Background The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) reported an increase in the prevalence of children in Reception (4–5 years) and Year 6 (10–11 years) with overweight/obesity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compared to the previous year. This prompted us to conduct a longitudinal analysis to compare weight status before and during the pandemic. Methods We compared the change in overweight/obesity status of children in Year 1 (Y1) (during the pandemic) who had also been measured as part of the NCMP in Reception (the year before the pandemic), with the change in a sample of children during a two-year ‘pre-pandemic’ period. Results Overweight/obesity increased by 1.2% to 24.8% (p=0.582) between Reception and Y1 in the pre-pandemic group and by 5.4% to 28.5% (p=0.002) in the pandemic group. This was mainly driven by an increase in the proportion of overweight/obese boys in the pandemic group (22% to 30%) compared to the pre-pandemic group rates (~24% at both time-points). Rates in girls increased by 2.0% to 24.8% in the pre-pandemic group and by 3.3% to 27.6% in the pandemic group. A higher proportion of Reception-aged White children in the pre-pandemic group were overweight/obese compared to the pandemic group, but by Y1 the rates were higher in the pandemic group. In children of South Asian (SA) heritage, the proportion with excess weight in Reception was 18.3% in the pre-pandemic group, increasing to 21.6% by Y1. The increase was substantially higher in the pandemic group of SA children, with an increase from 22.9% in Reception to 30.3% by Y1. Conclusions We observed a marked increase in the proportion of children with an unhealthy body mass index (BMI) during the first year of the pandemic, suggesting that the societal disruptions caused by lockdown may have adversely affected children’s diet and levels of physical activity.

The richness of linked population data provides exciting opportunities to understand local health needs, identify and predict those in most need of support and evaluate health interventions. There has been extensive investment to unlock the potential of clinical data for health research in the UK. However, most of the determinants of our health are social, economic, education, environmental, housing, food systems and are influenced by local authorities. The Connected Bradford Whole System Data Linkage Accelerator was set up to link health, education, social care, environmental and other local government data to drive learning health systems, prevention and population health management. Data spanning a period of over forty years has been linked for 800,000 individuals using the pseudonymised NHS number and other data variables. This prospective data collection captures near real time activity. This paper describes the dataset and our Connected Bradford Whole System Data Accelerator Framework that covers public engagement; practitioner and policy integration; legal and ethical approvals; information governance; technicalities of data linkage; data curation and guardianship; data validity and visualisation.

The richness of linked population data provides exciting opportunities to understand local health needs, identify and predict those in most need of support and evaluate health interventions. There has been extensive investment to unlock the potential of clinical data for health research in the UK. However, most of the determinants of our health are social, economic, education, environmental, housing, food systems and are influenced by local authorities. The Connected Bradford Whole System Data Linkage Accelerator was set up to link health, education, social care, environmental and other local government data to drive learning health systems, prevention and population health management. Data spanning a period of over forty years has been linked for 800,000 individuals using the pseudonymised NHS number and other data variables. This prospective data collection captures near real time activity. This paper describes the dataset and our Connected Bradford Whole System Data Accelerator Framework that covers public engagement; practitioner and policy integration; legal and ethical approvals; information governance; technicalities of data linkage; data curation and guardianship; data validity and visualisation.

Background: The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) reported an increase in the prevalence of children in Reception (4-5 years) and Year 6 (10-11 years) with overweight/obesity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compared to the previous year. This prompted us to conduct a longitudinal analysis to compare weight status before and during the pandemic. Methods: We compared the change in overweight/obesity status of children in Year 1 (Y1) (during the pandemic) who had also been measured as part of the NCMP in Reception (the year before the pandemic), with the change in a sample of children during a two-year ‘pre-pandemic’ period. Results: Overweight/obesity increased by 1.2% to 24.8% (p=0.582) between Reception and Y1 in the pre-pandemic group and by 5.4% to 28.5% (p=0.002) in the pandemic group. This was mainly driven by an increase in the proportion of overweight boys in the pandemic group (22% to 30%) compared to the pre-pandemic group rates (~24% at both time-points). Rates in girls increased by 2.0% to 24.8% in the pre-pandemic group and by 3.3% to 27.6% in the pandemic group. A higher proportion of Reception-aged White children in the pre-pandemic group were overweight/obese compared to the pandemic group, but by Y1 the rates were higher in the pandemic group. In children of South Asian (SA) heritage, the proportion with excess weight in Reception was 18.3% in the pre-pandemic group, increasing to 21.6% by Y1. The increase was substantially higher in the pandemic group of SA children, with an increase from 22.9% in Reception to 30.3% by Y1. Conclusions: We observed a marked increase in the proportion of children with an unhealthy body mass index (BMI) during the first year of the pandemic, suggesting that the societal disruptions caused by lockdown may have adversely affected children’s diet and levels of physical activity.

Background: Socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions strongly affect health across the life course. Local government plays a key role in influencing these wider determinants of health and levels of inequality within their communities. However, they lack the research infrastructure and culture that would enable them to develop an evidence-based approach to tackling the complex drivers of those conditions. Methods: We undertook a scoping project using some research methods and some descriptive summaries to explore the potential for, and what would be needed to develop a local authority research system for the City of Bradford, UK. This included identifying the current research landscape and any barriers and enablers to research activity within the local authority using qualitative individual and focus group interviews, a rapid review of existing local research system models, scoping and description of the use of evidence in decision making and training opportunities and existing support for local government research. Results: We identified four key themes important to developing and sustaining a research system: leadership, resource and capacity, culture, partnerships. Some use of research in decision making was evident but research training opportunities within the local authority were limited. Health research funders are slowly adapting to the local government environment, but this remains limited and more work is needed to shift the centre of gravity towards public health, local government and the community more generally. Conclusions: We propose a model for a local authority research system that can guide the development of an exemplar whole system research framework that includes research infrastructure, data sharing, research training and skills, and co-production with local partners, to choose, use, generate, and deliver research in local government.

Background Various human and animal studies suggest that peak alcohol exposure during a binge episode, rather than total alcohol exposure, may determine fetal development. Research about the impact of binge drinking on birth outcomes is sparse and inconclusive. Data from the Born in Bradford cohort study were used to explore the impact of binge drinking on birth outcomes.Methods Interview-administered questionnaire data about the lifestyle and social characteristics of 10 851 pregnancies were linked to maternity and birth data. The impact of self-reported binge drinking (5 units: 40 g of pure alcohol) on two birth outcomes (small for gestational age (SGA) and preterm birth (<37 weeks)) was assessed using multivariate logistic regression models, while adjusting for confounders.Results The percentage of women classified as binge drinkers fell from 24.5% before pregnancy to 9% during the first trimester and 3.1% during the second trimester. There was a significant association between SGA birth and binge drinking (all categories combined; OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.47, p=0.01). No association was observed between moderate drinking and either birth outcome, or between binge drinking and preterm birth.Conclusions Binge drinking during the second trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of SGA birth. No association was found between any level of alcohol consumption and premature birth. This work supports previous research showing no association between SGA and low-alcohol exposure but adds to evidence of a dose-response relationship with significant risks observed at binge drinking levels.