Simon Howard

Simon John Howard is a public health doctor and academic working in the North East of England.[1] He is known within the public health community for a number of controversial publications in high-impact journals on topics including nutrition, obesity and antimicrobial resistance.

Career

Work on nutrition and obesity

Howard came to prominence within the public health community in 2012, following publication of a controversial study comparing the nutritional content of television chefs' recipes and supermarket meals[2] which concluded:

Neither recipes created by television chefs nor ready meals sold by three of the leading UK supermarkets complied with WHO recommendations. Recipes were less healthy than ready meals, containing significantly more energy, protein, fat, and saturated fat, and less fibre per portion than the ready meals.
— Simon Howard et al, BMJ[3]

This paper received considerable national and international public attention,[4][5][6][7] and became one of the most discussed primary research papers published in the BMJ in 2012.[8] The academic importance of this work is demonstrated by its citation in international academic literature across a range of scientific disciplines.[9][10][11][12][13][14] However, the research proved controversial, and was criticised by many in the academic community for pushing beyond the traditional boundaries of public health:

What this curious example seems to demonstrate is the way some people are disinclined to see boundaries between what public health does and what other professionals do, even celebrity chefs. This example also demonstrates a determination to insert a public health mission into every corner of our personal pleasures and private pursuits.
— Michael Gard and Carolyn Pluim, Schools and Public Health, pp16-17[15]
Howard and colleagues were surprised that TV chefs' recipes scored worse on fat, protein, and fibre than ready made meals. Embedded in that surprise lies the assumption that health ought to prominently inform TV cooking. However, we do not watch Gordon Ramsey, Jamie Oliver, or Heston Blumenthal because they promise us (public) health.
— Bart Penders, BMJ[16]

Neither Howard nor his co-authors appear to have responded directly to this criticism. Howard further contributed to the debate by co-authoring a related BMJ editorial in 2014, suggesting that a "sugar tax" may help to tackle the rise of obesity in the UK.[17] This intervention generated further controversy for the assertion that:

It is increasingly worrying that society is normalising overweight. For example, large mannequins are being introduced into clothes shops; “size inflation” means that clothes with the same size label have become progressively larger over recent decades; and media stories about overweight often feature pictures of severely obese people, which are unrepresentative of the majority of the overweight population.
— Simon Howard et al, BMJ[18]

Much of the media criticism suggested that this was unhelpful in the wider societal context of undue weight being placed on physical appearance,[19][20][21] though others praised the paper.[22]

In broader work on nutrition and obesity, Howard has criticised both current nutritional labelling practices in the UK[23] and suggestions that foodstuffs should be labelled with exercise equivalents of energy content.[24] Howard has also criticised investment in cycling facilities as an anti-obesity intervention, suggesting that pedestrian facilities should be prioritised:

The number of pedestrian deaths and injuries is far higher than the number of deaths and injuries for cyclists … Some pedestrians fear collisions with cyclists, and some report feeling “terrorised” by cyclists.
— Simon Howard et al, Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer[25]
Walking, mile-for-mile, burns two to three times the number of calories burned by cycling. It is far closer to universally available, since walking requires no special facilities or skills on the part of either the walker or the employer. Cycling is probably part of the solution [to the obesity problem]; but I remain unconvinced that it is the right answer for most.
— Simon Howard, BMJ[26]

Work on antimicrobial resistance

In addition to his work on nutrition, Howard has written about the rise of antimicrobial resistance and strategies to tackle this, for academic[27][28][29] and lay publications.[30][31] Some have criticised the approach taken by Howard and Davies in their discussion of antimicrobial resistance as representing "scaremongering".[32] In 2015, comments made by Howard in an opinion piece published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B which suggested that tackling antimicrobial resistance may lead to higher food prices[33] received some attention in the UK national press.[34]

In 2014, Howard presented work on treatment of Group A streptococcal infection in neonates at the UK's Federation of Infection Societies conference;[35] this work was later published in Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control.[36]

Public mental health

Howard coauthored the UK Department of Health report "Public Mental Health Priorities: Investing in the evidence"[37] in 2013. This report suggested that well-being interventions should not be publicly funded as they have no scientific evidence base.

In 2016, in a keynote address at Cumberland Lodge,[38] Howard further claimed that investment in wellbeing interventions "critically compromises public mental health policy" as they have "no good evidence base".

In academic literature, Howard has claimed that there is an association between suicide and the use of social media.[39]

Wider public health work

Howard qualified as a medical doctor with the degree MBBS from Newcastle University in 2008.[40] He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health and the Royal Society of Medicine, and a member of the Faculty of Public Health.[1] Howard was awarded an MSc in Public Health and Health Services Research from Newcastle University in 2011.[41] He is an associate member of Fuse, The Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.[42]

Howard was appointed by the UK's Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, as Editor-in-Chief of her report on the state of the public's health in 2012: only the second time someone other than the Chief Medical Officer of the day has edited the statutory Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer.[25] He is also cited as a contributor to each of Davies's other annual reports, and her book The Drugs Don't Work[43] which portrays a post-antibiotic era in which antimicrobial resistance has become highly prevalent.

Howard has also worked on topics related to respiratory,[44][45] dental[46] and ophthalmic[47] health. He is a regular guest lecturer at Newcastle University[48] and a Health & Medicine author for Oxford University Press.[1] Howard has previously contributed on health topics to The Pod Delusion.[49]

Personal life

Howard previously maintained an active blog.[50] This is most notable for an occasionally cited discussion with the UK Life League with whom Howard debated the topic of abortion after he was sent graphic images of aborted foetuses.[51] Howard published a book of political opinion based on his blog in 2010.[52]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Meet the Experts: Simon Howard". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Howard, S.; Adams, J.; White, M. (2012). "Nutritional content of supermarket ready meals and recipes by television chefs in the United Kingdom: Cross sectional study". BMJ. 345: e7607. doi:10.1136/bmj.e7607. PMC 3524368Freely accessible. PMID 23247976.
  3. ↑ Howard, S.; Adams, J.; White, M. (2012). "Nutritional content of supermarket ready meals and recipes by television chefs in the United Kingdom: Cross sectional study". BMJ. 345: e7607. doi:10.1136/bmj.e7607. PMC 3524368Freely accessible. PMID 23247976.
  4. ↑ "Ready meals 'healthier' than TV chefs' fare". BBC News. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "TV chefs' recipes may be less healthy than ready meals, study finds". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Experts turn up heat on celebrity chef recipes". ABC News. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "TV chef recipes 'less healthy than ready meals'". Metro. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Nutritional content of supermarket ready meals and recipes by television chefs in the United Kingdom: cross sectional study.". Altmetric. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Megan Jones; Emily C. Freeth; Kathleen Hennessy-Priest; Ricardo J. S. Costa (2013). "A Systematic Cross-Sectional Analysis of British Based Celebrity Chefs' Recipes: Is There Cause for Public Health Concern?". Food and Public Health. 3 (2): 100–110. doi:10.5923/fph.20130302.04 (inactive 2016-02-04). ISSN 2162-9412.
  10. ↑ Lane, S. R.; Fisher, S. M. (2015). "The influence of celebrity chefs on a student population". British Food Journal. 117 (2): 614. doi:10.1108/BFJ-09-2013-0253.
  11. ↑ Whitehead, C. (2013). "Obesity and coeliac disease: Possible effects of the gluten-free diet". Gastrointestinal Nursing. 11 (3): 31. doi:10.12968/gasn.2013.11.3.31.
  12. ↑ Bloch Eidner, M.; Qvistgaard Lund, A. -S.; Harboe, B. S.; Clemmensen, I. H. (2013). "Calories and portion sizes in recipes throughout 100 years: An overlooked factor in the development of overweight and obesity?". Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. 41 (8): 839. doi:10.1177/1403494813498468. PMID 23885112.
  13. ↑ Watkinson-Powell, A.; Barnes, S.; Lovatt, M.; Wasielewska, A.; Drummond, B. (2014). "Food provision for older people receiving home care from the perspectives of home-care workers". Health & Social Care in the Community. 22 (5): 553. doi:10.1111/hsc.12117.
  14. ↑ Muhamad, I. I.; Abdul Karim, N. (2015). "Trends, Convenience, and Safety Issues of Ready Meals". Minimally Processed Foods. Food Engineering Series. p. 105. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-10677-9_6. ISBN 978-3-319-10676-2.
  15. ↑ Gard M and Pluim C (2014). Schools and Public Health. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0-7391-7258-2.
  16. ↑ Penders, B. (2013). "Television chefs aim for taste and appeal, not health". BMJ. 346: f240. doi:10.1136/bmj.f240. PMID 23321731.
  17. ↑ Howard, S. J.; Davies, S. C. (2014). "Chief medical officer urges action to tackle overweight and obesity". BMJ. 348: g2375. doi:10.1136/bmj.g2375. PMID 24677657.
  18. ↑ Howard, S. J.; Davies, S. C. (2014). "Chief medical officer urges action to tackle overweight and obesity". BMJ. 348: g2375. doi:10.1136/bmj.g2375. PMID 24677657.
  19. ↑ "Size 16 mannequins make being fat 'normal'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  20. ↑ "Bigger is not better: Larger mannequins have made being overweight 'normal', says nation's health chief". Daily Mail. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "Dame Sally Davis and the Normalisation of Obesity". Huffington Post. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Size 16 shop mannequins are bad for women's health – but not in the way you think". New Statesman. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  23. ↑ Howard, S. J. (2015). "An Observational Study Of Practice Among Food Manufacturers In Defining Serving Sizes Of Chocolate Confectionery Products Sold In UK Supermarkets". International Journal of Nutrition. 1 (4). doi:10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-15-880.
  24. ↑ Howard, Simon J (2016). "Labelling food with the exercise needed to expend its calories may lack integrity when activity is summed over the course of a whole day". BMJ. doi:10.1136/bmj.i2430.
  25. 1 2 "Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer 2012" (PDF). Department of Health. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "Are cycling facilities the right solution?". BMJ. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  27. ↑ Howard, S. J.; Hopwood, S.; Davies, S. C. (2014). "Antimicrobial Resistance: A Global Challenge". Science Translational Medicine. 6 (236): 236ed10. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3009315. PMID 24828073.
  28. ↑ Howard, S. J.; Catchpole, M.; Watson, J.; Davies, S. C. (2013). "Antibiotic resistance: Global response needed". The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 13 (12): 1001. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70195-6. PMID 24252476.
  29. ↑ Howard SJ, Davies SC. The scientific challenge posed by antimicrobial resistance. Science in Parliament 2013; 70(4):23-25.
  30. ↑ SC Davies and SJ Howard (2014) Sally Davies and Simon Howard on the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. New World: Journal of the UN Association, 10 October 2014
  31. ↑ SJ Howard and SC Davies (2014) Progress and resistance. Chemistry & Industry, 8 December 2014
  32. ↑ "It's the antibiotics apocalypse! Again...". Spiked. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  33. ↑ Shallcross, L. J.; Howard, S. J.; Fowler, T.; Davies, S. C. (2015). "Tackling the threat of antimicrobial resistance: From policy to sustainable action". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 370 (1670): 20140082. doi:10.1098/rstb.2014.0082.
  34. ↑ "Higher food costs to beat the superbugs". Times. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  35. ↑ http://www.fis-infection.org.uk/LessonsinMicrobiologyandInfectionControl-Wednesday0800-0930.pdf
  36. ↑ Howard, S. J.; Stoker, K.; Foster, K. (2015). "Public health management of group A streptococcal infection in mother-baby pairs in England; a case series review". Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control. 4 (Suppl 1): P107. doi:10.1186/2047-2994-4-S1-P107.
  37. ↑ "Public Mental Health Priorities: Investing in the evidence". Department of Health. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  38. ↑ "What is the relationship between mental health and wellbeing?". Cumberland Lodge. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  39. ↑ . doi:10.1177/2054270415619322. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ↑ "List of Registered Medical Practitioners (The online Register)". General Medical Council. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  41. ↑ "Christmas 2012: Research: Nutritional content of supermarket ready meals and recipes by television chefs in the United Kingdom: cross sectional study". nih.gov. PMC 3524368Freely accessible.
  42. ↑ "Associate members; Fuse; Newcastle University". fuse.ac.uk.
  43. ↑ Davies, SC (2013). The Drugs Don't Work. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-241-96919-9.
  44. ↑ Funston, Wendy; Howard, Simon J. (2016). "A cross-sectional questionnaire study of the rules governing pupils' carriage of inhalers for asthma treatment in secondary schools in North East England". PeerJ. 4. doi:10.7717/peerj.2006.
  45. ↑ Funston, W.; Howard, S.J. (2015). "Uptake of the emergency salbutamol inhaler in North East England secondary schools following amendment of the Human Medicines Regulations". Thorax. 70 (A124). doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2015-207770.234.
  46. ↑ "Kids' dental health is a postcode lottery". The Shields Gazette. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  47. ↑ "Verteporfin (Visudyne®) photo-dynamic therapy in the management of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy" (PDF). Northern Treatment Advisory Group. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  48. ↑ "Newcastle University". ncl.ac.uk.
  49. ↑ "Episode 2 – 25th September 2009". poddelusion.co.uk.
  50. ↑ "sjhoward.co.uk". sjhoward.co.uk.
  51. ↑ Simon Howard (27 June 2006). "UK Life League and scare tactics". sjhoward.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  52. ↑ Howard, SJ (2010). Instant Opinion. Lulu Press. ISBN 1-84753-446-5.
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