MRC Human Nutrition Research was the largest

research institute A research institute, research centre, research center or research organization, is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often i ...

in the UK for human nutrition, and was based in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

History

In 1998 MRC Human Nutrition Research (HNR) was formed as a result of the restructuring of the Dunn Human Nutrition Unit following the resignation of Professor Roger Whitehead. The Medical Research Council (MRC), founded in 1913, had previously had a Human Nutrition Research Unit at the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

; this was founded and directed by BS Platt, and was interested in serious nutritional deficiencies in children, that would cause significantly premature death. HNR was formed in order to continue to advance the MRC's portfolio of strategic and applied nutrition research. In 2016, following restructuring and refocusing of its research interests HNR was renamed MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory (MRC EWL). In December 2018 MRC EWL closed.

Mission

The mission of HNR was to conduct nutrition research and surveillance to improve the health of the population with a focus on

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...

and metabolic risk, musculoskeletal health,

intestinal The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans ...

health and

nutritional Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient nu ...

inequalities.

Objectives

HNR's four objectives were to: *Advance knowledge through discovery science, the development of innovative methodologies and the application of specialist expertise in priority areas *Improve health and economic advantage through the exchange of knowledge and technology to inform nutrition policy and practice *Provide opportunities for training and to build capacity for nutrition research *Foster a dialogue with the public on nutrition science and its implications for health

Structure

HNR wa
based
at Peterhouse Technology Park, in south-east Cambridge, on the South Cambridgeshire-Cambridge boundary, round the corner from

Fulbourn Hospital Fulbourn Hospital is a mental health facility located between the Cambridgeshire village of Fulbourn and the Cambridge city boundary at Cherry Hinton, about south-east of the city centre. It is managed by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS ...

ARM Holdings Arm is a British semiconductor and software design company based in Cambridge, England. Its primary business is in the design of ARM processors (CPUs). It also designs other chips, provides software development tools under the DS-5, RealView an ...

have their headquarters on the same site. It was divided into three main research departments and a support department: * Cellular and Molecular Sciences * Nutritional Physiology & Biomarkers * Diet and Population Health * Scientific Operations & Logistics These departments housed research groups concerned with: * Maternal & Child Nutrition * National Nutrition Surveys * Nutrition & Bone Health * Nutritional Interventions * Obesity & Related Metabolic Disorders * Nutrition Communications and Translation into Policy & Practice * Nutrition Epidemiology * Biomineral Research * Lipid Profiling and Signalling * Physiological Modelling of Metabolic Risk * Dietary Assessment HNR also had a library which housed an important collection of historically significant research documents.

Function

HNR conducted nutrition research and surveillance to improve the health of the population with a focus on obesity and metabolic risk, musculoskeletal health, intestinal health and nutritional inequalities.

Research

In November 1999 HNR scientists discovered that children in the early 1950s, despite food rationing, had healthier diets than children today. They had a greater intake of calcium, from drinking more milk, and of iron, as they ate more red meat than poultry and iron containing dark green vegetables such as broccoli and

kale Kale (), or leaf cabbage, belongs to a group of cabbage (''Brassica oleracea'') cultivars grown for their edible leaves, although some are used as ornamentals. Kale plants have green or purple leaves, and the central leaves do not form a head ...

. In the early 1950s, no children would have eaten pasta, but 50% of children in the 1990s did. However children in the 1950s were faced with more incurable illnesses, prevented today by

vaccination Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop immunity from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulating ...

. In September 2002, HNR scientists proved a link between

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

and being overweight. They found that people who had lost 9 lb in weight had reduced the chances of having diabetes by 58%. In 2007, a study was conducted to research the effect of negative weight stigmas on patients. The conclusion was that in several cases, the belief in the negative weight stigmas led to overeating and bad health habits in patients who were studies. More details can be found in the official report listed under references. HNR participated in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and the MRC's National Survey of Health and Development,NSHD
/ref> which showed insights such as approximately five per cent of the UK's population are vegetarian.

References

HNR

External links

HNR

University of Cambridge Research Horizons

News items

Convenience meals in February 2008

Children's obesity in March 2007

Watercress and cancer prevention in February 2007

Heart disease in May 2004

Fast food in October 2003

Whole grain foods in July 2001
{{authority control Biological research institutes in the United Kingdom Food science institutes Government agencies established in 1998 Medical Research Council (United Kingdom) Medical research institutes in the United Kingdom Nutrition in the United Kingdom Nutrition organizations Organisations based in Cambridge Research institutes established in 1998 Research institutes in Cambridge 1998 establishments in the United Kingdom