| The course runs from 2 - 4 December 2026. |
Global ill health due to unhealthy commodity consumption has become a chronic, complex, pervasive problem, the drivers and mechanisms of which are the focus of increasing research. The study of the commercial determinants of health (CDOH) includes analyses of unhealthy commodity industries (UCIs), the adverse health impacts attributable to commercial activities, and the strategies employed by commercial actors to promote products which can damage health. The causal pathways linking commercial products and practices with health are complex. The complexity of the problem is not limited to understanding just the drivers of unhealthy commodity consumption; it extends to the way in which corporate actors shape wider systems and public understanding to support their business interests. These themes are explored in this short course, with a focus on conducting research on the CDOH.
The commercial determinants of health (CDOH) are those activities of the private sector that affect the health of populations. This short course aims to impart a conceptual understanding of the CDOH as well as the most recent evidence on how they work to impact health. The course also draws on relevant disciplines and explores the methodological implications and data/data sources for research on CDOH. This course is unique in that it approaches unhealthy commodity industries and their impact on health as a whole, rather than focusing on a specific industry (such as tobacco and alcohol).
The course is delivered in the context of the LSHTM Commercial Determinants Research Group (CDRG) and co-organised by Professor Cécile Knai and Professor Mark Petticrew. You will also have the opportunity to be taught by other internationally renowned experts in commercial determinants’ research, including Dr Emeka Dumbili (University College Dublin), Dr Olivia Barnett-Naghshineh (Aarhus University, Denmark), Dr Nason Maani (University of Edinburgh), and Dr May van Schalkwyk (LSHTM).
Who is the course for?
Practitioners and academics from a range of disciplines who are interested in learning the key concepts and approaches involved in researching CDOH.
Course objectives
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:
- articulate what is meant by CDOH, including the conditions and factors that facilitate poor health outcomes due to commercial activity
- summarise substantive findings from the literature on CDOH
- understand and practice a range of methods used to conduct research on CDOH
- explore topics of interest through seminars, self-study and group work
Session content
What are the commercial determinants of health (CDOH) and what do we know about how they influence health?
- intro to complexity
- lectures on processed food, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, firearms and others, as well as understudied UCIs
- what mechanisms of influence do UCIs employ
- how do UCIs work together and what are the cumulative effects on e.g. regulation, marketing, and the creation of evidence
- methodological implications of research on CDOH (systems approaches and methods, framing analyses etc)
- data needs and sources (freedom of information requests, social media, policy submissions, websites etc)
- group discussions
Teaching methods
The course will be taught through a series of pre-recorded lectures, interactive seminars, group work and reading.
Tuition fees for 2026 entry
- £875 full fee
- £437.50 for Lower- or Middle- income countries (LMICs) - World Bank definition
When applying for discounted fees, please include proof of LMIC status alongside your CV. LMIC status can be confirmed with a passport and proof of current residence.
If the course fee is to be paid on the applicant's behalf, please send a letter from the sponsor to confirm this as soon as possible. Otherwise, the applicant will be held personally responsible for payment.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must hold an offer of admission for the course.
The reduced fee places will be awarded to doctoral students and researchers who are from, and based in, World Bank-defined Low- and Middle-Income (LMIC) countries (eligible countries) based on need for support and potential to apply the skills learned from the course.
Applying for this course
Applications for 2026 are now open and can be made via our online application form.
The application deadline for this course is 09:00 UK time, Monday 2nd November 2026. We strongly advise that you apply early as courses may close earlier than the stated deadline if they become full.
Please read LSHTM's Admissions policies prior to submitting your application.
Visas
The student is responsible for obtaining any visa or other permissions to attend the course, and is encouraged to start the application process as early as possible as obtaining a visa for the UK can sometimes take a long time. The Short Courses team can provide supporting documentation if requested.
Accommodation
A list of hotels located in the vicinity of LSHTM, along with further resources for short-term accommodation, can be found on our accommodation pages.
Important information
Please note:
- Students will be required to bring their own laptops.
- If you have been offered a place on the course you will not be able to register without bringing a formal ID (Passport) and without having obtained the correct visa if required.
- It is essential that you read the current visa requirements for short course students.
- LSHTM may cancel courses two weeks before the first day of the course if numbers prove insufficient. In those circumstances, course fees will be refunded.
- LSHTM cannot accept responsibility for accommodation, travel and other losses incurred as a result of the course being cancelled.