Improving Maternal and Infant Nutrition: A Framework for Action

Appendix 4: NICE Public Health Guidance 11 Research RecommendationsNICE recommends research commissioners and funders should:1. Commission research into effective ways of improving the nutritional status ofpre-conceptual women, pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children.This should identify effective ways of engaging with women both before andduring pregnancy. It should pay particular attention to: teenage parents, lowincomefamilies and families from minority ethnic or disadvantaged groups;promoting oily fish, vegetable and fruit consumption; helping women who maybecome pregnant, particularly those who are obese, to achieve a healthy bodyweight prior to pregnancy; and promoting uptake of folic acid supplements priorto conception and the uptake of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy andwhile breastfeeding.2. Commission research into how best to encourage and support women tobreastfeed exclusively during the first 6 months and how to ensure all womenbreastfeed for longer.3. Commission research on interventions which reduce the incidence of foodallergy among infants and young children, particularly when introducing solidfoods.4. Commission research into the acceptability of dietary and lifestyle interventionsto improve the vitamin D status of mothers and children aged up to five years,particularly those from vulnerable groups. This should also assess the relativecontribution made by exposing the skin to ultra-violet light and dietarysupplements.5. Commission research into the prevention of early dental caries among childrenaged up to five years, especially those from vulnerable groups. This should focuson children’s drinks and snacks.6. Research councils, national and local research commissioners and funders,research workers and journal editors should include as standard in nutritionalresearch and policy evaluation reports: a clear, detailed description of what wasdelivered, over what period, to whom in what setting; the costs of delivering theintervention; measurable and clearly defined health outcomes; an estimation ofthe sample size required to demonstrate, with adequate statistical power, theimpact on health; differences in access, recruitment and (where relevant data areavailable) uptake according to socioeconomic and cultural variables such associal class, education, gender, income or ethnicity; a description and rationale ofthe research methods and forms of interpretation used; embedded processevaluations that include recipient perspectives. Develop methods forsynthesising and interpreting results across studies conducted in differentlocalities, policy environments and population groups. Formulate rigorous andtransparent methods for assessing external validity and for translating evidenceinto practice.