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Staff Profile

Dr Jack Birch

Research Associate

Background

Jack completed his PhD in Public Health in the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge in 2023. His PhD examined if there were inequalities in the adherence and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions for obesity. Jack has conducted policy research on obesity, public health, and health inequalities across a range of settings including academia, local and national government, and for non-governmental organisations.

Prior to joining the Policy Research Unit in Behavioural and Social Sciences in July 2024, Jack worked as a Research Fellow in in Evidence Synthesis in the Coventry Health Determinants Research Collaboration. This role involved increasing the use of academic evidence in local government policy and decision making.

He is a member of the Society for Social Medicine and Population Health and serves as the Communications Officer on the Early Career Researcher committee.

Research

Publications:


First author

Birch JM, Mueller J, Sharp SJ, et al. (under review) An exploratory analysis of inequalities in the effect on outcomes of a digital, acceptance and commitment therapy-based, weight gain prevention trial. BMC Public Health

Birch JM, Mueller J, Damery S, et al. (2025) Are there inequalities in the attendance at and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions for adults in the UK? An individual participant data meta-analysis. BMJ Public Health 2025;3:e001382. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2024-001382

Birch JM, Mueller J, Sharp SJ, et al. (2023) Are there inequalities in the attendance and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions for adults in the UK? Protocol for an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2023;13:e067607. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067607

Birch JM, Mueller J, Sharp SJ, et al. (2023) Association between indicators of inequality and weight change following a behavioural weight loss intervention. Obesity Facts 14 March 2023; 16 (2): 194–203. doi.org/10.1159/000528135

Birch JM, Jones RA, Mueller J, et al. (2022) A systematic review of inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to, and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions in adults. Obesity Reviews 2022;e13438. doi:10.1111/obr.13438

Birch JM, Griffin SJ, Kelly MP, Ahern AL. (2020) Inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions: systematic review protocol. BMJ Open. 2020 Nov 14;10(11):e039518. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039518.  

Birch JM, Critchlow N, Calman L, et al. (2020) The Frequency and Content of Discussions About Alcohol Use in Primary Care and Application of the Chief Medical Officer's Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines: A Cross-Sectional Survey of General Practitioners and Practice Nurses in the UK. Alcohol & Alcoholism. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agaa120.

Birch J, Petty R, Hooper L, et al. (2019) Clustering of behavioural risk factors for health in UK adults in 2016: a cross-sectional survey, Journal of Public Health, Volume 41, Issue 3, e226–e236, doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy144

 

Co-author

Walsh S, Birch JM, Merrick R, et al. (2025) Scoping review of dementia primary prevention policies in England:

do they balance reach and agency? BMJ Public Health 2025;3:e002631. doi:10.1136/bmjph-2025-002631

Conway-Moore K, McKinlay AR, Birch JM, et al. (2025) How populist-aligned views are reflected in people’s accounts of the receipt of public health interventions: a systematic review of qualitative studies. Social Science & Medicine. 2025;381:118312. https://doi.org:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118312

Conway-Moore K, Birch JM, McKinlay AR, et al. How populist-aligned views affect receipt of non-COVID-19-related public health interventions: a systematic review of quantitative studies. BMC Public Health 25, 2075 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23265-3

Thinakaran K, Ahern A, Beckett RS, Shaida SF, Wills HM, Richards R, Birch JM, et al. (2025) Association between patient activation, self-management behaviours and clinical outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with narrative synthesis. BMJ Open 2025;15:e095456. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-095456

Conway-Moore K, Graham F, McKinlay AR, Birch J, et al. (2024) Exploring how to widen the acceptability of public health interventions: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open 2024;14:e088418. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088418

Blodgett JM, Birch JM, Musella M, et al. (2022). What Works to Improve Wellbeing? A Rapid Systematic Review of 223 Interventions Evaluated with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scales. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(23):15845. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315845

Davey F, McGowan V, Birch J, et al. (2022) Levelling Up Health: A practical, evidence-based framework for reducing health inequalities. Public Health Practice (Oxf). 2022;100322. doi/10.1016/j.puhip.2022.100322  

McDonald MD, Hunt K, Sivaramakrishnan H, Moullin J, Avenell A, Kerr DA, Birch JM, et al. (2022) A systematic review examining socioeconomic factors in trials of interventions for men that report weight as an outcome. Obesity Reviews. 2022;e13436. doi.org/10.1111/obr.13436

Mueller J, Ahern AL, Sharp SJ, Richards R, Birch JM, et al. (2022) Association between patient activation, self-management behaviours and clinical outcomes in adults with diabetes or related metabolic disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol BMJ Open 2022;12:e056293. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056293

Walsh S, Chowdhury A, Braithwaite V, Russell S, Birch JM, et al. (2021) Do school closures and school reopenings affect community transmission of COVID-19? A systematic review of observational studies. BMJ Open 2021;11:e053371. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053371

Hutton GB, Brugulat-Panés A, Bhagtani D, Mba CM, Birch JM, et al. (2021) A systematic scoping review of the impacts of community food production initiatives in Kenya, Cameroon, and South Africa. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2021;5:e2021010. doi.org/10.29392/001c.19468   

Jones RA, Lawlor ER, Birch JM, et al.  (2020) The impact of adult behavioural weight management interventions on mental health: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Obesity Reviews. 2020; 1– 18. doi.org/10.1111/obr.13150

Hooper L, Anderson AS, Birch J, et al. (2018) Public awareness and healthcare professional advice for obesity as a risk factor for cancer in the UK: a cross-sectional survey, Journal of Public Health, Volume 40, Issue 4, Pages 797–805, 10.1093/pubmed/fdx145


Non-academic publications

Kelly MP, Arora A, Banerjee A, Birch JM et al., (2023) The contribution of behavioural science to addressing the social and wider determinants of health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240072473

Ford J, McGowan V, Davey F, Birch J…& Bambra C (2021) Levelling Up Health: A practical, evidence-based framework. University of Cambridge and Newcastle University

Birch JM (2021), SSM ECRs featuring… Jack Birch! socsocmed.org.uk/blog/ssm-ecrs-featuring-jack-birch/

Birch J, Hooper L, Rosenberg G, Vohra J (2017) A Weighty Issue. A study of UK adults’ consumption behaviours, knowledge of calorie and added sugar guidelines and physical activity levels. London: Cancer Research UK

Birch J (2016) The sugar tax: a sweet stocking filler? Cancer Research UK Science Blog scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2016/12/05/the-sugar-tax-a-sweet-stocking-filler/

 

Conference presentations

Society for Social Medicine and Population Health 2025 (oral): Conway-Moore K, McKinlay AR, Birch JM, et al OP08 How populist views are reflected in people’s accounts of the receipt of public health interventions: a systematic review of qualitative studies J Epidemiol Community Health 2025;79:A4.


Society for Social Medicine and Population Health 2023 (oral): Birch JM, Mueller J, Jones RA, et al Inequalities in the attendance and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions for adults in the UK: An individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis J Epidemiol Community Health 2023;77:A9


Society for Social Medicine and Population Health 2022 (oral): Birch J, Mueller J, Sharp S, et al OP49 Association between indicators of inequality and weight regain following a behavioural weight loss intervention J Epidemiol Community Health 2022;76:A24.


European Congress on Obesity 2022 (poster) Birch J, Jones R, Mueller J, et al A systematic review of inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to, and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions in adults

 

Society for Social Medicine and Population Health 2021 (poster): Birch J, Jones R, Mueller J, et al P41 A systematic review of inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to, and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions in adults J Epidemiol Community Health 2021;75:A60-A61


UK Association for the Study of Obesity 2021 Hot Topics (oral) Birch JM, Jones RA, Mueller J, et al A systematic review of inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions


Cambridge Building Bridges in Medical Sciences 2021 (oral): Birch JM, Jones RA, Mueller J, et al A systematic review of inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions

 

UK Society for Behavioural Medicine annual scientific meeting 2021 (poster): Birch JM, Jones RA, Mueller J, et al A systematic review of inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to and effectiveness of behavioural weight management interventions


Society for Social Medicine and Population Health 2020 (oral): Birch JM, Dambha-Miller H, Griffin SJ, et al OP17 Examining inequality in trials of smoking cessation interventions delivered in primary care: critique and reanalysis of Cochrane reviews J Epidemiol Community Health 2020;74:A8.


Early Career Alcohol Research Symposium 2020 (oral): Birch JM, Critchlow N, Calman L, et al. The Frequency and Content of Discussions About Alcohol Use in Primary Care and Application of the Chief Medical Officer's Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines: A Cross-Sectional Survey of General Practitioners and Practice Nurses in the UK


Publications