HC Deb 07 March 1977 vol 927 cc442-5W
Mr. Shersby

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the Official Report in tabular form details of all research projects into human nutrition and obesity which are being supported from public funds together with the names and research establishments at which such research is being undertaken, the total cost to date

Subject Establishment Total cost to date Further cost to complete
£ £
Breast milk and Vitamin D University of Cambridge 6,300 3,400
Nutritional status of children from poor socio-economic backgrounds living in London. Queen Elizabeth College, London 3,500 1,100
Programme of nutrition studies London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. 547,500 211,000
Study to measure serum Vitamin D
Nutritional surveillance of school children St. Thomas's Hospital Medical School. 183,200 Not known
Evaluation of subsidised milk in infancy and pregnancy. Welsh National School of Medicine 84,500 111,000
The effect of school milk on the growth of primary school children.
Vitamin D in welfare foods Laboratory of Government Chemist 3,100 —
Food and nutrition services 15,000 (single service charge) —

Information in respect of projects supported by the Medical Research Council is not readily available in the form requested. Research in the Council's own

Establishment subject Estimated expenditure in 1976–77 £'000
Clinical Research Centre … … Control of energy intake in man: energy expenditure in man and non-human primates. 17
… … Measurement of human body composition, turnover rate of tissue protein and development of adipose tissue. 79
… … Causes, consequences and treatment of obesity in man. 40
… … Intestinal absorption of natural folic acid analogues and of pteroyglutamic acid in man. 12
… … The biochemical defect in vitamin B12 deficiency in man. 50
… … Studies on obesity using transplantation techniques 17
Dunn Nutrition Unit … … Physical and metabolic factors involved in energy balance and obesity. 121
… … Nutritional aspects of intestinal functions, nutrient absorption and the effects of dietary fibre. 82
… … Epidemiological studies of nutritional status in the aged and other groups in the United Kingdom. 66
… … Techniques for the assessment of vitamin status 37
… … Community and laboratory studies of protein energy malnutrition. 178
… … Chemical composition and dietary value of foods in the United Kingdom and overseas in relation to dietary requirements for health. 35
… … Biochemistry of vitamin D and other fat-soluble vitamins. 112
Epidemiology Unit (South Wales) … … Infant growth and entitlement to a milk supplement 14
… … Studies of nutrition and the health of elderly subjects 12
… … Dietary patterns; dietary fibre intake, morbidity and mortality; in particular cancer of the colon and cardiovascular disease. 8
Gastroenterology Unit … … Gastrointestinal and metabolic effects of dietary fibre 91

of each project, and anticipated further expenditure to completion of each project.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services that his Department is supporting the following projects:

establishments has no fixed tenure. Projects in these establishments, with the estimated expenditure for 1976–77, are listed below:

Research grants made by the Council, the tenure and estimated expenditure for

Establishment Project Tenure Estimated expenditure in 1976–77. £'000
Programme Grants
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Nutritional adaptation 1.8.71–31.7.81 38
University of West Indies Renal metabolism and function: effects of malnutrition in adults on endocrine status and carbohydrate metabolism. 1.7.73–30.6.78 8
Special Project Grant
University College Hospital Medical School. Trial of Vitamin D in the elderly 1.4.75–31.3.77 12
Project Grants
Department of Chemistry, University of Aston. Analysis of the nature and identity of the monoglutamate and polyglutamate folates present in foodstuffs 1.7.74–30.6.77 4
Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge. Effects on infants and young animals of diets containing large amounts of linoleic acid. 1.10.75–30.9.77 12
Department of Applied Biology, University of Cambridge. Evaluation of foods for their niacin value 10.76–9.79 4
Medical Division, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow. Use of vitamin D fortified foods in the prophylaxis of Asian Ricketts and of osteomalacia in the elderly. 4.9.74–3.9.77 4
Department of Physiology, University of Leeds. The part played by variation in energy expenditure in the regulation of energy balance in rats. 1.10.75–30.9.78 4
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Nutritional studies in MRC project, Kisumu, Kenya. 1.7.75–30.6.77 6
Institute of Child Health Absorption of zinc in children and in the young experimental animal. 1.5.76–30.4.78 5
Department of Paediatrics, University College Hospital Medical School, London. Causes and treatment of malnutrition in the very low birth weight infant. 19.3.74–18.9.77 7
Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford. An epidemiological study of dietary fibre intake and its relationship with diverticular disease of the colon. 28.4.76–27.4.78 2
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford. Satiation of food and water intake in the rat. 13.10.75–12.10.78 5
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southampton. Metabolism of isolated hepatocytes from genetically obese "fatty" rats. 1.9.75–31.8.77 2
Department of Biochemistry, University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire. Tissue lipoprotein lipase activity during development effects of neonatal overnutrition. 2.8.76–1.8.79 6
Information is not available in respect of work supported by universities and hospital medical school.