Previous genetic and public health research in the Pakistani population has focused on the role of consanguinity in increasing recessive disease risk, but little is known about its recent population history or the effects of endogamy. Here, we investigate fine-scale population structure, history and consanguinity patterns using genotype chip data from 2,200 British Pakistanis. We reveal strong recent population structure driven by the biraderi social stratification system. We find that all subgroups have had low recent effective population sizes (N_e), with some showing a decrease 15‒20 generations ago that has resulted in extensive identity-by-descent sharing and homozygosity, increasing the risk of recessive disorders. Our results from two orthogonal methods (one using machine learning and the other coalescent-based) suggest that the detailed reporting of parental relatedness for mothers in the cohort under-represents the true levels of consanguinity. These results demonstrate the impact of cultural practices on population structure and genomic diversity in Pakistanis, and have important implications for medical genetic studies.

Background Adolescence and transition into adulthood are periods shaping life-long mental health, cardiometabolic risk, and inequalities. However, they are poorly studied and understood. By extending and expanding the Born in Bradford (BiB) cohort study through this period using innovative, co-produced approaches to collect and analyse data, we aim to understand better the interplay of factors that influence health and wellbeing, and inform/evaluate interventions to improve them and reduce inequalities. Protocol BiB Age of Wonder (AoW) is a large, whole city cohort that will capture the contemporary lived experience amongst multi-ethnic adolescents progressing into young adulthood. We will collect repeated data from existing BiB participants and their peers (N~30,000 adolescents). The protocol for the first phase of the quantitative methods, involving survey measurements and health assessments in mainstream secondary schools is described here. We describe the co-production behind these methods, and lessons learned from the first year of data collection.

• Obesity prevention interventions could be delivered through Islamic religious settings. • Co-production with target communities is essential to ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance. • Integrating Islamic narrative on healthy behaviours could enhance uptake and adherence. • Interventions should be adequately resourced, considering the cost of staff, space and materials. • Collaborating with external organisations can support scalability.

Summary: Islamic religious settings (IRS) may be useful places to implement obesity interventions for Muslims. However, little is known about the level and nature of such activity in these settings. We searched bibliographic databases and grey literature, and requested grey information from Muslim organizations, local councils, and mosques in 13 selected areas in the United Kingdom. Thirty‐five interventions were identified; most were poorly described and not evaluated. Twenty‐seven interventions focused on physical activity behaviours, four on diet behaviours, one on both behaviours, and seven addressed long‐term conditions associated with obesity. Most interventions were led by volunteers from the congregation/faith leaders and were funded through donations from congregants or charity organizations. The evidence suggests that health promotion interventions in IRS have a relatively high reach. Obesity interventions are commonly delivered in UK IRS. Most target physical activity behaviours, are instigated and led by volunteers from the congregation or faith leaders, receive no public funding, and are only recorded in people's memories. High‐quality evaluations of well‐specified interventions in this context are needed. We suggest that the methods used in this review, including the learning around positionality of researchers, could be adopted by other researchers as a way to locate opportunities for effective community‐level interventions.

Fieldwork encounters are not only contingent to biographical subjectivities, but are mediated by a confluence of identity, place and embodiment. This paper offers reflexive accounts of researchers with various socio-cultural and disciplinary backgrounds, who collaborated as a team to examine the varied funerary experiences and needs of established minorities and recent migrants in England and Wales. Focusing on the researchers’ varied personal experiences with death and bereavement and on their performances of minority and majority ethnic and migrant identities, the paper highlights the mediated and embodied nature of fieldwork. It argues that reflection on the various aspects of intersectional researcher identity is necessary for a rigorous fieldwork practice that takes transparency and politics into account. This facilitates a deeper understanding of the positionality of both researchers and interlocutors, and the situated co-production of knowledge. In doing so, the paper illustrates that conducting research with a diverse team of researchers contributes to better understanding the complexity and multifacetedness of social phenomena.

The roots of the struggle for authority among various groups of Twelver Shias of South Asian background living in London revolves around the idea of what is ‘true and authentic’ Shia Islam. The theological and political genealogy of this power struggle can be traced by examining the history of Shia Islam in South Asia. This article provides historical analyses and ethnographic accounts of Shia Islam and how it is practised in London. It investigates the influence of London-based Iranian and Iraqi Shia transnational networks on South Asian Hussainias and those who attend them. While some London-based Shias of South Asian origin conform to the Iran-backed reformist versions of globally standardised ritual commemoration of Ashura, others detest this and search for religious reinterpretations that assert South Asian ways of commemorating the Ashura ritual.