Chronic disease
Why do we do research in this area?
Chronic diseases are generally of long duration and slow progression. Diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes, are by far the leading cause of mortality in the world (World Health Organisation 2011).
The economic and social costs of chronic disease are enormous. The healthcare costs of cardiovascular disease alone were £14 billion in 2006 (British Heart Foundation).
Most chronic diseases are preventable and physical activity or exercise can play a major role.
What do we do?
Staff and research students in Sport, Health and Exercise Science at Bath undertake research projects ranging from studies that seek to understand the mechanisms by which physical activity protects against chronic disease through to intervention studies in people at risk of chronic disease.
If we know ‘how’ (understand the mechanisms), then we might be able to develop new therapies and treatments for chronic disease. If we know both ‘how’, and by ‘how much’ (such as dose response), then we will be able to make better recommendations to people who are at risk. If we know how to intervene in people who are at risk, then we are better placed to minimise the potential burden for a given individual and for society as a whole.
Examples of our research
| Project title | Aim/findings | People and Partners | Funder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-inflammatory and protective effects of regular physical activity | To examine the mechanisms by which physical activity protects against cardiovascular disease. |
|
British Heart Foundation |
| Early ACTID - Does physical activity improve pro- and anti-atherogenic inflammation in early Type 2 Diabetes? | To examine the pro- and anti-inflammatory effect of intensified dietary advice with physical activity in comparison to intensified dietary advice (alone) and normal care in 750 men and women with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. |
|
British Heart Foundation |
| Extended daily fasting, regulation of energy balance and associated health outcomes | To investigate the causal mechanisms through which daily breakfast consumption may be related to appetite, physical activity, glycaemic control, tissue-specific insulin signaling and chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. |
|
BBSRC |
| ExTOD - Increasing physical exercise to preserve beta cell function in adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus | To encourage newly diagnosed T1DM patients to take up and adhere to a programme of intensive exercise and explore whether this intervention preserves beta cell function. |
|
National Institute for Health Research (RfRB) |
| Waste the Waist | To pilot an intervention to promote a healthy diet and physical activity for people with high cardiovascular risk, in a UK primary care setting. |
|
National Institute for Health Research (RfPB) |
