Centre wins £5m to tackle obesity

Obesity is one of the problems to be researched

A centre that will focus on the role of physical activity and diet in preventing obesity is being set up.

A £5m grant was jointly awarded to the UEA and Cambridge University by public and voluntary sector funders to establish the centre in Cambridge.

Researchers will examine ways to make it easier for people to be physically active and buy healthy foods.

This will include the way in which cities are designed right down to the layout of office spaces.

The Diet and Physical Activity Public Health Centre of Excellence will bring together a range of experts.

Dr Andy Jones, of UEA's School of Environmental Sciences, said: "There is increasing evidence that the environment in which we live and work may be an important influence on how active we are and on what we eat.

"Living in a pleasant neighbourhood which is easy to walk around could encourage us to be more active, and access to public transport, sports facilities and neighbourhood shops selling healthy food may all play a role."