This grant focuses on capacity building related to large-scale program and policy analysis in the nutrition- related noncommunicable disease (NR-NCD) area. This is a continuation and expansion of a long-term collaboration that will allow a new generation of training in large-scale program and policy research related to the prevention of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and the related cardio-metabolic problems in China. This means the focus will be primarily on issues linked with dietary and physical activity patterns and preventing obesity and the related comorbidities. The goal will be to increase the depth and quality of research training and institutional capability related to these critical health issues. We will work with the government of China and also the US CDC on the research side of salt-reduction for China, and will work with our collaborating research institution-research components of the China Center for Disease Control (CCDC) at the national level institutes and part of the provincial CDCs at the provincial levels. This type of training and research focus is missing in China's health sector. Our collaborators are affiliated with the major Chinese institutions that are in a position to impact program and policy changes related to NR-NCDs at the national level. UNC advisors and trainers with expertise in the fields of nutrition, anthropology, economics, genetics, geography, health economics, mass communications, and urban planning will help strengthen the research training related to macro policy research and implementation and related programmatic issues. Our team will also strengthen capability at the national/provincial/megacity level to both enhance current research monitoring dietary changes and the key policy factors impacting them and also undertake more competent randomized controlled trials of program and policy options. We propose two long-term predoctoral trainees and three medium-term postdoctoral trainees each year in years 1-5; four short-term trainees in years 1-2; and three short-term trainees in year 3. The short-term trainees are expected to include mature scholars, researchers, as well as staff.
Our research will be related to prevention and control of obesity and related cardio-metabolic problems in China. We will work with the China Center for Disease Control in creating research skills and undertaking research on larger scale policy (regulations, pricing, labeling) and programs (e.g., new initiative to test out sodium reduction that is joint with our research training in design and evaluation and planning between the US CDC, China CDC, and our team). The skills developed will be used to undertake large provincial level trials on prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in China and will be relevant to other Asian countries.
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