The National Obesity Observatory was established in December 2007 and received core funding from the Department of Health in April 2008.

The main functions of the Obesity Observatory are to:

• Analyse, signpost and report on obesity and related surveillance data
• Produce evidence and data briefings
• Develop innovative analytical and data presentation tools
• Describe and map data on weight status and associated indicators
• Develop guidance and tools to support the evaluation of interventions targeted at obesity
• Provide guidance and support to policy makers and practitioners working to tackle obesity
• Communicate relevant developments and information on obesity and its determinants.

There are 12 Public Health Observatories (PHOs) working across the five nations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Public Health Observatories in England work together through a single work programme which contains both national and local elements. We produce information, data and intelligence on people's health and health care for practitioners, policy makers and the wider community. Our expertise lies in turning information and data into meaningful health intelligence to support decision-makers.

Quality Assurance

NOO has robust quality assurance procedures to ensure accuracy and completeness of our outputs.

All NOO reports are quality assured. Technical and analytical reports are reviewed by colleagues from other Public Health Observatories and external experts as relevant. Briefing papers and evidence reviews are peer reviewed by topic specific experts.

NOO expert reviewers

The following expert reviewers have kindly reviewed NOO outputs. NOO acknowledges and values their excellent contribution which is essential to ensure and maintain the quality of our outputs.

Sue Baic, University of Bristol
Professor Adrian Bauman, University of Sydney
Beelin Baxter, Department of Health
Professor Raj Bhopal, CBE. Edinburgh University
Professor Stuart Biddle, Loughborough University
Professor Iain Buchan, University of Manchester
Tom Burgoine, University of Newcastle
Dr Janet Cade, University of Leeds
Dr Dexter Canoy, University of Manchester
Adrian Coggins, NHS West Essex
Professor Tim Cole, University College London
Carol Davies, East Midlands Public Health Observatory
Peter Dick, Department of Health
Sarah Flaherty, East Midlands Public Health Observatory
Dr Richard Fordham, University of East Anglia
Dr Charlie Foster, University of Oxford
Dr Colin Greaves, Peninsula Medical School
Professor David Hall, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Vanessa Higgins, University of Manchester
Dr Melvyn Hillsdon, University of Exeter
Marc Hopkinson, NHS South of Tyne and Wear
Dr Susan Jebb, Human Nutrition Unit, Medical Research Council
Dave Jenner, East Midlands Public Health Observatory
Andy Jones, University of East Anglia
Kate King, Oxfordshire PCT
Professor Mika Kivimaki, University College London
Dr Marian Knight, University of Oxford
Amelia Lake, Northumbria University
Alison Lennox, Human Nutrition Unit, Medical Research Council
Louis Levie, Food Standards Agency
Dr Tim Lobstein, International Association for the Study of Obesity
Lesley Manning, Buckinghamshire PCT
Dr David McCarthy, London Metropolitan University
Dr Christine McMaster, Health Service Executive, Ireland
Dr Jenny Mindell, University College London
Margaret O'Dwyer, Salford PCT
Jane Pilkington, Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT
Professor Jonathan Pinkney, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth
Dr Judith Rankin, University of Newcastle
Sheela Reddy, Department of Health
Donna Sagar, Stockport PCT
Dawn Scott, NHS North of Tyne
Dr Julian Shield, University of Bristol
Claire Spence, NHS Stockton-on-Tees
Dr Manos Stamatakis, University College London
Professor Carolyn Summerbell, University of Durham
Gillian Swann, Food Standards Agency
Dr Paul Tiffin, The Wolfson Research Institute, Durham University
Cam Todd, Portsmouth PCT
Louise Unsworth, North East Public Health Observatory
Dr Gary Whitlock, University of Oxford
Professor John Wilding, Clinical Science Centre, University of Liverpool
Professor Martin Wiseman, World Cancer Research Fund
Dr Jane Wolstenholme, University of Oxford
Sean Woodcock, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust
Professor Charlotte Wright, University of Glasgow