The early nutrition programming project (EARNEST)

Project website

Summary

The EARNEST project is a large collaborative investigation into the long-term consequences of early nutrition by metabolic programming. It is funded under the Food Quality and Safety Priority of the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development of the European Community. Coordinated by Professor Koletzko of the Children’s Hospital, University of Munich, in Germany, it brings together a multi-disciplinary team of scientists from 38 institutions in 16 European countries

The project investigates early nutrition programming using an approach which integrates knowledge from randomised controlled trials, prospective observational studies and animal, cellular and molecular techniques. This enables a better understanding of the extent to which nutritional influences in early life can programme a person’s development and metabolism in adulthood. Other aspects of the project include studies to investigate consumer attitudes to early nutrition programming and the economic importance of early nutrition programming.

The University of Surrey is responsible for the part of the project that determines consumer attitudes to issues relating to early nutrition programming. This component has following goals and is carried out in five selected EU countries including England, Finland, Germany, Hungary and Spain.

To collect and analyse early nutrition information and policies from different sectors.
To review the evidence basis of these policy documents on the link between early nutrition and future health in the offspring.
To establish methods of communicating infant feeding advice including early nutrition and later health.
To determine parental understanding of the concept of early nutrition programming.

Funder

EU FP6

Team

Researchers

Professor Monique Raats

Co-Director, Institute for Sustainability; Professor; Director of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre; School of Psychology Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Lead

Biography

I am a founding Co-Director of the University's Institute for Sustainability, and director of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health (FCBH) Research Centre. Together with the university’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, FCBH was awarded the prestigious 2017/2018 Queen’s Anniversary Prize. FCBH research domains include:

food-related behaviour and policy interventions to achieve sustainable and healthy lifestyles;
social, policy and ethical issues relevant to the grand societal challenges such as sustainability and obesity;
study of food systems from the perspective of significant actors and stakeholders within the system; and
methodologically advancing food consumer science through exploring novel data sources and methods of data linking.

I previously worked at the Institute of Food Research (now Quadram Institute), Health Education Authority and University of Oxford. My expertise is in the area of public health and behavioural nutrition research, gained on a variety of projects. My research is wide ranging both in terms of topics covered (e.g. food choice, policy development, food safety) and methodologies used (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, stakeholder consultation). I have also been involved in the evaluation of health promotion programmes and developing tools for use in nutrition education. To date I have published over 145 refereed papers, numerous non-refereed publications including 20 book chapters 20 book chapters and have edited two books ("The Psychology of Food Choice" (2006) and "Food for the Ag(e)ing Population" (1st edition 2009; 2nd edition 2016).

From 2011 until June 2018 I was a member of UK's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and also a member of the Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition (SMCN) from 2012 until June 2018.

I am one of the founding members, member of the Board of Directors (2001-2006) and was secretary (2004-2006) of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. The society was set up to combine interests in diet and physical activity; and to stimulate, promote and advocate innovative research and policy in the area. The society now plays an important role in fostering excellence in research in this field through its annual meetings and journal called the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

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