The centre for Exercise Nutrition and Health Sciences is part of the School for Policy Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law and is an internationally leading centre of excellence in physical activity and nutrition research and teaching. We have a long standing reputation for research on how physical activity and nutrition are related to health, characterised by theoretical and methodological innovation that informs and underpins important policy agendas. This research is complemented by an applied focus on developing and evaluating complex lifestyle interventions across the lifespan in both community and clinical settings.  

ENHS was ranked first nationwide‌ in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework with 100% of our Outputs rated as World Leading or Internationally Excellent. The International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity is based in the centre and Prof. Russ Jago is the Editor in Chief. ‌

Research

Our research, which has been funded by government and charities including the Department of Health, Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, British Heart Foundation, British Academy, European Union, World Cancer Research Fund, Diabetes UK, Clinical Commissioning Groups, and industrial partners, focuses on the following themes:

• Innovating physical activity and food intake measurement
• Dietary patterns that promote health
• Eating behaviour across cultures and the life-course
• The psychological, environmental and social foundations of physical activity and eating behaviours
• Developing and evaluating complex interventions targeting healthy lifestyles across the lifespan in community and clinical populations
• Interactions between technology and health for behaviour change interventions
• Health promotion in the community and workplace 

Collaboration

Strong collaboration is central to our aims and we work with a range of UK and worldwide collaborators including academics, clinicians, policy makers and practitioners, as well as local, national and international advisory groups.  Within the University of Bristol we work with members of other schools, including the Bristol Medical School, Oral and Dental Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Psychological Science, Geographical Sciences, and Veterinary Sciences as well as with public health research initiatives such as the Bristol Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, SPHERE and the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute.  We contribute to the University of Bristol’s research in Population Health Sciences.

Impact Potential

We strive to conduct research which has direct positive impacts on people’s lives and informs policy. Our research has informed the Chief Medical Officer’s national guidelines for physical activity, NICE guidance, US dietary guidelines, and EU physical activity recommendations.  We also play a positive role in the local community through supporting initiatives such as Playing Out and our award-winning school-based outreach project FAB Kids.