Government Minister Stephen Morgan, Under-Secretary for Education and MP for Portsmouth South, and Satvir Kaur, MP for Southampton Test, visited LifeLab at their University Hospital Southampton (UHS) base to see how Southampton researchers are improving children's long-term health prospects.
During their visit they mixed with secondary school students from King’s Academy Bay House School who were exploring how factors such as diet, physical activity and sleep can affect their health and wellbeing.
The MPs also met the University of Southampton’s Professor Nisreen Alwan, Professor Simon Fraser and Dr Nida Ziauddeen who are conducting vital research on obesity.
They are leading a study that aims to identify whether a child is at risk of obesity in later life, using data collected during pregnancy and early childhood at UHS.
The researchers have devised a prediction model to estimate the risk of obesity at primary school. It will help provide targeted interventions to support families, nurseries and schools to mitigate the risk of children becoming overweight.
They have also found lower education and academic ability in primary school is related to greater use of health services, with more hospital admissions and outpatient appointments, when they reach middle age. The age at which people leave school seems to be an important mediator in this relationship, underscoring the positive impact of time spent in education.
This research was supported by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Wessex and the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre.
Stephen Morgan, MP, said: “It’s been brilliant to see the impact of the innovative work to improve child health being driven by the University of Southampton. Through our Plan for Change this government is determined to give every child the best start in life, which includes creating the healthiest generation of children in our history. As we roll out free breakfast clubs across the country and make free school meals available to all households on universal credit, we will continue working alongside experts and the sector to build a healthier future for generations to come.”
LifeLab Programme Director, Professor Kathryn Woods-Townsend, said: “We were delighted to welcome Stephen Morgan and Satvir Kaur to LifeLab to see first-hand the interactive way we engage young people with the science behind the health messages. This gives them the skills and knowledge to be able to make healthier choices. We believe that supporting young people to lead healthier lives will not only positively impact them now, but also their future selves and their future children. It was good to see the students show our local MPs the ways the programme has helped them reflect on how they can make informed decisions about their own lives.”