Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Preparing a special series on epidemiological modelling to progress obesity research and inform obesity policy.

On Monday and Tuesday, November 15 and 16 a group of scientists got together in London at the Welcome Trust conference center, guided by the editors of the Lancet, and supported by the National Heart Forum, to prepare a special series in the Lancet journal on the progress in obesity epidemic and policy research enables by the development and use of epidemiological modelling. This special series will be similar to the one on chronic disease that was recently published in the journal.

The authors of the draft papers were there as well as invited reviewers, to present and comment upon the draft papers and discuss the further development of the special series. I was invited to review on of the four papers. Of course, because the papers are still in a preliminary state, no details on the content of the papers can be shared here. But the series will probably make an important contribution to informing clinicians, public health professionals, policy makers, as well as the general public about epidemiological modelling contributing to better evidence-based obesity policies.