Written question asked by Martyn Jones (Labour) on Wednesday, 12 November 1997, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 November 1997. It was answered by Baroness Jowell (Labour) on Thursday, 20 November 1997 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has evaluated on the relationship between the incidence of diabetes mellitus and diet.

Answer: Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has evaluated on the relationship between the incidence of diabetes mellitus and diet; and if he will make a statement. [16337] Ms Jowell: The Government are currently supporting a range of research into the incidence of diabetes and diet. The Medical Research Council, the main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research, is funding a major epidemiological study of the effect of diet on a number of health outcomes including diabetes. This work is taking place at the University of Cambridge under Professor K. Khaw. The value of the award is £1,109,000 over five years, with £210,000 spent in 1996-97. Other current grants by the Medical Research Council for work on diabetes incidence and diet have a total value of £586,000, with £71,000 spent in 1996-97. This includes research into the influence of foetal growth on diabetes in later life, an important element of which is being carried out at the MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit by Professor D. Barker and his team. The Department of Health's Policy Research Programme has recently funded a study entitled "Development and validation of a weight-losing dietary intervention to reduce the risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease in South Asians". This study was undertaken at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at a cost of £173,836.

Secondary information