maintain a healthy weight?
Being overweight is a major health problem in the UK, it is estimated 1 in every 4 adults and around 1 in every 5 children aged 10 to 11 are living with obesity. It can lead to health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, problems with bone health and can increase the risk of some cancers.
Cambridge researchers are working to understanding how overweight affects our health and how we can maintain a healthy balance.
Hear from Professor Nick Wareham, Director of the MRC Epidemiology Unit, Co-Director of the Institute of Metabolic Science, Honorary Consultant at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Cambridge and Dr Amy Ahern, Programme leader & Principal research associate for the prevention of diabetes and related metabolic disorders in high-risk groups. The speakers will discuss their latest research, and you will have a chance to put your questions to the team.
Professor Miles Parkes, Director of the NIHR Cambridge BRC will open the event and will give an overview of how research takes shape on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
This talk is aged for 16+ and all are welcome.
Registration is required, book a free ticket online.

Webinar: Customising Intake24 for your dietary intake research
2025-10-08 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Paris) | Online, United Kingdom
All are invited to the webinar:
Customising Intake24 for your dietary intake research
Wednesday 8 October, 1 PM – 2 PM (UK)
Watch a recording of the webinar (YouTube)
About this webinar
Intake24 is an online, automated dietary recall tool, currently used in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Intake24 has been through a programme of updates to enable easier customisation for research projects and surveys.
In this webinar Polly Page and Toni Steer, along with other members of the Cambridge Intake24 team, will showcase features of the updated version of Intake24 and, using some recent real life projects as case studies, demonstrate what kinds of customisation are possible.
This seminar is aimed at those who are interested in adapting and using Intake24 in their research or survey programmes.
Registration (free) is required: https://mrc-epid.zoom.us/meeting/register/S8ZEmHkdRZC8uBXjce9-jw
Intake24 was originally developed by Newcastle University, initially with funding from Food Standards Scotland and is licenced under the Open Government Licence. Intake24 is developed and maintained by Cambridge and Monash Universities.

Cambridge Festival – The cost-of-living crisis and the first 1,000 days of life
2026-03-26 18:00 UTC | Old Divinity School, St. Johns Street, Cambridge, CB2 1TP, United Kingdom
In this free in-person Cambridge Festival talk, Dr Cara Ruggiero & Dr Marie Spreckley will share insights from the SPROUT study into the impacts of food insecurity during the first 1,000 days of life.
When: 26 March 2026, 6 PM
Where: Old Divinity School, St John’s College, Cambridge CB2 1TP
Register to attend this event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-cost-of-living-crisis-and-the-first-1000-days-of-life-tickets-1865386123109
Overview
Come join us for this Cambridge Festival event at the Old Divinity School, St John’s College, where Dr Cara Ruggiero and Dr Marie Spreckley of the University of Cambridge will share insights from the Supporting Parental Responsive feeding for Optimal Understanding of Thriving Child Development (SPROUT) study.
Food insecurity affects 26% of UK households with children and is associated with childhood obesity. Among children aged 4-5 years, obesity prevalence in the most deprived areas is more than double that in the least deprived areas.
The first 1,000 days of life represent a critical period for preventing obesity and promoting healthy growth. Responsive feeding, defined as parents’ perception, interpretation, and appropriate response to child hunger and fullness cues, supports appetite regulation and healthy development. However, food insecurity may increase the likelihood of nonresponsive feeding practices.
SPROUT is being conducted in partnership with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Healthy Child Programme. This presentation will discuss the lived experiences of parents and healthcare professionals to identify challenges surrounding food insecurity and infant feeding practices.
Findings from this study have the potential to continue the conversation to inform health visiting practice, public health guidance, and policy, ensuring that approaches are contextually relevant and feasible for families experiencing economic hardship.
