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Preconception nutrition: building advocacy and social movements to stimulate action

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 May 2020

Christina Vogel Open the ORCID record for Christina Vogel [Opens in a new window] ,
Natasha Kriznik ,
Judith Stephenson  and
Mary Barker
Christina Vogel*
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, SouthamptonSO16 6YD, UK National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, SouthamptonSO16 6YD, UK
Natasha Kriznik
Affiliation:
Birmingham City University, BirminghamB5 5JU, UK
Judith Stephenson
Affiliation:
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Womenʼs Health, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, LondonWC1E 6AU, UK
Mary Barker
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, SouthamptonSO16 6YD, UK National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, SouthamptonSO16 6YD, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Christina Vogel, MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, SouthamptonSO16 6YD, UK. Email: cv@mrc.soton.ac.uk
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Abstract

Action to improve preconception nutrition is a collective, societal responsibility. We believe that the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) society is ideally placed to facilitate the development of a global agenda for preconception nutrition which recognises the societal importance of nutrition for young women and men, and supports them in optimising their nutritional status for the benefit of the next generation. In this paper, we outline four key actions that can be taken by the members of DOHaDʼs international society located across 67 countries, and nine regional societies, to demonstrate this leadership role. The recommended actions to place preconception nutrition at the top of national and regional agendas include (i) continuing to build the scientific evidence, (ii) monitoring of progress made by governments and commercial companies, (iii) developing advocacy coalitions that unite individuals and organisations around common policy options and (iv) working with partners to develop an emotive and empowering preconception nutrition awareness campaign. Collectively, these actions hold the potential to develop into a preconception nutrition social movement to invoke high-level government support and across-sector policy action, while raising public demand for action and engaging corporate actors.

Keywords

Preconception nutritionadvocacysocial movementpolicy optionsnutritional status
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 141 - 146
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2020

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