Appendix C - Stage1 Participant documents NI Report NDNS 2019-2023
Source: data.gov.uk (2025-10-10)

National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2017 to 2023 Report for Northern Ireland. This report presents results from 2017-2023 of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) for Northern Ireland. NDNS is a continuous cross-sectional survey, designed to assess the diet, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the general population aged 18 months and over living in private households in the UK.

Help us understand the nation’s eating habits
Dear Sir or Madam,
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and the Food Standards Agency 
would like to invite up to two adults and/or one young person from your household to take part in 
the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. This is a study of people’s eating habits which has taken 
place across the UK every year since 2008.
By taking part, you will help us understand how our diet is changing, and provide vital information to 
help create a healthier nation. This information is used by the Government to improve our health and 
keep our food safe.
What’s next?
An interviewer from NatCen Social Research will visit you and ask for up to three 
people to take part: two people aged 19 years and over and another aged 18 months 
to 18 years. The interviewer will show you their photo ID so you know who they are. 
The interview will take place either face-to-face or remotely, depending on current 
government guidance.
Thank you
As a thank you for taking part, please find below a £10 voucher that can be exchanged 
for money at any branch of the Post Office. We will also offer each person who takes 
part up to £35 in gift cards for their participation in the study as well as personalised 
dietary feedback.
Any questions?
For more information please read the FAQs on the back of this letter, and the enclosed 
leaflet. You can also visit natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-field/national-diet-and-
nutrition-survey or call the study’s Freephone xx-xxxx-xxxx.
We hope you will be willing to take part – with your help we can gain a better understanding of the 
diet and nutrition of the nation.
Gillian Swan  
Diet, Obesity and Healthy  
Behaviours Directorate 
OHID
Beverley Bates  
Research Director 
NatCen Social Research

NatCen Social Research, Kings House, 101-135 Kings Road, Brentwood, Essex CM14 4LX  Tel. xx-xxxx-xxxx. Company 
limited by guarantee. Reg No. 4392418. A Charity registered in England and Wales (1091768) and in Scotland (SC038454).
Item 110_NDNS_Advance letter_basic addresses_v5.0_01.12.2021_NMM. For use from 01.01.2022
Frequently asked questions
How did you choose my address?
We chose your address at random from the Postcode Address File. This file is held by the Post 
Office and is available to the public. This method of selecting addresses is the only way to ensure 
we get a representative sample across the UK.
What will happen to any information I give?
We take great care to protect the confidentiality of the information people give us and we take 
careful steps to ensure that the information is secure at all times. Your answers are put together with 
the answers collected from thousands of other people across the UK and the survey findings are 
published in a report. The results will not identify anyone who took part in the survey and are put 
into the UK Data Service for health and other researchers to use.
We will handle your data in accordance with data protection legislation. The survey findings are 
anonymised and nothing we publish will identify you. The results collected will help inform official 
statistics on diet and nutrition. Your interviewer can give you a privacy notice leaflet which provides 
further details on what we do with the information you give us.
Who is carrying out the survey?
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), part of the Department of Health and 
Social Care (DHSC) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have asked NatCen Social Research 
and the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge to carry 
out this research. OHID’s focus is to improve the nation’s health so that everyone can expect to 
live more of life in good health, and on levelling up health disparities to break the link between 
background and prospects for a healthy life.
The MRC Epidemiology Unit is a leading research unit working in the area of diet, nutrition and 
physical activity. 
NatCen Social Research is Britain’s leading centre for independent social research. It carries out 
numerous health studies such as the Health Survey for England and is a registered charity. To find 
out more, please visit www.gov.uk/find-charity-information and search using Charity No. 1091768.
Why should I take part?
You don’t have to take part but with your help we can learn about a wider range of people to 
get a truer picture of the eating habits and health status of people living in the UK. By joining the 
thousands of people who have already taken part, you will help strengthen our understanding of the 
nation’s diet and nutrition.
What does taking part involve?
If you take part, the interviewer will ask you some questions and will invite you to record what you 
eat and drink for four separate days. The information leaflet with this letter tells you more about the 
interviewer stage. The second part of the survey, if you agree, is a visit by a qualified nurse.
Where can I find out more?
See the enclosed leaflet or visit natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-field/national-diet-
and-nutrition-survey or call the study’s Freephone xx-xxxx-xxxx.

Help us understand the nation’s eating habits
Dear Sir or Madam,
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and the Food Standards Agency 
would like to invite up to two young people from your household to take part in the National Diet 
and Nutrition Survey. This is a study of people’s eating habits which has taken place across the UK 
every year since 2008.
By taking part, you will help us understand how our diet is changing, and provide vital information to 
help create a healthier nation. This information is used by the Government to improve our health and 
keep our food safe.
What’s next?
An interviewer from NatCen Social Research will visit you and ask up to two people 
aged 18 months to 18 years to take part. The interviewer will show you their photo ID 
so you know who they are. The interview will take place either face-to-face or remotely, 
depending on current government guidance.
Thank you
As a thank you for taking part, we will offer each person who takes part up to £35 in gift 
cards for their participation in the study as well as personalised dietary feedback.
Any questions?
For more information please read the FAQs on the back of this letter, and the enclosed 
leaflet. You can also visit natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-field/national-diet-and-
nutrition-survey or call the study’s Freephone xx-xxxx-xxxx.
We hope you will be willing to take part – with your help we can gain a better understanding of the 
diet and nutrition of the nation.
Gillian Swan  
Diet, Obesity and Healthy  
Behaviours Directorate 
OHID
Beverley Bates  
Research Director 
NatCen Social Research

NatCen Social Research, Kings House, 101-135 Kings Road, Brentwood, Essex CM14 4LX  Tel. xx-xxxx-xxxx. Company 
limited by guarantee. Reg No. 4392418. A Charity registered in England and Wales (1091768) and in Scotland (SC038454).
Item 111_NDNS_ Advance letter_YP addresses_v5.0_01.12.2021_NMM. For use from 01.01.2022.
Frequently asked questions
How did you choose my address?
We chose your address at random from the Postcode Address File. This file is held by the Post 
Office and is available to the public. This method of selecting addresses is the only way to ensure 
we get a representative sample across the UK.
What will happen to any information I give?
We take great care to protect the confidentiality of the information people give us and we take 
careful steps to ensure that the information is secure at all times. Your answers are put together with 
the answers collected from thousands of other people across the UK and the survey findings are 
published in a report. The results will not identify anyone who took part in the survey and are put 
into the UK Data Service for health and other researchers to use.
We will handle your data in accordance with data protection legislation. The survey findings are 
anonymised and nothing we publish will identify you. The results collected will help inform official 
statistics on diet and nutrition. Your interviewer can give you a privacy notice leaflet which provides 
further details on what we do with the information you give us.
Who is carrying out the survey?
The Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (OHID), part of the Department of Health and 
Social Care (DHSC) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have asked NatCen Social Research 
and the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge to carry 
out this research. OHID’s focus is to improve the nation’s health so that everyone can expect to 
live more of life in good health, and on levelling up health disparities to break the link between 
background and prospects for a healthy life.
The MRC Epidemiology Unit is a leading research unit working in the area of diet, nutrition and 
physical activity. 
NatCen Social Research is Britain’s leading centre for independent social research. It carries out 
numerous health studies such as the Health Survey for England and is a registered charity. To find 
out more, please visit www.gov.uk/find-charity-information and search using Charity No. 1091768.
Why should I take part?
You don’t have to take part but with your help we can learn about a wider range of people to 
get a truer picture of the eating habits and health status of people living in the UK. By joining the 
thousands of people who have already taken part, you will help strengthen our understanding of the 
nation’s diet and nutrition.
What does taking part involve?
If you take part, the interviewer will ask you some questions and will invite you to record what you 
eat and drink for four separate days. The information leaflet with this letter tells you more about the 
interviewer stage. The second part of the survey, if you agree, is a visit by a qualified nurse.
Where can I find out more?
See the enclosed leaflet or visit natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-field/national-diet-
and-nutrition-survey or call the study’s Freephone xx-xxxx-xxxx.

Who can I speak to 
about the study?
If you have any questions 
about taking part, please do 
not hesitate to contact us:
Beverley Bates
NDNS Research Director
National Centre for Social 
Research
Kings House
101-135 Kings Road
Brentwood, Essex
CM14 4LX
Northern Ireland participants: 
Jennifer Myers
Survey Manager
NISRA - Central Survey Unit
2nd Floor, Colby House
Stranmillis Court, Belfast
BT9 5RR
Freephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx 
Email: xxx@xxx.xx
For more info have a look at 
natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/ 
studies-in-field/national-
diet-and-nutrition-survey
Your household is 
important 
Every year we select a sample of addresses 
from the Postcode Address File, a national 
and publicly available register of addresses. 
We sample from across the UK in a way 
that means all addresses have a chance 
of being selected. Your address cannot be 
swapped for any other address, so your 
view is particularly important to us and 
helps paint a picture of our society’s diet 
and nutrition.
Is the survey 
confidential?
Yes. We take great care to protect 
confidentiality. The survey results will not 
be in a form which reveals your identity 
and your answers will only be used for 
research purposes. If you give permission, 
you may be contacted again at a later date 
about your answers for further research. If 
you agree, your data will be anonymously 
linked with other administrative health 
records. Your interviewer can give you a 
privacy notice detailing how your data will 
be handled.
Be part of the UK’s only national 
diet and nutrition study
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National Diet and 
Nutrition Survey 
(NDNS)
For more info have a look at  
natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-
field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey

What is the National 
Diet and Nutrition 
Survey (NDNS)?
•	 As a society, understanding how and 
what we eat has never been more 
important. 
•	 NDNS is a robust scientific study of the 
nation’s diet and nutritional status. 
•	 By taking part in NDNS, the data you 
provide on your diet and nutrition can 
help the government to improve public 
health and protect food safety.
What will I get for 
taking part?
Once you have recorded the food and 
drink you consume for four separate 
days, you can choose to receive feedback 
on your diet, including how your intake 
compares to dietary recommendations.
A record of your physical measurements, 
if you would like them.
For taking part you can also receive a gift 
card worth up to £30 for recording what 
you eat, drink and your physical activity 
and another £5 gift card for providing a 
urine sample.
How does it work?
Your household has been selected 
randomly to help us understand 
the nation’s diet and nutrition. You will be 
joining the 10,000+ people who have already 
contributed to NDNS over the years. Being 
involved includes:
•	 An interview  
•	 Recording what you eat and drink over four 
separate days
•	 Recording your recent physical activity
•	 Physical measurements including height  
and weight 
•	 A urine sample
One of our specially trained interviewers will 
carry out these elements of the survey, either 
in your own home or remotely, and at a time 
convenient to you. You will then be asked to 
record what you eat and drink.
You don’t have to take part in the survey,  
and you can choose to take part in some parts 
of the survey but not others. You are free to 
withdraw from any part of the survey at any time. 
For more info have a look at  
natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-field/
national-diet-and-nutrition-survey

Information for young children
National Diet 
and Nutrition 
Survey 
(NDNS)
For more info have a look at www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/ 
studies-in-field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey
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We want to find out what different 
people are eating and drinking 
in England, Scotland, Wales and 
Northern Ireland.
We ask lots of adults and children 
to take part - more than 1000 
people each year!
Everyone is different and we want 
as many people as possible to 
take part so we can learn about 
everybody.
No.  It is your choice to take part. 
If you do decide to take part, you 
don’t have to do everything if you 
don’t want to, and you can change 
your mind if you want to.
If you have any questions, just ask 
the interviewer or your parent or 
the person who looks after you. 
We will help you as much as we 
can and will answer any questions 
you have.
If you take part we will give you 
certificates for helping science. 
We will also give your parents/
guardians a gift card.   
If you and your parent/guardian 
would like, you can receive 
feedback about what you told us 
you ate and drank.
Thank you for taking part! 
What is the
survey about?
Why do you want 
me to take part?
Do I have to take 
part?
What if I have 
any questions?
Do I get anything 
if I take part?

National Diet and  
Nutrition Survey (NDNS)
MEASUREMENT RECORD CARD
National Diet and  
Nutrition Survey (NDNS)
MEASUREMENT RECORD CARD
For adults, height and weight information can be used to calculate Body 
Mass Index (BMI). Further information on this calculation and guidance on 
BMI can be found in the accompanying leaflet or on this website:
www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/pages/bodymassindex.aspx
For adults, height and weight information can be used to calculate Body 
Mass Index (BMI). Further information on this calculation and guidance on 
BMI can be found in the accompanying leaflet or on this website:
www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/pages/bodymassindex.aspx
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SN:
SN:
Name
Name
Height
Height
BMI
BMI
Weight
Weight
kg
kg
cm
cm
ft/ins
ft/ins

What happens next?
National Diet and Nutrition Survey 
(NDNS)
For more info have a look at natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-
field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey
The 
nurse 
visit

The 
second 
part –  
a nurse 
visit
Thank you for telling us about what 
you eat and answering our questions 
so far. Because of your help, we’ll 
be able to better understand the diet 
and nutrition of people living in the 
UK. We would now like to invite you 
to take part in the second stage to 
complete the study.
For the second stage you will be 
contacted by a registered nurse to 
arrange a visit at a time convenient  
to you.
Information collected at the nurse 
stage is really important. It adds 
to the details you gave us about 
what you had to eat and drink and 
completes the picture of how diet 
affects people’s nutrition and health. 
When the nurse visits, they will ask 
you a few questions about your/ 
your child’s health and explain a bit 
more about the other parts of the 
nurse visit, which are:
A small  
blood sample
If you are eligible the 
nurse will ask if you and/or your 
child are willing to provide a small 
blood sample. Blood tests can give 
us very important information about 
nutritional health that we cannot get 
in any other way, and about the ways 
in which our body benefits from the 
food we eat. 
We would like you and/or your child 
to provide a fasting blood sample. A 
fasting sample gives the best quality 
of blood to test. However, there are 
some reasons why we wouldn’t ask 
some people to fast for the blood 
test and if your child is under 4 years, 
they will not need to fast for a blood 
sample.
We can send you (and/or your GP) 
the results of the blood tests which 
are clinically relevant (e.g. vitamin 
and mineral levels, cholesterol, 
haemoglobin) to complement your 
dietary feedback.
As a token of our 
appreciation, each person 
providing a blood sample 
will receive a £15 gift card.
More information about the blood 
sample can be found in the ‘giving a 
blood sample’ leaflet that the nurse 
will give you upon his/her visit.
Waist and hip 
measurements
The nurse will ask if 
you are willing to have your waist 
& hip measurements taken. This 
measurement tells us about the 
distribution of weight over your body 
and is taken from people aged 11 
or older. This is done using a tape 
measure when fully clothed.
Demispan 
measurement
The nurse may ask if 
you are willing to have a demispan 
measurement. Demispan is an estimate 
of height and is taken from people aged 
65 years or older, or those 16 or older 
who did not have height measured at 
the interviewer visit.
It is half the distance between your 
hands outstretched to either side  
and is measured by the nurse with a 
tape measure when you are standing 
or sitting.
Infant length
If you agree, the nurse will 
measure the length of your 
child if they are aged 18-23 months. 
This is done by laying your child on 
a measurement mat and measuring 
their length from the top of their head 
to the underside of their heels. 
What will 
happen to my 
results?
With your written agreement we will 
send you and/or your GP the results 
from your/ your child’s blood tests 
that are clinically relevant, this is 
your choice. 
If you agree to your results being 
sent to your GP, then they may use 
them in medical reports about you. 
For example, if you apply for a new 
life insurance policy, or for a new job. 
When people apply for new policies, 
insurance companies may ask if they 
can obtain a medical report from your 
GP. But they cannot do this without 
your permission. 
Having given your permission, you 
then have the right to see the report 
before your GP sends it to the 
insurance company, and you can 
ask for the report to be amended 
if you consider it to be incorrect or 
misleading. 
Your results will be put together with 
the results collected from the other 
people who take part in this survey.  
The survey findings will be published 
in reports on the GOV.UK website. 
The results are also put on the UK 
Data Service for health and other 
researchers to use. We will make sure 
no-one can work out who you are 
from the information on the UK Data 
Service or in the reports we write.

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Do I have to 
take part?
No. At this time you 
are only agreeing for a nurse to 
contact you. 
Your nurse will give you more 
information and explain the 
different measurements in more 
detail when they visit. All parts of 
the nurse visit are optional and 
you/your child can take part in as 
few or as many measurements as 
you would like. If you don’t want to 
do one of the measurements then 
just tell the nurse. 
As with the interviewer stage, 
we take great care to protect the 
confidentiality of all information and 
samples collected. 
Thank you for your 
interest and time.
Your contribution is very valuable 
to the NDNS study.
We hope that you will help us with 
this next part of this important study!
Any Questions?
Great Britain participants:  
Beverley Bates 
NDNS Research Director  
National Centre for Social Research, 
Kings House, 101-135 Kings Road, 
Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4LX 
Freephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx
Northern Ireland participants: 
Jennifer Myers 
Survey Manager 
NISRA – Central Survey Unit 
2nd Floor, Colby House Stranmillis 
Court, Belfast, BT9 5RR
Email: xxx@xxx.xx

National Diet and  
Nutrition Survey  
(NDNS)
What happens  
next?
The nurse visit 
Information for children
Thank you for taking part so far. You have helped us to learn a lot more 
about what people eat and drink.
We would now like to ask you to take part in the last piece of the study 
– a visit by a nurse.
For more info have a look at www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/ 
studies-in-field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey
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The nurse visit is where a nurse will visit you 
in your house. This part is really important 
because we can find out about what happens to 
food and drink in our bodies, for example about 
levels of important vitamins and minerals.
We would also like to take a small bit of blood 
from your arm and, if you are aged 11 or older, 
measure your waist and hip size.
No, you can choose to take part in some and 
not others – just tell the nurse.
The nurse will tell you more about each 
measurement and won’t do anything without 
asking you first.
No, you don’t. It’s your choice if you take part 
and your parent or the person who looks after 
you will need to agree too.
If you decide to take part, the nurse will visit you 
shortly.
We can send you the results of some of 
the measurements you do. There are also 
certificates for helping science.
There is also a £15 gift card for people that give 
some blood.
If you like you can ask a grown up to contact:
Or look online: 
www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey
Great Britain participants:  
Beverley Bates
NDNS Research Director  
NatCen Social Research,
Kings House, 101-135 Kings Road, 
Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4LX
Freephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx
Northern Ireland participants:  
Jennifer Myers
Survey Manager
NISRA - Central Survey Unit
2nd Floor, Colby House Stranmillis 
Court, Belfast, BT9 5RR
Email: xxx@xxx.xx
The nurse will answer any questions you have.
What is the  
nurse visit?
What will I be 
asked to do?
Do I have to 
do all the 
measurements?
Do I have to do 
the nurse visit?
What if I have any 
questions?
Will I get anything 
for taking part? 

SPOT URINE COLLECTION INFORMATION SHEET
This leaflet is about providing a urine sample for NDNS. Your interviewer 
will be happy to go through this information with you and answer any 
questions. Just ask if there is anything that is not clear.
We don’t want a sample of your first urine of the day 
but any after that is fine.
STEP 2
When you take the lid off the container, don’t touch the 
inside. This is because you may have some iodine on 
your fingers from soap and we only want to measure 
the iodine inside your urine.
STEP 4
If any urine goes on the container, wipe the outside of 
the container dry using a piece of ordinary toilet paper 
or a tissue. Do not use wet wipes or any other cleaning 
product as this could contaminate the sample.
STEP 3
Pass a small amount of urine directly into the container; 
you do not need to fill it completely, as little as a 
teaspoon is enough. Replace the lid and make sure 
that it is screwed on tightly.
STEP 1
How to give a spot urine sample
National Diet and 
Nutrition Survey (NDNS)
For more info have a look at www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/ 
studies-in-field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey
Item_141_NDNS_Spot urine leaflet adult_v.5.1_01.12.2021. For use from 01.01.2022

Do I have to provide 
a urine sample?
No. You do not have to provide a urine 
sample if you do not want to.
How many urine 
samples do you 
need?
Only one. You will be given a pot to collect 
it in - very similar to what a doctor would 
give you if they needed a urine sample.
What will happen to 
my urine sample?
It will be sent to a laboratory and analysed 
for iodine content. Your name and address 
will not be attached to the sample - it will 
remain anonymous. Your sample will not be 
tested for drugs or viruses for this study.
Iodine is important for being healthy. 
It is used by the body to make thyroid 
hormones. The best way to find out how 
much iodine people have in their bodies is 
through analysis of urine. 
If you have any other questions, please get in touch: 
Great Britain participants: 
Beverley Bates
NDNS Research Director
NatCen Social Research,
Kings House,  
101-135 Kings Road,
Brentwood, Essex,
CM14 4LX
Northern Ireland participants: 
Jennifer Myers
Survey Manager
NISRA - Central Survey Unit
2nd Floor, Colby House
Stranmillis Court, Belfast,
BT9 5RR
Freephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx
Email: xxx@xxx.xx
How will my 
sample be stored?
With your consent we will store your 
anonymised urine sample so that it may 
be used for future testing of other analytes 
that are useful for assessing the health of 
the population. All the information you give 
us will be kept securely and confidentially. 
We will use a unique ID code so that your 
personal information will not be stored with 
your urine sample. 
Will I get anything 
for taking part?
As a token of our appreciation you will 
receive a £5 gift card.
Why are you 
testing for Iodine? 
For more info have a look at www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/ 
studies-in-field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey

For more info have a look at www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/ 
studies-in-field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey
National
Diet and
Nutrition
Survey
(NDNS)
Item_144_NDNS_Spot urine leaflet child_v.5.1_01.12.2021. For use from 01.01.2022
SPOT URINE COLLECTION 
FOR IODINE 
Information for children about collecting a sample of their wee
You will get a certificate for helping science and a £5 gift card 
for doing this part of the NDNS study

Why are we asking 
for a sample of 
your wee?
Do I have to give 
a sample? 
What do I 
need to do? 
No. It is up to you if you want to 
give us some of your wee. 
We want to take a small sample 
of your wee to find out how 
much iodine people have in 
their bodies. Iodine is important 
for being healthy. 
We will ask you to catch some 
of your wee in a little pot. Your 
parent or guardian can help. 
Important things to remember! 
Thank you for taking part!
	
■
We don’t want your first wee of the day but any wee after that 
is fine. 
	
■
When you take the lid off the pot, don’t touch the inside. This 
is because you may have some iodine on your fingers from 
soap and we only want to measure the iodine inside your wee.
	
■
Wee straight into the pot. You do not need to fill it all the way 
to the top. It can be a bit tricky, just try to catch what you can!
	
■
Put the lid back on the pot tightly. Your parent or guardian can 
help if you need it.
	
■
And, most importantly, don’t forget to wash your hands 
afterwards!
For more info have a look at www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/ 
studies-in-field/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey

NDNS: Physical Activity Monitor 
Participant Information
Measuring your physical 
activity
We would like you to wear a wrist 
worn activity monitor, a small device 
that records body movements 
during normal daily activities such as 
standing up, walking or running. It 
also captures inactive periods such 
as time spent sitting or sleeping 
and measures temperature. We will 
use this information alongside other 
information you have given us to 
provide better estimates of how much 
energy you use up through everyday 
movement. 
How is my activity 
monitored?
 The activity monitor records 
information about the duration, 
frequency and intensity of all 
kinds of activity, from sleeping to 
vigorous physical activity. It does 
this by measuring movement in 
three directions (up/down, forwards/ 
backwards and left/right).
Can the monitor track my 
location? 
No, the monitor does not have GPS 
and does not measure location 
(where you are). It is only measuring 
body movement i.e. whether it moves 
up/down, forward/back and side-to-
side (see image below).
How secure is the data 
stored on the monitor? 
The monitor does not store any 
personal identifiable data. A code 
number on each monitor is matched 
with your “participant ID number”, 
and the key to this code is known by 
the research team only. Your personal 
details are stored separately. Once 
the movement data is uploaded, 
only the research team will be able 
to match the movement data to your 
other information.
Monitor worn continuously

What do I do with the activity 
monitor?
 We would like you to wear the monitor 
continuously for 7 days and nights on 
your non-dominant wrist (the hand 
that you do not write with). During 
this time, please carry on with all your 
activities as usual. 
The monitor is a movement and 
temperature sensor. The monitor and 
the wrist strap are fully waterproof, 
so you can wear them all the 
time, including during showering, 
bathing and swimming. Extremes of 
temperature may damage the battery 
so it should be taken off while you 
have a sauna for example.
If for any reason you need to remove 
it, please replace it when you can and 
note down on the diary page on the 
back of this leaflet when it was taken 
off and put back on.
Placement on the Wrist
In addition to the instructions below, 
a video explaining how to wear the 
accelerometer can be viewed using 
this link: https://player.vimeo.com/
video/326546534 
The monitor 
should be 
positioned 
on the 
wrist of the hand that you do not write 
with (non-dominant) so that the pulse 
wave on the band is on the left-hand 
side (as pictured below for left (a) and 
right (b) hand positions). 
The monitor should be worn just 
above the wrist joint so that when 
the joint is flexed, the monitor neither 
stops you from moving your wrist joint, 
nor is uncomfortable. The monitor 
should remain in the position in which 
it was placed by the interviewer and 
should retain a snug fit therefore not 
allowing it to slide around your wrist. 
I have changed my mind 
and do not want to wear the 
monitor
If you decide you do not want to wear 
the monitor, please post it back to us 
in the pre-paid envelope provided as 
soon as you can.

Will the activity monitor harm 
me in any way?
No, the activity monitor cannot harm 
you. It doesn’t give out radiation, 
electrical current, vibration, or heat.
In some instances, individuals may 
experience minor skin irritation or 
develop a localised rash from wearing 
the wrist strap. Leaving the monitor 
off for one night should alleviate this. If 
the strap is damp, drying both the skin 
and strap can also reduce irritations. 
However, if the irritation persists, 
please remove the monitor and 
return it to us in the prepaid padded 
envelope provided. If the irritation does 
not resolve on its own a small amount 
of proprietary HC45 cream (E45 
moisturiser plus 1% hydrocortisone 
cream) may be applied to the affected 
area. This can be obtained without 
prescription from a pharmacist.
Please note, we take care to 
thoroughly disinfect the wrist monitors 
before and after use and are taking 
further precautions for safe handling 
and packaging. The monitors and 
wrist straps will not be damaged if 
disinfectant wipes are used.
What if the activity monitor 
breaks or is lost?
In the event of any problem or damage 
to the monitor or strap, please 
continue to wear if possible and then 
return it. Your data may be able to be 
retrieved and the monitor can usually 
be repaired. If there is anything you 
are unsure about please contact: 0800 
652 4572
If you lose the monitor then please 
let us know by telephoning 0800 652 
4574. The activity monitor does not 
contain any information that could 
identify you directly.
If you have any other questions, 
please call xx-xxxx-xxxx.
Returning the monitor
Once your 7 days and nights are over, 
please place the monitor back into 
the plastic box the monitor came in. 
Please then place the boxes and this 
leaflet into the pre-paid envelope and 
seal it. Post it into a normal post box 
outside. You do not need to go into a 
post office to post it. 
If you lose the return envelope and 
need another one, please contact 
xx-xxxx-xxxx.
Please return the monitor as soon 
as possible after you have worn it so 
the data can be downloaded. You 
may receive some email and/or text 
messages reminding you that the 
monitor can be taken off and returned.
Once we receive the returned monitor 
from you, we will send you a £5 
voucher as a token of appreciation.

Item_97_NDNS_PAM leaflet adult_v1.0_01.12.2021. For use from 01.01.2022
Additional Comments – Please let us know if you experienced any issues with 
the monitor e.g. skin irritation or broken monitor:
Day/Date
Time Off/On
Reason/Comments
Physical Activity Monitor Diary Page
The monitor should be worn continuously for 7 days and nights, however if you 
do remove the monitor please record the day, the time it was removed and put 
back on and the reason. 

NDNS: Physical Activity Monitor 
Child Participant Information
Measuring your physical 
activity
We would like you to wear an activity 
monitor on your wrist for 7 days and 
nights. Wearing the monitor is just like 
having a watch on. The activity monitor 
records information about normal 
daily activities such as standing up, 
walking or running as well as sitting 
and sleeping. It does this by measuring 
movement in three directions. It also 
measures temperature. The monitor 
does not measure where you are (your 
location).
My information
We will use this information alongside 
other information you have given to 
look at how much energy you use up 
through everyday movement.  The 
monitor does not store any personal 
identifiable information like your name. 
What do I do with the activity 
monitor?
 We would like you to wear the monitor 
all the time for 7 days and nights on 
the hand that you do not write with. 
During this time, please carry on with 
all your activities as usual. 
The monitor and the wrist strap are 
fully waterproof, so you can wear 
them all the time, including during 
showering, bathing and swimming. 
Placement on the Wrist
In addition to the instructions below, 
a video explaining how to wear the 
accelerometer can be viewed using 
this link: https://player.vimeo.com/
video/326546534 
The monitor should be positioned on 
the wrist of the hand that you do not 
write with (non-dominant) so that the 
pulse wave on the band is on the left-
hand side (as pictured below for left (a) 
and right (b) hand positions). 
The monitor should be worn just above 
the wrist joint so that when the joint 
is flexed, the monitor 
neither stops you 
from moving your 
wrist joint, nor is 
uncomfortable. 
The monitor 
should remain 
in the position 
in which it was 
placed by the 

Item_96_NDNS_PAM leaflet child_v1.0_01.12.2021. For use from 01.01.2022
interviewer and should retain a snug fit 
therefore not allowing it to slide around 
your wrist. 
If you have any problems or if the monitor 
is damaged, please talk do with your 
parent/guardian. 
Returning the monitor
Once your 7 days and nights are over, 
please let your parent/guardian know. 
They have information about sending 
the monitor back. Once we receive the 
returned monitor from you, we will send you a £5 voucher to say thank you. 
Instructions for parent/guardian
Please see the NDNS: Physical Activity Monitor Participant Information leaflet 
you have been provided with for more information on what to do if your child 
experiences any problems with the monitor and how to return the monitor. Please 
return this leaflet with the monitor.
Additional Comments – Please let us know if you experienced any issues with 
the monitor e.g. skin irritation or broken monitor:
Day/Date
Time Off/On
Reason/Comments
Physical Activity Monitor Diary Page
The monitor should be worn continuously for 7 days and nights, however if you 
do remove the monitor please record the day, the time it was removed and put 
back on and the reason.