Transforming the 'foodscape'

Development and feasibility testing of interventions to promote healthier take-away, pub or restaurant food.

Academics, from public health research centres Fuse and CEDAR are developing and testing a range of interventions for changing the out of home ‘foodscape’, focusing on independent take-aways, in order to help people eat healthier. The research is funded by the School of Public Health Research and aims to identifyeffective interventions or intervention components, test them in the real world and evaluate their impact on improving diets and /or reducing obesity.

The research is being  undertaken in six work packages between October 2013 and June 2016, including a literature review of existing interventions, analysis of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) to assess how often people eat meals outside their home, and interviews with professionals who deliver food interventions to understand what helps and hinders implementing these interventions.

Findings from the work to date suggest that young people in their 20s are particularly at risk, as they eat the most convenience food. The survey data highlighted that one in four UK adults and one in five children reported eating meals out once a week or more, and one fifth said they have takeaway food at least weekly. Young adults (aged 19-29) are most likely to both eat meals out and takeaways on a weekly basis. 

Moreover, the interviews with professionals demonstrated that understanding of the local legislative and operation context is important for the implementation of a food intervention. For instance, willingness of the food outlet operator to promote healthy options was identified as key barrier, while availability of nutritional knowledge to customers and the supply of different fats to chip shops were identified as key facilitators. Interventions have now been developed. The feasibility and acceptability of these interventions will be tested early in 2016.   

Contact information: Prof Ashley Adamson, Prof of Public Health Nutrition and NIHR Research Professor, email: ashley.adamson@ncl.ac.uk, tel: +44 (0) 191 208 5276.

Publications, presentations, and events

• Publication list & progress updated 07.02.2018

News

• One in five UK adults eat meals out or order takeaways in each week

Take a look at some other examples of Fuse research activity in the NIHR School for Public Health Research.

Photograph ‘Indian Takeaway’ (377797808_78fb98a48c) by Su-Lin via Flickr © 2007: https://www.flickr.com/photos/su-lin/377797808 (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Last modified: Wed, 24 Mar 2021 08:45:42 GMT