Martin White | University of Cambridge (original) (raw)
Papers by Martin White
Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique
Television is, arguably, the most influential mass medium and "prime time" viewing attr... more Television is, arguably, the most influential mass medium and "prime time" viewing attracts the largest audiences. To assess the type, number and nutritional content of foods advertised on TV, commercial breaks during "prime time" (7:00 to 11:00 p.m.) on five Canadian channels (CBC-English, CBC-French, CTV, CFPL, Much Music) were recorded and analyzed. A similar analysis of Saturday morning children's TV commercials was also performed. Commercials for foods and food products constituted between 24-35% of all commercials, the largest advertising output for any group of products. The combination of food presented in commercials reflected average current consumption patterns. Of special concern was the emphasis on low nutrition beverages, especially beer, as well as snacks and candy on Much Music. While further government intervention to restrict advertising practices may be an impractical option, there is scope for increasing the alternative promotion of health...
This article presents findings from a survey and interviews undertaken as part of a study whose p... more This article presents findings from a survey and interviews undertaken as part of a study whose purpose was to explore the appropriateness and accessibility of activities intended to alleviate social isolation and loneliness among older people. The findings suggest that access to services and activities targeting social isolation and loneliness among older people is variable. Activities were often not tailored
Journal of Substance Use, 2004
Aim To obtain a consensus of expert views on how best to implement screening and brief interventi... more Aim To obtain a consensus of expert views on how best to implement screening and brief intervention (SBI) for excessive drinkers in a routine and enduring fashion in primary health care throughout England. Method A Delphi survey of expert opinion in the UK. Participants Seventy-nine experts in SBI, of whom 53 (67%) remained in round 3 of the survey. The expert panel included primary health-care professionals, alcohol-service workers and researchers/academics. Measurements In round 3, 53 panel members (67% of an initial ...
Internet Journal of Public Health Education, 1999
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 13557850500159973, Jan 19, 2007
Jobs with high levels of demand and low levels of control have been linked to the risk of coronar... more Jobs with high levels of demand and low levels of control have been linked to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Limited evidence is available about the contribution of job characteristics to the increased risk of CHD in UK South Asian people. We aimed to describe psychosocial work characteristics in South Asian compared with European people. Cross-sectional study in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, using self-reported measures of job demand, decision latitude, skill utilisation and social support at work in an age and sex stratified representative population sample of 652 adults of European (391) and South Asian (261) ethnic origin. Compared to European people, fewer South Asian men (57% vs 47%) but more South Asian women (22% vs 48%) were employed. South Asian people were more likely than European people to be self-employed (33% vs 7% among men). Employed South Asian people were better educated and had higher income than European people. Compared to European men, more South Asian men had high job control (42% vs 35%) but similar proportions had high job demand (42% vs 41%). Fewer South Asian men had jobs that allowed a high use of skill, but more had high decision latitude. These differences were partly explained by higher rates of self-employment among South Asian people. South Asian people were more likely to be in low demand/high control jobs, while European people occupied a wider range of jobs, in low control and in high demand/high control occupations. More detailed sub-group analyses were not reliable because of small numbers. In a representative population sample the overall balance of job demand and control was similar in South Asian and European people, though South Asian people tended to be in jobs characterised by low skill and high decision latitude. These findings do not support the suggestion that increased work strain contributes to the increased risk of CHD in UK South Asian people.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2010 Vol 64 Pp A57 Peer Reviewed Journal, 2010
BMC public health, Jan 15, 2015
The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, Jan 5, 2015
Poor cooking skills may be a barrier to healthy eating and a contributor to overweight and obesit... more Poor cooking skills may be a barrier to healthy eating and a contributor to overweight and obesity. Little population-representative data on adult cooking skills has been published. We explored prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of cooking skills among adult respondents to wave 1 of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-9). Socio-demographic variables of interest were sex, age group, occupational socio-economic group and whether or not respondents had the main responsibility for food in their households. Cooking skills were assessed as self-reported confidence in using eight cooking techniques, confidence in cooking ten foods, and ability to prepare four types of dish (convenience foods, a complete meal from ready-made ingredients, a main meal from basic ingredients, and cake or biscuits from basic ingredients). Frequency of preparation of main meals was also reported. Of 509 respondents, almost two-thirds reported cooking a main meal at least five times per week....
PLOS ONE, 2015
Lifespan and the proportion of older people in the population are increasing, with far reaching c... more Lifespan and the proportion of older people in the population are increasing, with far reaching consequences for the social, political and economic landscape. Unless accompanied by an increase in health span, increases in age-related diseases will increase the burden on health care resources. Intervention studies to enhance healthy ageing need appropriate outcome measures, such as blood-borne biomarkers, which are easily obtainable, cost-effective, and widely accepted. To date there have been no systematic reviews of blood-borne biomarkers of mortality. To conduct a systematic review to identify available blood-borne biomarkers of mortality that can be used to predict healthy ageing post-retirement. Four databases (Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science) were searched. We included prospective cohort studies with a minimum of two years follow up and data available for participants with a mean age of 50 to 75 years at baseline. From a total of 11,555 studies identified in initial searches, 23 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fifty-one blood borne biomarkers potentially predictive of mortality risk were identified. In total, 20 biomarkers were associated with mortality risk. Meta-analyses of mortality risk showed significant associations with C-reactive protein (Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality 1.42, p<0.001; Cancer-mortality 1.62, p<0.009; CVD-mortality 1.31, p = 0.033), N Terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide (Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality 1.43, p<0.001; CHD-mortality 1.58, p<0.001; CVD-mortality 1.67, p<0.001) and white blood cell count (Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality 1.36, p = 0.001). There was also evidence that brain natriuretic peptide, cholesterol fractions, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, granulocytes, homocysteine, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, neutrophils, osteoprotegerin, procollagen type III aminoterminal peptide, serum uric acid, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 and tumour necrosis factor receptor II may predict mortality risk. There was equivocal evidence for the utility of 14 biomarkers and no association with mortality risk for CD40 ligand, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, ferritin, haemoglobin, interleukin-12, monocyte…
Social inequality and public health, 2009
Health inequalities between groups within populations defined by place of residence, race, ethnic... more Health inequalities between groups within populations defined by place of residence, race, ethnicity or culture, occupation, gender, religion, age, education, income or other measure of socioeconomic position (SEP) are widely observed (Marmot et al, 1978; Townsend and Davidson, 1982; Charlton and White, 1995) and, in many contexts, growing (Adams et al, 2006). Reducing health inequalities has become an important objective of governments worldwide (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2000; Department of Health, ...
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2015
Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2014
BMJ open, Jan 8, 2014
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a debilitating disease, highly prevalent in UK South Asians, and prevent... more Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a debilitating disease, highly prevalent in UK South Asians, and preventable by lifestyle intervention. The 'New life, New you' (NLNY) physical activity (PA) and dietary intervention for T2D prevention was culturally adapted to better engage minority ethnic populations and tested for feasibility. To investigate Pakistani female participants' perspectives of their behaviour change and of salient intervention features. A community-based 8-week programme of group delivered PA sessions with behavioural counselling and dietary advice, culturally adapted for ethnic minority populations, in an area of socioeconomic deprivation. Participants to NLNY were recruited through screening events in community venues across the town. Interviews were conducted with 20 Pakistani female NLNY participants, aged 26-45 (mean 33.5) years, from different parts of town. Within the a priori Theoretical Domains Framework (intentions and goals, reinforcement, knowledge, natu...
Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique
Television is, arguably, the most influential mass medium and "prime time" viewing attr... more Television is, arguably, the most influential mass medium and "prime time" viewing attracts the largest audiences. To assess the type, number and nutritional content of foods advertised on TV, commercial breaks during "prime time" (7:00 to 11:00 p.m.) on five Canadian channels (CBC-English, CBC-French, CTV, CFPL, Much Music) were recorded and analyzed. A similar analysis of Saturday morning children's TV commercials was also performed. Commercials for foods and food products constituted between 24-35% of all commercials, the largest advertising output for any group of products. The combination of food presented in commercials reflected average current consumption patterns. Of special concern was the emphasis on low nutrition beverages, especially beer, as well as snacks and candy on Much Music. While further government intervention to restrict advertising practices may be an impractical option, there is scope for increasing the alternative promotion of health...
This article presents findings from a survey and interviews undertaken as part of a study whose p... more This article presents findings from a survey and interviews undertaken as part of a study whose purpose was to explore the appropriateness and accessibility of activities intended to alleviate social isolation and loneliness among older people. The findings suggest that access to services and activities targeting social isolation and loneliness among older people is variable. Activities were often not tailored
Journal of Substance Use, 2004
Aim To obtain a consensus of expert views on how best to implement screening and brief interventi... more Aim To obtain a consensus of expert views on how best to implement screening and brief intervention (SBI) for excessive drinkers in a routine and enduring fashion in primary health care throughout England. Method A Delphi survey of expert opinion in the UK. Participants Seventy-nine experts in SBI, of whom 53 (67%) remained in round 3 of the survey. The expert panel included primary health-care professionals, alcohol-service workers and researchers/academics. Measurements In round 3, 53 panel members (67% of an initial ...
Internet Journal of Public Health Education, 1999
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 13557850500159973, Jan 19, 2007
Jobs with high levels of demand and low levels of control have been linked to the risk of coronar... more Jobs with high levels of demand and low levels of control have been linked to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Limited evidence is available about the contribution of job characteristics to the increased risk of CHD in UK South Asian people. We aimed to describe psychosocial work characteristics in South Asian compared with European people. Cross-sectional study in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, using self-reported measures of job demand, decision latitude, skill utilisation and social support at work in an age and sex stratified representative population sample of 652 adults of European (391) and South Asian (261) ethnic origin. Compared to European people, fewer South Asian men (57% vs 47%) but more South Asian women (22% vs 48%) were employed. South Asian people were more likely than European people to be self-employed (33% vs 7% among men). Employed South Asian people were better educated and had higher income than European people. Compared to European men, more South Asian men had high job control (42% vs 35%) but similar proportions had high job demand (42% vs 41%). Fewer South Asian men had jobs that allowed a high use of skill, but more had high decision latitude. These differences were partly explained by higher rates of self-employment among South Asian people. South Asian people were more likely to be in low demand/high control jobs, while European people occupied a wider range of jobs, in low control and in high demand/high control occupations. More detailed sub-group analyses were not reliable because of small numbers. In a representative population sample the overall balance of job demand and control was similar in South Asian and European people, though South Asian people tended to be in jobs characterised by low skill and high decision latitude. These findings do not support the suggestion that increased work strain contributes to the increased risk of CHD in UK South Asian people.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2010 Vol 64 Pp A57 Peer Reviewed Journal, 2010
BMC public health, Jan 15, 2015
The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, Jan 5, 2015
Poor cooking skills may be a barrier to healthy eating and a contributor to overweight and obesit... more Poor cooking skills may be a barrier to healthy eating and a contributor to overweight and obesity. Little population-representative data on adult cooking skills has been published. We explored prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of cooking skills among adult respondents to wave 1 of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-9). Socio-demographic variables of interest were sex, age group, occupational socio-economic group and whether or not respondents had the main responsibility for food in their households. Cooking skills were assessed as self-reported confidence in using eight cooking techniques, confidence in cooking ten foods, and ability to prepare four types of dish (convenience foods, a complete meal from ready-made ingredients, a main meal from basic ingredients, and cake or biscuits from basic ingredients). Frequency of preparation of main meals was also reported. Of 509 respondents, almost two-thirds reported cooking a main meal at least five times per week....
PLOS ONE, 2015
Lifespan and the proportion of older people in the population are increasing, with far reaching c... more Lifespan and the proportion of older people in the population are increasing, with far reaching consequences for the social, political and economic landscape. Unless accompanied by an increase in health span, increases in age-related diseases will increase the burden on health care resources. Intervention studies to enhance healthy ageing need appropriate outcome measures, such as blood-borne biomarkers, which are easily obtainable, cost-effective, and widely accepted. To date there have been no systematic reviews of blood-borne biomarkers of mortality. To conduct a systematic review to identify available blood-borne biomarkers of mortality that can be used to predict healthy ageing post-retirement. Four databases (Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science) were searched. We included prospective cohort studies with a minimum of two years follow up and data available for participants with a mean age of 50 to 75 years at baseline. From a total of 11,555 studies identified in initial searches, 23 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fifty-one blood borne biomarkers potentially predictive of mortality risk were identified. In total, 20 biomarkers were associated with mortality risk. Meta-analyses of mortality risk showed significant associations with C-reactive protein (Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality 1.42, p<0.001; Cancer-mortality 1.62, p<0.009; CVD-mortality 1.31, p = 0.033), N Terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide (Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality 1.43, p<0.001; CHD-mortality 1.58, p<0.001; CVD-mortality 1.67, p<0.001) and white blood cell count (Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality 1.36, p = 0.001). There was also evidence that brain natriuretic peptide, cholesterol fractions, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, granulocytes, homocysteine, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, neutrophils, osteoprotegerin, procollagen type III aminoterminal peptide, serum uric acid, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 and tumour necrosis factor receptor II may predict mortality risk. There was equivocal evidence for the utility of 14 biomarkers and no association with mortality risk for CD40 ligand, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, ferritin, haemoglobin, interleukin-12, monocyte…
Social inequality and public health, 2009
Health inequalities between groups within populations defined by place of residence, race, ethnic... more Health inequalities between groups within populations defined by place of residence, race, ethnicity or culture, occupation, gender, religion, age, education, income or other measure of socioeconomic position (SEP) are widely observed (Marmot et al, 1978; Townsend and Davidson, 1982; Charlton and White, 1995) and, in many contexts, growing (Adams et al, 2006). Reducing health inequalities has become an important objective of governments worldwide (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2000; Department of Health, ...
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2015
Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2014
BMJ open, Jan 8, 2014
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a debilitating disease, highly prevalent in UK South Asians, and prevent... more Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a debilitating disease, highly prevalent in UK South Asians, and preventable by lifestyle intervention. The 'New life, New you' (NLNY) physical activity (PA) and dietary intervention for T2D prevention was culturally adapted to better engage minority ethnic populations and tested for feasibility. To investigate Pakistani female participants' perspectives of their behaviour change and of salient intervention features. A community-based 8-week programme of group delivered PA sessions with behavioural counselling and dietary advice, culturally adapted for ethnic minority populations, in an area of socioeconomic deprivation. Participants to NLNY were recruited through screening events in community venues across the town. Interviews were conducted with 20 Pakistani female NLNY participants, aged 26-45 (mean 33.5) years, from different parts of town. Within the a priori Theoretical Domains Framework (intentions and goals, reinforcement, knowledge, natu...