Food Environment

• Junk food advertising restrictions can prevent obesity
• Universal infant free school meal policy helps children eat less ultra-processed foods
• Ultra-processed food makes up almost two-thirds of calorie intake of UK adolescents
• Calorie labelling could influence some restaurant menu options
• Calorie labels rarely influence choice of takeaway
• Social position is linked to food delivery preferences
• Obesity policies need to tackle unhealthy environments as well as individual behaviours

Improved use of routine data to assess and evaluate food environments – Generated a longitudinal dataset of the food environment for use in research and food environment surveillance.

Shaping a ‘healthier food environment’ – Identified, mapped and explored the use of policy levers and interventions that can be used to influence population health change, in the common local food system across English Local Authorities.

Understanding the impact of mandatory calorie labelling in out-of-home food environments in England – Increased our understanding of the effect of calorie labelling on people’s diets and health.

Understanding customer reactions to and usage of calorie labelling in England’s out-of-home food sector – Explored and increased understanding of how customers engage with calorie labelling.

Take it away: a masterclass in healthy takeaways – Worked with takeaway owners to encourage healthier cooking and menu options in takeaways.

More than enough on our plates: Tackling the obesity crisis by shrinking fish and chips -Researchers worked with independent fish and chip supplier to see whether people could be encouraged to eat a healthier size portion.

Ultra-processed foods make up almost two-thirds of Britain’s school meals – Found British primary and secondary schoolchildren are getting the majority of their lunchtime calories from ‘ultra-processed’ foods.