Kremlin Wickramasinghe
Biographic Data
| ID | 4869902 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kremlin Wickramasinghe |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kremlin |
| FAMILY NAME | Wickramasinghe |
| SIGNATURE | WICKRAMASINGHE K |
| AFFILIATIONS | WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCD |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9497-7901 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 22 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 10 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 22 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Finnish children’s exposure to paid-for digital food advertising
Objective: To test the ‘Investigate Exposure’ step of the WHO’s CLICK framework and to investigate 12–16-year-old children’s exposure to paid-for digital food advertising in Finland. Design: The DIGITUTKA pilot study was carried out as part of the EU Joint Action Best-ReMap project. Data on paid-for digital food advertising that children were exposed to via their phones over a two-week period were captured using the RealityMeter application, foll…
Menu item prices and promotions offered on a meal delivery app in the UK and their socio-economic patterns
Objective: To describe menu item prices and promotions on a meal delivery app in the UK and explore their socio-economic patterns. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive analysis Setting: We analysed over 21 million menu items from 71 532 food outlets listed on JustEat across the UK. We assessed median prices and types of promotions, examining variations by cuisine (e.g. chicken dishes, pizza) and outlet type (i.e. grocery, chain takeaways). Promoti…
Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022
BACKGROUND: Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. METHODS: ). For school-aged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI 2 SD above the median). FINDINGS: From 1990 to 20…
Nutrition remains a top priority in Ukraine despite the ongoing war
box Despite the ongoing war, nutrition remains a top priority in Ukraine
Population-level salt intake in the WHO European Region in 2022
Objective: The WHO recommends that adults consume less than 5 g of salt per day to reduce the risk of CVD. This study aims to examine the average population daily salt intake in the fifty-three Member States of the WHO European Region. Design: A systematic review was conducted to examine the most up-to-date salt intake data for adults published between 2000 and 2022. Data were obtained from peer-reviewed and grey literature, WHO surveys and studi…
Exploring educational inequalities in hypertension control, salt knowledge and awareness, and patient advice
Objective: To inform strategies aimed at improving blood pressure (BP) control and reducing salt intake, we assessed educational inequalities in high blood pressure (HBP) awareness, treatment and control; physician’s advice on salt reduction; and salt knowledge, perceptions and consumption behaviours in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Design: Data were collected in cross-sectional, population-based nationally representative surveys, using a mult…
Children’s exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages across four countries of WHO European Region
Objective: To compare the frequency and healthfulness of foods being advertised to children and adolescents in four countries of WHO European region. Design: Cross-sectional quantitative study, guided by an adapted version of the WHO protocol. All recorded food advertisements were categorised by categories and as either ‘permitted’ or ‘not permitted’ for advertising to children in accordance with WHO Regional Office for Europe Nutrient Profile Mo…
Projecting cardiovascular deaths averted due to trans fat policies in the Eurasian Economic Union
Objective: To demonstrate the potential impact on population health if policies designed to reduce population trans fatty acid (TFA) intake are successfully implemented in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in line with the WHO’s guidelines to lower intake of TFA as a percentage of total energy intake to less than 1 %. Design: A projection exercise was conducted to estimate reductions in CVD-related deaths in countries of the EAEU if TFA policies…
Consensus-building around the conceptualisation and implementation of sustainable healthy diets
The prioritised actions should be aimed at helping government policymakers promote sustainable healthy diets and make decisions on improving dietary patterns for citizens' health and wellbeing in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the European Region
Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a national multisectoral action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in Nepal
BACKGROUND: Nepal adopted the Multisectoral Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (MSAP) in 2014. Implementation of the plan has been challenging, with limited participation from non-health sectors. OBJECTIVES: The overall aim of the study was to gain the perspectives of key stakeholders involved in the Nepal MSAP on the barriers and facilitators to its implementation, through the participation of relevant sector…
Towards better nutrition in Europe
This paper provides a snapshot of the implementation of the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015–2020 among Member States in the WHO European Region. The focus is on the level and degree of implementation of selected policies recommended in this regional framework to promote healthy nutrition and prevent diet related noncommunicable diseases including obesity. Data was gathered through online and off-line versions of the Global Nutrit…
The impact of maternal nutrition on offspring’s risk of non-communicable diseases in adulthood
Diet quality of adolescents in rural Sri Lanka based on the Diet Quality Index–International
Objective The current paper describes methods of evaluating dietary habits of Sri Lankan adolescents based on the Diet Quality Index–International (DQI-I), which has been used in multiple international studies to describe dietary variety, moderation, adequacy and balance. The paper describes the method for calculating DQI-I scores and examines associations between DQI-I scores and dietary intake, and between DQI-I scores and sociodemographic fact…
A systematic review of associations between non-communicable diseases and socioeconomic status within low- and lower-middle-income countries
‘Because the baby asks for it’
BACKGROUND: Under- and over-nutrition during pregnancy are known risk factors for pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes. Understanding perceptions around nutrition in pregnancy can create culturally appropriate interventions for improved health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: A mixed-methods study was performed to explore local perceptions and practices of diet and physical activity in pregnancy in a marginalised population along…
The development of national multisectoral action plans for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases
BACKGROUND: In October 2012, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) developed a Regional Framework for Action to implement multisectoral action plans (MAPs) for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this project was to draw on the experiences of four EMR countries that had made good progress in developing these MAPs, to identify best practice and barriers in the development of them. METHODS: Str…
Socioeconomic status and non-communicable disease behavioural risk factors in low-income and lower-middle-income countries
Barriers to healthy dietary choice amongst students in Sri Lanka as perceived by school principals and staff
Sri Lanka has experienced a massive demographic, environmental, economic and social transition in recent decades. Over this period of time the country has undergone rapid urbanization leading to accompanying shifts in lifestyle and it suffers a double burden of under- and over-nutrition. Current programmes in the country focus on improving the dietary behaviour of secondary school students. The purpose of this study was to investigate principal's…
The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and obesity in the UK
BACKGROUND: Estimates of the economic cost of risk factors for chronic disease to the NHS provide evidence for prioritization of resources for prevention and public health. Previous comparable estimates of the economic costs of poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and overweight/obesity were based on economic data from 1992-93. METHODS: Diseases associated with poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and overweight/obesity we…
Quantifying Urbanization as a Risk Factor for Noncommunicable Disease
P2-325 Trends in cardiovascular disease treatment in the UK, 1961–2011
Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading non communicable disease contributing to more than 17 million deaths annually in the world and in the UK for almost 191 000. The knowledge base related to the aetiology and treatment of CVD has expanded over last few decades informing effective prevention and treatment efforts. The aim of this study was to report trends in hospital episodes, surgeries and prescriptions for CVD in the UK ove…
SP3-56 Trends in cardiovascular risk factors in the UK, 1961–2011
Introduction Cardiovascular disease rates in the UK have been steadily declining over the past 50 years, mainly due to improvements in risk factors. This paper focuses on the behavioural risk factors and aims to document trends from 1961 to the present. Methods We searched the peer-reviewed and grey literature from comparable estimates of prevalence of smoking, poor diet, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and overweight and obesity, within…
Quantifying Urbanization as a Risk Factor for Noncommunicable Disease
Towards better nutrition in Europe
This paper provides a snapshot of the implementation of the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015–2020 among Member States in the WHO European Region. The focus is on the level and degree of implementation of selected policies recommended in this regional framework to promote healthy nutrition and prevent diet related noncommunicable diseases including obesity. Data was gathered through online and off-line versions of the Global Nutrit…
The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and obesity in the UK
BACKGROUND: Estimates of the economic cost of risk factors for chronic disease to the NHS provide evidence for prioritization of resources for prevention and public health. Previous comparable estimates of the economic costs of poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and overweight/obesity were based on economic data from 1992-93. METHODS: Diseases associated with poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and overweight/obesity we…
Quantifying Urbanization as a Risk Factor for Noncommunicable Disease
P2-325 Trends in cardiovascular disease treatment in the UK, 1961–2011
Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading non communicable disease contributing to more than 17 million deaths annually in the world and in the UK for almost 191 000. The knowledge base related to the aetiology and treatment of CVD has expanded over last few decades informing effective prevention and treatment efforts. The aim of this study was to report trends in hospital episodes, surgeries and prescriptions for CVD in the UK ove…
SP3-56 Trends in cardiovascular risk factors in the UK, 1961–2011
Introduction Cardiovascular disease rates in the UK have been steadily declining over the past 50 years, mainly due to improvements in risk factors. This paper focuses on the behavioural risk factors and aims to document trends from 1961 to the present. Methods We searched the peer-reviewed and grey literature from comparable estimates of prevalence of smoking, poor diet, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and overweight and obesity, within…
Socioeconomic status and non-communicable disease behavioural risk factors in low-income and lower-middle-income countries
Barriers to healthy dietary choice amongst students in Sri Lanka as perceived by school principals and staff
Sri Lanka has experienced a massive demographic, environmental, economic and social transition in recent decades. Over this period of time the country has undergone rapid urbanization leading to accompanying shifts in lifestyle and it suffers a double burden of under- and over-nutrition. Current programmes in the country focus on improving the dietary behaviour of secondary school students. The purpose of this study was to investigate principal's…
A systematic review of associations between non-communicable diseases and socioeconomic status within low- and lower-middle-income countries
‘Because the baby asks for it’
BACKGROUND: Under- and over-nutrition during pregnancy are known risk factors for pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes. Understanding perceptions around nutrition in pregnancy can create culturally appropriate interventions for improved health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: A mixed-methods study was performed to explore local perceptions and practices of diet and physical activity in pregnancy in a marginalised population along…
The development of national multisectoral action plans for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases
BACKGROUND: In October 2012, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) developed a Regional Framework for Action to implement multisectoral action plans (MAPs) for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this project was to draw on the experiences of four EMR countries that had made good progress in developing these MAPs, to identify best practice and barriers in the development of them. METHODS: Str…
The impact of maternal nutrition on offspring’s risk of non-communicable diseases in adulthood
Diet quality of adolescents in rural Sri Lanka based on the Diet Quality Index–International
Objective The current paper describes methods of evaluating dietary habits of Sri Lankan adolescents based on the Diet Quality Index–International (DQI-I), which has been used in multiple international studies to describe dietary variety, moderation, adequacy and balance. The paper describes the method for calculating DQI-I scores and examines associations between DQI-I scores and dietary intake, and between DQI-I scores and sociodemographic fact…
Towards better nutrition in Europe
This paper provides a snapshot of the implementation of the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015–2020 among Member States in the WHO European Region. The focus is on the level and degree of implementation of selected policies recommended in this regional framework to promote healthy nutrition and prevent diet related noncommunicable diseases including obesity. Data was gathered through online and off-line versions of the Global Nutrit…
Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a national multisectoral action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in Nepal
BACKGROUND: Nepal adopted the Multisectoral Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (MSAP) in 2014. Implementation of the plan has been challenging, with limited participation from non-health sectors. OBJECTIVES: The overall aim of the study was to gain the perspectives of key stakeholders involved in the Nepal MSAP on the barriers and facilitators to its implementation, through the participation of relevant sector…
Consensus-building around the conceptualisation and implementation of sustainable healthy diets
The prioritised actions should be aimed at helping government policymakers promote sustainable healthy diets and make decisions on improving dietary patterns for citizens' health and wellbeing in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the European Region
Population-level salt intake in the WHO European Region in 2022
Objective: The WHO recommends that adults consume less than 5 g of salt per day to reduce the risk of CVD. This study aims to examine the average population daily salt intake in the fifty-three Member States of the WHO European Region. Design: A systematic review was conducted to examine the most up-to-date salt intake data for adults published between 2000 and 2022. Data were obtained from peer-reviewed and grey literature, WHO surveys and studi…
Exploring educational inequalities in hypertension control, salt knowledge and awareness, and patient advice
Objective: To inform strategies aimed at improving blood pressure (BP) control and reducing salt intake, we assessed educational inequalities in high blood pressure (HBP) awareness, treatment and control; physician’s advice on salt reduction; and salt knowledge, perceptions and consumption behaviours in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Design: Data were collected in cross-sectional, population-based nationally representative surveys, using a mult…
Children’s exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages across four countries of WHO European Region
Objective: To compare the frequency and healthfulness of foods being advertised to children and adolescents in four countries of WHO European region. Design: Cross-sectional quantitative study, guided by an adapted version of the WHO protocol. All recorded food advertisements were categorised by categories and as either ‘permitted’ or ‘not permitted’ for advertising to children in accordance with WHO Regional Office for Europe Nutrient Profile Mo…
Projecting cardiovascular deaths averted due to trans fat policies in the Eurasian Economic Union
Objective: To demonstrate the potential impact on population health if policies designed to reduce population trans fatty acid (TFA) intake are successfully implemented in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in line with the WHO’s guidelines to lower intake of TFA as a percentage of total energy intake to less than 1 %. Design: A projection exercise was conducted to estimate reductions in CVD-related deaths in countries of the EAEU if TFA policies…
Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022
BACKGROUND: Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. METHODS: ). For school-aged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI 2 SD above the median). FINDINGS: From 1990 to 20…
Nutrition remains a top priority in Ukraine despite the ongoing war
box Despite the ongoing war, nutrition remains a top priority in Ukraine
Menu item prices and promotions offered on a meal delivery app in the UK and their socio-economic patterns
Objective: To describe menu item prices and promotions on a meal delivery app in the UK and explore their socio-economic patterns. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive analysis Setting: We analysed over 21 million menu items from 71 532 food outlets listed on JustEat across the UK. We assessed median prices and types of promotions, examining variations by cuisine (e.g. chicken dishes, pizza) and outlet type (i.e. grocery, chain takeaways). Promoti…
Finnish children’s exposure to paid-for digital food advertising
Objective: To test the ‘Investigate Exposure’ step of the WHO’s CLICK framework and to investigate 12–16-year-old children’s exposure to paid-for digital food advertising in Finland. Design: The DIGITUTKA pilot study was carried out as part of the EU Joint Action Best-ReMap project. Data on paid-for digital food advertising that children were exposed to via their phones over a two-week period were captured using the RealityMeter application, foll…
Medicine (17 works) · Environmental health (14 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (8 works) · Political science (7 works) · Economics (6 works) · Geography (6 works) · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology (6 works) · Population (6 works) · Business (5 works) · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling (5 works)