The global diet and activity research (GDAR) network: a global public health partnership to address upstream NCD risk factors in urban low and middle-income contexts
Authors
Assah, Felix
Erzse, Agnes
Foley, Louise
Govia, Ishtar
Hofman, Karen J.
Lambert, Estelle Victoria
Micklesfield, Lisa K.
Shung-King, Maylene
Smith, Joanne
Turner-Moss, Eleanor
Unwin, Nigel
Wadende, Pamela
Woodcock, James
Mbanya, Jean Claude
Norris, Shane A.
Obonyo, Charles O.
Tulloch-Reid, Marshall
Wareham, Nicholas J.
Bennett, Nadia
Brugulat, Anna
Guthrie-Dixon, Nathalie
Hambleton, Ian
Lebar, Kelsey
Mabena, Gugulethu
Mapa, Clarisse
Mogo, Ebele
Mba, Camille
Motlhalhedi, Molebogeng
Musuva, Rosemary
Odunitan-Wayas, Feyisayo A.
Okop, Kufre J.
Tatah, Lambed
Wasnyo, Yves
Weimann, Amy
Were, Vincent
Publication Date
2020-10-19Journal Title
Globalization and Health
Publisher
BioMed Central
Volume
16
Issue
1
Language
en
Type
Other
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Oni, T., Assah, F., Erzse, A., Foley, L., Govia, I., Hofman, K. J., Lambert, E. V., et al. (2020). The global diet and activity research (GDAR) network: a global public health partnership to address upstream NCD risk factors in urban low and middle-income contexts. [Other]. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00630-y
Abstract
Abstract: Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally. While upstream approaches to tackle NCD risk factors of poor quality diets and physical inactivity have been trialled in high income countries (HICs), there is little evidence from low and middle-income countries (LMICs) that bear a disproportionate NCD burden. Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean are therefore the focus regions for a novel global health partnership to address upstream determinants of NCDs. Partnership: The Global Diet and Activity research Network (GDAR Network) was formed in July 2017 with funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Units and Groups Programme. We describe the GDAR Network as a case example and a potential model for research generation and capacity strengthening for others committed to addressing the upstream determinants of NCDs in LMICs. We highlight the dual equity targets of research generation and capacity strengthening in the description of the four work packages. The work packages focus on learning from the past through identifying evidence and policy gaps and priorities, understanding the present through adolescent lived experiences of healthy eating and physical activity, and co-designing future interventions with non-academic stakeholders. Conclusion: We present five lessons learned to date from the GDAR Network activities that can benefit other global health research partnerships. We close with a summary of the GDAR Network contribution to cultivating sustainable capacity strengthening and cutting-edge policy-relevant research as a beacon to exemplify the need for such collaborative groups.
Keywords
Commentary, Health Partnerships: an effective response to the global health agenda, Governance for health, Upstream determinants, Non-communicable diseases, Diet, Physical activity, Partnerships, Global health, LMICs
Sponsorship
National Institute for Health Research (16/137/34, 16/137/34)
South African Medical Research Council (D1305910-03, D1305910-03)
Fogarty International Center (D43TW010540)
Medical Research Council (MC-UU_12015/1)
Identifiers
s12992-020-00630-y, 630
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00630-y
This record's DOI: https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.77072
Rights
Licence:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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