Prevention and treatment of chronic diseases

Testing physical activity and weight management interventions to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases.

Most of the population are overweight, do not complete enough physical activity each week and sit for long periods every day, which increases the risk of developing non-communicable diseases and dying prematurely. Our focus is to save as many lives as possible through our pioneering world class research.

We are conducting world leading research that is testing health behaviour interventions to prevent and mange diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and mental illness.

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Theme lead

Kajal Gokal

Dr Kajal Gokal

Senior Research Associate (Snacktivity)

Research spotlights

Maintaining physical activity

Upstanding GPs

Snacktivity: public opinions

Weight management in primary care

Physical activity in young people during cancer treatment

2023

  • Langworthy E, Gokal K, Kettle VE, Daley A. Effects of physical activity interventions on physical activity and health outcomes in young people during treatment for cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2023. DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001466

2022

  • Madigan CD, Graham H, Sturgiss E, Kettle V, Gokal K, Biddle GJH, Daley AJ. Effectiveness of weight management interventions in adults delivered by primary care practitioners: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ 2022. DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2021-069719

  • Gokal K, Amos-Hirst R, Moakes CA et al. Views of the public about Snacktivity™: a small changes approach to promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour. BMC Public Health. 2022. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13050-x

  • Biddle GJH, Thomas N, Edwardson CL, Clemes SA, Daley AJ. The views of general practitioners about using sit-stand desks: An observational study. BJGP Open. 2022. DOI: 10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0203

  • Kettle V, Madigan CD, Coombe A, Graham H, Thomas JJC, Chalkley AE, Daley AJ. Effectiveness of physical activity interventions delivered or prompted by health professionals in primary care settings: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. The BMJ. 2022. DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2021-068465

  • Howick J, Koletsi D, Ioannidis JPA, Madigan CD, Pandis N, Loef M, Walach H, Sauer S,  Kleijnen J,  Seehra J, Johnson T, Schmidt S. Most healthcare interventions tested in Cochrane Reviews are not effective according to high quality evidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.04.017

  • Milton K, Poole K, Cross A, Gasson S, Gokal K, Lyons K, Pulsford R, Jones A. 'People don't get cancer, families do': Co-development of a social physical activity intervention for people recently affected by a cancer diagnosis. European journal of cancer care. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13573

2021

  • Tyldesley‑Marshall N, Greenfield SM, Parretti HM, Gokal K, Greaves C, Jolly K, Maddison R, Daley AJ, Snacktivity™ Study Team. Snacktivity™ to promote physical activity: A qualitative study. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2021. DOI 10.1007/s12529-021-10040-y

  • Oakley-Girvan I, Watterson JL, Jones C, Houghton LC, Gibbons MP, Gokal K, Magsamen-Conrad K. Use of Social Media for Cancer Prevention Through Neighborhood Social Cohesion: Protocol for a Feasibility Study. JMIR research protocols, 2021. DOI: 10.2196/28147

  • Houghton LC, Gibbons MP, Shekelle J, Oakley-Girvan I, Watterson JL, Magsamen-Conrad K, Jones C, Gokal K. Free Time For Wellness: a co-designed intervention utilizing social networks to encourage physical activity for cancer prevention among low resourced mothers. BMC Public Health, 2021. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11775-9

  • Sanders JP, Biddle SJ, Gokal K, Sherar LB, Skrybant M., Parretti HM, Ives N, Yates T, Mutrie N, Daley AJ and Snacktivity Study Team, 2021. ‘Snacktivity™’to increase physical activity: Time to try something different?. Preventive Medicine, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106851

  • Kettle VE, Hamer M, Munir F, Houdmont J, Wilson K, Kerr R, Addley K, Sherar LB, Clemes SA, Cross-sectional associations between domain-specific sitting time and other lifestyle health behaviours: the Stormont study, Journal of Public Health. 2021. DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdab298

  • Daley AJ, Bleich SN. Should physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) labelling be introduced on food labels and menus to reduce excessive calorie consumption? Issues and opportunities. Preventive Medicine. 2021.  DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106813 

  • Graham HE, Madigan CD, Daley AJ. Is a small change approach for weight management effective? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Obesity Reviews 2021. DOI: 10.1111/obr.13357 

  • Madigan CD, Fong M, Howick J, Kettle V, Rouse P, Hamilton L, Roberts N, Gomersall SR, Daley AJ. Effectiveness of interventions to maintain physical activity behavior (device-measured): Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Obesity Reviews 2021; e13304. DOI: 10.1111/obr.13304

  • Fulton EA, Newby K, Kwah K, Schumacher L, Gokal K, Jackson LJ, Naughton F, Coleman T, Owen A, Brown KE. A digital behaviour change intervention to increase booking and attendance at Stop Smoking Services: the MyWay feasibility RCT. NIHR Journals Library. 2021. DOI: 10.3310/phr09050

2020

  • Daley AJ, McGee E, Bayliss S, Coombe A, Parretti HM. Effects of physical activity calorie equivalent food labelling to reduce food selection and consumption: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2020;74:269-275. DOI: 10.1136/jech-2019-213216

  • Stamatakis E, Huang BH, Maher C, Thøgersen-Ntoumani C, Stathi A, Dempsey PC, Johnson N, Holtermann A, Chau JY, Sherrington C, Daley AJ, Hamer M, Murphy MH, Tudor-Locke C, Gibala MJ. Untapping the health enhancing potential of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA): rationale, scoping review, and a 4-pillar research framework. Sports Medicine 2020. DOI: 10.1007/s40279-020-01368-8

  • Jolly K, Griffin T, Sidhu M, Adab P, Burgess A, Collins C, Daley AJ, Entwistle A, Frew E, Hardy P, Hurley K, Jones L, McGee E, Pallan M, Sun Y, Young M, Morgan P. A weight management programme for fathers of children aged 4–11 years: cultural adaptation and the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids UK feasibility RCT.  Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2020. DOI: 10.3310/phr08020

  • Piernas C, Aveyard P, Lee C, Tsiountsioura M, Noreik M, Astbury NM, Oke J, Madigan C, Jebb SA. Evaluation of an intervention to provide brief support and personalized feedback on food shopping to reduce saturated fat intake (PC-SHOP): A randomized controlled trial. PLoS Med. 2020;17(11):e1003385. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003385

  • McLeod CJ, James LJ & Witcomb GL. Eating rate and food intake are reduced when a food is presented in an ‘unusual’ meal context. Appetite, 2020;154,104799. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104799

  • McLeod CJ, James LJ, Brunstrom JM, & Witcomb GL. The influence of expected satiety on portion size selection is reduced when food is presented in an ‘unusual’ meal context. Appetite 2020;147, 104550. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104550

  • McLeod CJ, James LJ & Witcomb GL. Food-to-mealtime associations influence food selection in a UK-based sample. Arch Nutri Food Sci, 2020 1(1), 15-19. DOI: 10.46439/nutrition.1.004

2019

  • Graham J, Tudor K, Jebb SA, Lewis A, Tearne S, Adab P, Begh R, Jolly K, Daley AJ, Farley A, Lycett D, Nickless A, Aveyard P. The equity impact of brief opportunistic interventions to promote weight loss in primary care: secondary analysis of the BWeL randomised trial.  BMC Medicine 2019;17:51. DOI: 10.1186/s12916-019-1284-y

  • Griffin T, Sun Y, Sidhu M, Adab P, Burgess A, Collins C, Daley AJ, Entwistle A, Frew E, Hardy P, Hurley K, Jones L, McGee E, Pallan M, Young M, Morgan P, Jolly K.  Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids UK, a weight management programme for fathers: feasibility RCT. BMJ Open 2019;10;9:e033534. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033534

     

  • Fulton E, Newby K, Gokal K, Kwah K, Schumacher L, Jackson LJ, Naughton F, Coleman T, Brown K. Tailored digital behaviour change intervention with e-referral system to increase attendance at NHS stop smoking services (the MyWay project): study protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial. BMJ open. 2019 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028721

Weight management in primary care

Sedentary behaviour and unhealthy lifestyle habits

Can a Snacktivity approach to physical activity reduce future risk of disease?

GPs to trial standing desks to encourage physical activity

Three ways behavioural psychology can help you lose weight

  • Snacktivity™ to promote physical activity. Funded by NIHR. Led by Amanda Daley.
  • Integrating physical activity into routine cancer care. Led by Kajal Gokal.
  • The effectiveness of the small change approach for weight management. Led by Henrietta Graham.
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