Karen Lock
Biographic Data
| ID | 3669735 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Karen Lock |
| GIVEN NAMES | Karen |
| FAMILY NAME | Lock |
| SIGNATURE | LOCK K |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of London |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 26 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 43 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 26 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1998 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
The importance of school culture in supporting student mental health in secondary schools. Insights from a qualitative study
Schools have the potential to provide a place of education and sanctuary for children and young people of all backgrounds. The rise in mental health problems in children and young people in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic, particularly in relation to growing inequities, means that identifying ways in which schools can help respond to this growing mental health crisis demands urgent attention. This paper reports on case studies carried out in tw…
Research priorities for mental health in schools in the wake of Covid-19
Children and young people (CYP) have suffered challenges to their mental health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; effects have been most pronounced on those already disadvantaged. Adopting a whole-school approach embracing changes to school environments, cultures and curricula is key to recovery, combining social and emotional skill building, mental health support and interventions to promote commitment and belonging. An evidence-based respon…
Restricting the advertising of high fat, salt and sugar foods on the Transport for London estate
Policy Process And Non-State Actors’ Influence On The 2014 Mexican Soda Tax
In January 2014, Mexico introduced a soda tax of 1 Mexican Peso (MXP) per litre. The aim of this paper is to examine the political context out of which this policy emerged, the main drivers for the policy change, and the role of stakeholders in setting the policy agenda and shaping the policy design and outcomes. Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, and 145 documents, including peer-reviewed papers, policy b…
Urban planning as an enabler of urban health
This article synthesises the challenges faced by the English (urban) spatial planning system to become an enabler of urban health and explores some keys features of the evidence base, policy tools and policy implementation issues that urban planners need to be aware of to become health enablers. It draws on good practice identified in an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) seminar series involving over 500 academic researchers and practit…
Processes, practices and influence
This study shows public health impact following alcohol licensing work is difficult to measure in terms of reducing alcohol-related harms, which poses challenges for justifying this work amid resource constraints. However, there is potential added value of the licensing role in strategic positioning of public health in local government to influence broader determinants of health
Investigating associations between the built environment and physical activity among older people in 20 UK towns
BACKGROUND: Policy initiatives such as WHO Age Friendly Cities recognise the importance of the urban environment for improving health of older people, who have both low physical activity (PA) levels and greater dependence on local neighbourhoods. Previous research in this age group is limited and rarely uses objective measures of either PA or the environment. METHODS: We investigated the association between objectively measured PA (Actigraph GT3x…
Investigating local policy drivers for alcohol harm prevention
New powers over alcohol policy for LAs in England can produce markedly different policies for reducing alcohol-related harm. These difference are rooted in economic, opportunistic, organisational and personnel factors particular to the LAs themselves and may lead to closely tailored solutions in some policy areas and poorer co-ordination and attention in others
Availability, affordability, and consumption of fruits and vegetables in 18 countries across income levels
BACKGROUND: Several international guidelines recommend the consumption of two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day, but their intake is thought to be low worldwide. We aimed to determine the extent to which such low intake is related to availability and affordability. METHODS: We assessed fruit and vegetable consumption using data from country-specific, validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires in the Prospe…
Measurable effects of local alcohol licensing policies on population health in England
BACKGROUND: English alcohol policy is implemented at local government level, leading to variations in how it is put into practice. We evaluated whether differences in the presence or absence of cumulative impact zones and the 'intensity' of licensing enforcement--both aimed at regulating the availability of alcohol and modifying the drinking environment--were associated with harm as measured by alcohol-related hospital admissions. METHODS: Premis…
The need for multisectoral food chain approaches to reduce trans fat consumption in India
A multisectoral food chain approach to reducing trans fat is needed in India and likely in other low- and middle-income countries worldwide. This will require investment in development of competitively priced bakery shortenings and economic incentives for manufacturing foods using healthier oils. Increased production of healthier oils will also be required alongside these investments, which will become increasingly important as more and more coun…
Protocol for a national monthly survey of alcohol use in England with 6-month follow-up
The Alcohol Toolkit Study will improve understanding of population level factors influencing alcohol consumption and be an important resource for policy evaluation and planning
Evaluating the use of in-store measures in retail food stores and restaurants in Brazil
OBJECTIVE To assess inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of retail food store, open-air food market, and restaurant observation tools adapted to the Brazilian urban context.METHODS This study is part of a cross-sectional observation survey conducted in 13 districts across the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2010-2011. Food store and restaurant observational tools were developed based on previously available tools,…
Well London Phase-1
BACKGROUND: We report the main results, among adults, of a cluster-randomised-trial of Well London, a community-engagement programme promoting healthy eating, physical activity and mental well-being in deprived neighbourhoods. The hypothesis was that benefits would be neighbourhood-wide, and not restricted to intervention participants. The trial was part of a multicomponent process/outcome evaluation which included non-experimental components (se…
Measures of exposure to the Well London Phase-1 intervention and their association with health well-being and social outcomes
In this paper, we describe the measures of intervention exposure used in the cluster randomised trial of the Well London programme, a public health intervention using community engagement and community-based projects to increase physical activity, healthy eating and mental health and well-being in 20 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in London.10 No earmarked resources to support the development of these measures and associated data collection …
Reformulating partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to maximise health gains in India
Reformulating PHVOs to reduce trans fat in India is feasible; however, a collision course exists where the public health goal to replace PHVOs with PUFA are opposed to the goals of industry to produce a cheap alternative product that meets consumer preferences. Ensuring that product reformulation is done in a way that maximises health benefits will require shifts in knowledge and subsequent demand of products, decreased reliance on palm oil, inve…
Cycling for transport and public health
Discrepancies among ecological, household, and individual data on fruits and vegetables consumption in Brazil
Information on fruits and vegetables consumption in Brazil in the three levels of dietary data was analyzed and compared. Data about national supply came from Food Balance Sheets compiled by the FAO; household availability information was obtained from the Brazilian National Household Budget Survey (HBS); and actual intake information came from a large individual dietary intake survey that was representative of the adult population of São Paulo c…
Do school based food and nutrition policies improve diet and reduce obesity?
Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
Evaluation of community level interventions to address social and structural determinants of health
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN68175121
Getting children to eat more fruit and vegetables
Interventions Designed to Increase Adult Fruit and Vegetable Intake Can Be Effective
Health impact assessment
On 1 May 2004 the European Union (EU) underwent unprecedented enlargement, from 15 to 25 countries, increasing its population by 20% to over 450 million. Although EU law has limited specific competence in the area of health, its influence on other policy sectors such as agriculture, trade, and employment has wide ranging implications for health. Yet with the exception of provisions on communicable disease control and food safety, public health co…
Conducting an HIA of the effect of accession to the European Union on national agriculture and food policy in Slovenia
Evaluating the use of in-store measures in retail food stores and restaurants in Brazil
OBJECTIVE To assess inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of retail food store, open-air food market, and restaurant observation tools adapted to the Brazilian urban context.METHODS This study is part of a cross-sectional observation survey conducted in 13 districts across the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2010-2011. Food store and restaurant observational tools were developed based on previously available tools,…
Health impact assessment
On 1 May 2004 the European Union (EU) underwent unprecedented enlargement, from 15 to 25 countries, increasing its population by 20% to over 450 million. Although EU law has limited specific competence in the area of health, its influence on other policy sectors such as agriculture, trade, and employment has wide ranging implications for health. Yet with the exception of provisions on communicable disease control and food safety, public health co…
Measures of exposure to the Well London Phase-1 intervention and their association with health well-being and social outcomes
In this paper, we describe the measures of intervention exposure used in the cluster randomised trial of the Well London programme, a public health intervention using community engagement and community-based projects to increase physical activity, healthy eating and mental health and well-being in 20 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in London.10 No earmarked resources to support the development of these measures and associated data collection …
Well London Phase-1
BACKGROUND: We report the main results, among adults, of a cluster-randomised-trial of Well London, a community-engagement programme promoting healthy eating, physical activity and mental well-being in deprived neighbourhoods. The hypothesis was that benefits would be neighbourhood-wide, and not restricted to intervention participants. The trial was part of a multicomponent process/outcome evaluation which included non-experimental components (se…
Restricting the advertising of high fat, salt and sugar foods on the Transport for London estate
Measurable effects of local alcohol licensing policies on population health in England
BACKGROUND: English alcohol policy is implemented at local government level, leading to variations in how it is put into practice. We evaluated whether differences in the presence or absence of cumulative impact zones and the 'intensity' of licensing enforcement--both aimed at regulating the availability of alcohol and modifying the drinking environment--were associated with harm as measured by alcohol-related hospital admissions. METHODS: Premis…
Urban planning as an enabler of urban health
This article synthesises the challenges faced by the English (urban) spatial planning system to become an enabler of urban health and explores some keys features of the evidence base, policy tools and policy implementation issues that urban planners need to be aware of to become health enablers. It draws on good practice identified in an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) seminar series involving over 500 academic researchers and practit…
Discrepancies among ecological, household, and individual data on fruits and vegetables consumption in Brazil
Information on fruits and vegetables consumption in Brazil in the three levels of dietary data was analyzed and compared. Data about national supply came from Food Balance Sheets compiled by the FAO; household availability information was obtained from the Brazilian National Household Budget Survey (HBS); and actual intake information came from a large individual dietary intake survey that was representative of the adult population of São Paulo c…
Conducting an HIA of the effect of accession to the European Union on national agriculture and food policy in Slovenia
The importance of school culture in supporting student mental health in secondary schools. Insights from a qualitative study
Schools have the potential to provide a place of education and sanctuary for children and young people of all backgrounds. The rise in mental health problems in children and young people in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic, particularly in relation to growing inequities, means that identifying ways in which schools can help respond to this growing mental health crisis demands urgent attention. This paper reports on case studies carried out in tw…
Investigating associations between the built environment and physical activity among older people in 20 UK towns
BACKGROUND: Policy initiatives such as WHO Age Friendly Cities recognise the importance of the urban environment for improving health of older people, who have both low physical activity (PA) levels and greater dependence on local neighbourhoods. Previous research in this age group is limited and rarely uses objective measures of either PA or the environment. METHODS: We investigated the association between objectively measured PA (Actigraph GT3x…
Health and peri-urban natural resource production
There is a growing interest in expanding crop, livestock and other forms of natural resource production in periurban areas. In part this is to capitalize on the availability of urban wastes for recycling and to improve the management of such wastes but also because of the economic potential of such production for increasing livelihoods and for better meeting urban demands. This paper examines the health problems facing the enterprises and inhabit…
Conducting an HIA of the effect of accession to the European Union on national agriculture and food policy in Slovenia
Interventions Designed to Increase Adult Fruit and Vegetable Intake Can Be Effective
Health impact assessment
On 1 May 2004 the European Union (EU) underwent unprecedented enlargement, from 15 to 25 countries, increasing its population by 20% to over 450 million. Although EU law has limited specific competence in the area of health, its influence on other policy sectors such as agriculture, trade, and employment has wide ranging implications for health. Yet with the exception of provisions on communicable disease control and food safety, public health co…
Getting children to eat more fruit and vegetables
Do school based food and nutrition policies improve diet and reduce obesity?
Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
Evaluation of community level interventions to address social and structural determinants of health
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN68175121
Discrepancies among ecological, household, and individual data on fruits and vegetables consumption in Brazil
Information on fruits and vegetables consumption in Brazil in the three levels of dietary data was analyzed and compared. Data about national supply came from Food Balance Sheets compiled by the FAO; household availability information was obtained from the Brazilian National Household Budget Survey (HBS); and actual intake information came from a large individual dietary intake survey that was representative of the adult population of São Paulo c…
Cycling for transport and public health
Reformulating partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to maximise health gains in India
Reformulating PHVOs to reduce trans fat in India is feasible; however, a collision course exists where the public health goal to replace PHVOs with PUFA are opposed to the goals of industry to produce a cheap alternative product that meets consumer preferences. Ensuring that product reformulation is done in a way that maximises health benefits will require shifts in knowledge and subsequent demand of products, decreased reliance on palm oil, inve…
Well London Phase-1
BACKGROUND: We report the main results, among adults, of a cluster-randomised-trial of Well London, a community-engagement programme promoting healthy eating, physical activity and mental well-being in deprived neighbourhoods. The hypothesis was that benefits would be neighbourhood-wide, and not restricted to intervention participants. The trial was part of a multicomponent process/outcome evaluation which included non-experimental components (se…
Measures of exposure to the Well London Phase-1 intervention and their association with health well-being and social outcomes
In this paper, we describe the measures of intervention exposure used in the cluster randomised trial of the Well London programme, a public health intervention using community engagement and community-based projects to increase physical activity, healthy eating and mental health and well-being in 20 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in London.10 No earmarked resources to support the development of these measures and associated data collection …
The need for multisectoral food chain approaches to reduce trans fat consumption in India
A multisectoral food chain approach to reducing trans fat is needed in India and likely in other low- and middle-income countries worldwide. This will require investment in development of competitively priced bakery shortenings and economic incentives for manufacturing foods using healthier oils. Increased production of healthier oils will also be required alongside these investments, which will become increasingly important as more and more coun…
Protocol for a national monthly survey of alcohol use in England with 6-month follow-up
The Alcohol Toolkit Study will improve understanding of population level factors influencing alcohol consumption and be an important resource for policy evaluation and planning
Evaluating the use of in-store measures in retail food stores and restaurants in Brazil
OBJECTIVE To assess inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of retail food store, open-air food market, and restaurant observation tools adapted to the Brazilian urban context.METHODS This study is part of a cross-sectional observation survey conducted in 13 districts across the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2010-2011. Food store and restaurant observational tools were developed based on previously available tools,…
Availability, affordability, and consumption of fruits and vegetables in 18 countries across income levels
BACKGROUND: Several international guidelines recommend the consumption of two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day, but their intake is thought to be low worldwide. We aimed to determine the extent to which such low intake is related to availability and affordability. METHODS: We assessed fruit and vegetable consumption using data from country-specific, validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires in the Prospe…
Measurable effects of local alcohol licensing policies on population health in England
BACKGROUND: English alcohol policy is implemented at local government level, leading to variations in how it is put into practice. We evaluated whether differences in the presence or absence of cumulative impact zones and the 'intensity' of licensing enforcement--both aimed at regulating the availability of alcohol and modifying the drinking environment--were associated with harm as measured by alcohol-related hospital admissions. METHODS: Premis…
Investigating local policy drivers for alcohol harm prevention
New powers over alcohol policy for LAs in England can produce markedly different policies for reducing alcohol-related harm. These difference are rooted in economic, opportunistic, organisational and personnel factors particular to the LAs themselves and may lead to closely tailored solutions in some policy areas and poorer co-ordination and attention in others
Processes, practices and influence
This study shows public health impact following alcohol licensing work is difficult to measure in terms of reducing alcohol-related harms, which poses challenges for justifying this work amid resource constraints. However, there is potential added value of the licensing role in strategic positioning of public health in local government to influence broader determinants of health
Investigating associations between the built environment and physical activity among older people in 20 UK towns
BACKGROUND: Policy initiatives such as WHO Age Friendly Cities recognise the importance of the urban environment for improving health of older people, who have both low physical activity (PA) levels and greater dependence on local neighbourhoods. Previous research in this age group is limited and rarely uses objective measures of either PA or the environment. METHODS: We investigated the association between objectively measured PA (Actigraph GT3x…
Urban planning as an enabler of urban health
This article synthesises the challenges faced by the English (urban) spatial planning system to become an enabler of urban health and explores some keys features of the evidence base, policy tools and policy implementation issues that urban planners need to be aware of to become health enablers. It draws on good practice identified in an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) seminar series involving over 500 academic researchers and practit…
Policy Process And Non-State Actors’ Influence On The 2014 Mexican Soda Tax
In January 2014, Mexico introduced a soda tax of 1 Mexican Peso (MXP) per litre. The aim of this paper is to examine the political context out of which this policy emerged, the main drivers for the policy change, and the role of stakeholders in setting the policy agenda and shaping the policy design and outcomes. Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, and 145 documents, including peer-reviewed papers, policy b…
Research priorities for mental health in schools in the wake of Covid-19
Children and young people (CYP) have suffered challenges to their mental health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; effects have been most pronounced on those already disadvantaged. Adopting a whole-school approach embracing changes to school environments, cultures and curricula is key to recovery, combining social and emotional skill building, mental health support and interventions to promote commitment and belonging. An evidence-based respon…
Restricting the advertising of high fat, salt and sugar foods on the Transport for London estate
Medicine (18 works) · Environmental health (15 works) · Business (11 works) · Public health (11 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (10 works) · Nursing (9 works) · Economics (8 works) · Geography (7 works) · Political science (7 works) · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology (6 works)