Professor Pinki Sahota from the Association for the Study of Obesity

1. Using Big Data to Tackle Obesity
Perspective from the ASO
Pinki Sahota
Professor of Nutrition and Childhood Obesity
Chair of the Association for the Study of Obesity

2. The UK Association for the Study
of Obesity (ASO)
• ASO is the UK's foremost organisation dedicated to the
understanding, prevention and treatment of obesity.
• Founded in 1967, the first such organisation worldwide and is
affiliated to the European (EASO) and The World Obesity
Federation (WOF)
• Organised the 1st International Congress on Obesity, held in
London in 1974 and the 2nd European Congress on Obesity, held in
Oxford in 1989.
• Founding body of the International Journal of Obesity.

3. ASO Mission
The ASO aims to develop an
understanding of obesity through the
pursuit of excellence in research and
education, the facilitation of contact
between individuals and organisations,
and the promotion of action to prevent
and treat obesity.

4. The objectives of ASO are to:
 Promote the professional awareness of obesity and its impact on health
 Educate and disseminate recent research on the causes, consequences,
treatment, and prevention of obesity
 Provide opinion leadership on obesity in the UK
 Enhance understanding of prevention and treatment of obesity throughout the
UK
 Forge links between individuals and organisations concerned with the study of
obesity throughout the UK
 Connect active researchers and practitioners from diverse disciplines who
contribute to the development of an evidence-based UK perspective on obesity.
 Provide appropriate input on the UK perspective at a European and
international level through EASO and the World Obesity Federation

5. Membership
wide range of professions:
• Clinicians – surgeons, GP’s
• scientists, researchers, early career researchers
• allied health professionals working in the field of
obesity research and education,
• psychologists
• opinion leaders and advocacy groups,
• Commercial weight management companies
• Food industry
• Policy makers

6. Current ASO activities
• Conferences: national conferences to broaden awareness
and disseminate current research on the causes,
consequences, treatment and prevention of obesity.
• In 2014, the ASO established the UK Congress on Obesity
(UKCO).
• Regional groups: network of 9 regional groups throughout
the UK that successfully link researchers and practitioners in
the field of obesity.
• Consultations and media: ASO Trustees and members
provide expert input to policies, guidance e.g. NICE, DH,
consultations and media responses
• Awards: The ASO operates a range of award schemes to
celebrate the best in obesity research and practice.

7. ASO and the Strategic Network for
Obesity
How are activities aligned?
• Bring together established researchers including early career
researchers from across the UK to develop novel and innovative
research opportunities.
• Aim to answer fundamental questions about the aetiology of
obesity which could then be applied to prevention, early
identification, improved service development and targeted
treatment approaches.
• Aim to involve a range of stakeholders e.g. industry, charities and
the public sector to inform and conduct applied and policy relevant
research.

8. ASO Adult COM’s Network
Those working in adult obesity – providing services, research
Opportunity to
• network
• share good practice
• develop and deliver multidisciplinary training
• Research collaborations
• Start to mapping of services across the UK – first time!
• Data on obesity treatment sites; who accessed by, outcomes etc.
• Launch in London 2nd Dec 2015

9. Standard Evaluation Framework
• To evaluate obesity treatment programmes
• Data not centralised
• current programme providers
• Local authorities
Centralising data would provide a wealth of data on
• effectiveness of current interventions; programme reach etc.
• Inform intervention improvement/developments
• inform planning, commissioning or decommissioning of services

10. Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action on
obesity in England (Oct 2011)
“a sustained downward trend in the level of excess weight in
children by 2020”
• Responsibility Deal - Unites
food industry, government
Calorie reduction pledge - by 5
billion calories (kcal) a day
• Reformulation: Recipe/
menu changes,
• Portion size
• Development of lower
calorie options; e.g. 99
kcal chocolate bars
• Encouraging consumers to
choose healthier options:
• Impact evaluation – no
change in consumption
patterns
• Voluntary!
Access to:
• food industry data
• consumer purchasing data
• demographic data
• prevalence data

11. Big Data and Obesity
• provide obesity-related health intelligence from a variety of sources to local
authorities; NHS policy makers; health professionals to provide:
• better understanding of the obesity epidemic and the risk factors
(behavioural, cultural, social, environmental, physical, etc)
• a breadth of knowledge in understanding of obesity at national and local
geographical areas
• In depth understanding of obesogenic environmental factors
• Integration of health and urban/local planning decisions – supportive
environment

12. Big Data and Obesity
• Awareness of existing services and gaps
• Highlight opportunities for obesity prevention and treatment to
target services to local area and local needs
• Mapping will inform local authorities, policy makers, health and
social care professionals- improved planning, commissioning, de-
commissioning of services and programmes
• Provide tailored support to individuals and communities to
promote healthier lifestyle behaviours (e.g. knowledge, skills,
self-efficacy)

13. Big Data – application to practice
• Introduction of green gyms
• Targeted work within schools or community projects
which use targeted education
• Development of walking and cycling routes
• Areas for sport and recreation
• Regulation of food outlets by planning depts
• A ban on new fast food outlets being located close to
schools and colleges )

14. Policy makers
• Adopt a systems-based approach to address
obesity - addressing obesity at multi-level
governance structures such as at local, regional and
national level.
• E.g. policies intended to have lasting impact across
settings on the availability and price of fruit and
vegetables (schools, workplaces, food outlets)

15. Big Data and Evaluation of Policy
Evaluation of Policy not well evaluated
• Modelling to evaluate the impact of 20% tax on sugary soft drinks;
• Evaluate regulation of food advertising across all media on consumption
• Evaluate impact of food promotions in stores on consumption patterns
• Evaluate the impact of green spaces, recreational space, cycle routes on
physical activity;

16. NHS and health professionals
• map provision of weight management services ; Tier 1, Tier 2
and Tier 3; commercial weight management groups;
• Identify gaps in provision for adult and childhood services
• Characterise attenders, non attenders, programme reach
• Inform obesity care-pathways and commissioning of services
• Tailored interventions for “hard to reach” groups (recruitment,
engagement and retention)

17. Role of Big Data
Obesity Maps to inform on obesity prevalence with varying granularity
and filters.
• Obesity map for adults/children by race/ethnicity and geographical
region (post codes within cities);
• Obesity map for adults/children by socio-economic status level and
geographical region (post codes within cities);
• High density areas obesity map for both children and adults;
• Overlay of obesity map for adults/children and the locations of fast food
outlets within a region of interest;
• Overlay of obesity map, the locations or primary and secondary schools
with their respective % of free school meals uptake.

18. Mapping services
• Obesity Face-to-Face Support Map
• Map for obesity community-based groups ;
• Map for obesity counselling and well-being
services;
• Map for obesity healthcare and social care support
services.

19. The environment
• Well-being activities Map
• A map showing walking and biking trails around
Leeds area;
• Bike Maps - A map of city's bike paths, lanes and
greenways;
• Hike Trails - A map of hiking trails in local areas;
• Find bike rental locations in and around local areas;
• Green space, parks and recreational centres;
• Leisure centres, leisure facilities and healthy
lifestyle activities.

20. Data analytics and decision making
• for public health surveillance
• for health professionals, policy makers, local authorities
• to help them understand the scale of the obesity epidemic and its influencing
factors
• statistical analysis/modelling techniques provide health intelligence (based on
data aggregation, prediction, trend analysis, cluster analysis, correlations, etc…)
• the analytics will provide information on
the state of health and wellbeing,
obesity and health risks,
health needs, and health outcomes of the local population to inform local Health and
Wellbeing plans
commissioning of services tailored and targeted to locally specific needs.

21. Whole Systems Approach to Obesity
• Three year national programme
• Translating Foresight into a workable
Whole Systems Approach
• Understanding what it means in practice
for LAs
• Identifying how LAs can create a whole
systems approach
• Road Map: Creating set of strategies,
tools and guides to help them achieve it

23. Mixed Economy of Evidence
Parallel Process:
• Co-production with LAs
• Gather and analyse insights,
evidence and ideas from
organisations, practitioners
and researchers internationally

24. Broad range of system
models (national &
local) will be explored
to ensure a truly whole
system approach

25. Whole Systems Approach to
Obesity
• Co-producing a Road Map,
strategies and materials: how can
LAs create a whole systems
approach

26. Input welcomed
• Cross sector perspectives
• Join Community of Learning
• Newsletters and events
• Register interest at
http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/wholesystemsobesity

27. Aspirations
• pooling the wealth of existing data to inform future
research, policy and practice to address obesity
• To develop models and methods to better
understand the obesogenic environment
• In depth understanding about the obesogenic
environment
• what works well and for whom
• what we need to improve
• Help us to ask the right questions
• Develop much more tailored interventions, practice
and policy

28. ASO and the Strategic Network for
Obesity
• We look forward to the opportunity to engage
scientifically with members of the network
• Find out more.........
Speak to me!
www.aso.org.uk