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Wolfson Institute of Population Health
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  4. Research & Action on Salt & Obesity

Research & Action on Salt & Obesity

 

UNIT LEAD - Dr. Kawther Hashem

The Research & Action on Salt & Obesity (RASO) unit conducts translational research to reduce calories, salt, sugar, and saturated fat consumption across the whole population, aiming to prevent major noncommunicable diseases at scale. We improve population health and food environments through research that drives policy change, industry reformulation, public awareness, and advocacy.

The Unit hosts the Action on Salt, Action on Sugar, World Action on Salt, Sugar and Health and Blood Pressure UK charities, which amplify the reach and impact of our research beyond academia.

Impact

RASO's findings have been instrumental in the development and implementation of the UK's salt reduction and obesity prevention programmes, which are now being adopted internationally.

Our work has shaped UK government policy, influenced major food industry reformulation, and raised public awareness of the links between diet and noncommunicable disease.

Global Reach

The Unit has carried out research and supported public health policies to reduce salt intake in several low- and middle-income countries, including China and Malaysia, as well as through the WHO Eastern Mediterranean and South East Asian Regional Offices.

Team

  • Dr Kawther Hashem, Unit Lead and Senior Lecturer in Public Health Nutrition & NIHR Advanced Fellow
  • Mina Maallah, PhD student 
  • Emily Naish, PhD student

 

CONTACT - 

Dr Kawther Hashem, k.hashem@qmul.ac.uk 

Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Charterhouse Square, EC1M 6BQ

Research Areas

  • Reducing salt, sugar, and saturated fat to prevent noncommunicable diseases
  • Prevention and treatment of raised blood pressure
  • Food industry reformulation and regulatory policy
  • Public health nutrition in low- and middle-income countries

Research Projects

SINC

Sugar INtake in Children

This advanced fellowship explores how public health policies have directly or indirectly resulted in food reformulation to reduce the sugar and calorie content of the main food contributors to sugar intake in children and young people in the UK.

Funder: NIHR Advanced Fellowship

www.fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR303600

 

SLASH

Sierra Leone Research and Action on Salt and Hypertension

This project brings together expert academic teams and wider stakeholders to develop, implement, and evaluate policy interventions to reduce salt intake and prevent high blood pressure in Sierra Leone.

Funder: MRC

www.gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=UKRI2303

 

WECAN

Comprehensive Workplace Intervention for Cancer Prevention in China

This project adapts evidence-based workplace health promotion strategies to prevent and control cancer, developing a scalable model for China.

Funder: MRC

gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR%2FW023857%2F1

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