President of the Association for Nutrition Dr Margaret Ashwell OBE visited Hope during British Science Week, meeting PhD fellows, touring the new research facilities and speaking to nutritionists.
Associate Professor Farzad Amirabdollahian welcomed Dr Ashwell, who delivered a research talk for academics and health professionals focusing on a public health message for the community.
The talk was titled How long is a piece of string? Less than half a person’s height if we want to improve public health, and throughout, Dr Ashwell reflected on her part in more than 200 research and scholarly publications.
In a synopsis of the lecture, Dr Ashwell said: “This talk allowed me to romp through my own research career, focusing on my quest for an early marker for cardiometabolic risk.
“It outlined the scientific evidence for replacing/augmenting Body Mass Index with waist-to-height ratio and the practical conversion of this message into a simple piece of string. Then we discussed the challenges that exist in using scientific evidence to change policy.”
Reflecting on the two-day visit, Dr Amirabdollahian described it as “very productive”, with Dr Ashwell discussing the progress of the current clinical trial on exercise and nutrition intervention in prevention of age-related sarcopenia.
She also participated in several British Science Week activities, including the charity Lecturethon, and spoke with undergraduate students about her career in both the public and private sectors.