Stark regional divide in food, health & nutrition revealed in Fuse-backed report

Northern regions have some of the poorest diets in England, putting people at risk of conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and other preventable diseases.

A report published today (Tuesday July 22, 2025) by the Northern Health Science Alliance's (NHSA) Nutrition North network - with significant contributions from Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health - paints a stark picture of the state of nutrition in the North of England and calls for urgent support and investment to address this reversible trend.

Food, Health and Nutrition in the North of England: Inequalities and Opportunities explores a range of factors associated with diet and nutrition, including dietary habits, health outcomes, food security and the regional food environment. The report has been backed by Hairy Biker Si King, who has included a foreword, alongside Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health for Newcastle and Gateshead.

The report is co-authored by Professor Amelia Lake, Deputy Director of Fuse, and Executive of the Nutrition North network - a coalition of nutrition scientists and practitioners across the North of England, established by the NHSA. The network works across the research spectrum, from metabolic science to nutrition policy and public health implementation. Three of the report’s five case studies are drawn from Fuse research and led by Centre researchers:

• Case Study 1: How do patients engage with current strategies to reverse Type 2 Diabetes? Ruth Boocock (Teesside University).

• Case Study 3: An analysis of food and beverage advertising on bus shelters in Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland. Scott Lloyd (Newcastle University, Middlesbrough Council and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council); Amelia Lake, Helen Moore and Claire O’Malley (Teesside University).
  

• Case Study 4: Policies to limit new fast-food outlets and reduce childhood obesity. Heather Brown (Lancaster University) and Amelia Lake (Teesside University).
  

The analysis shows that people in the North generally have a lower intake of nutrients such as calcium, fibre, vegetables, and healthy fatty acids than the national average, and spend less on household food per week than the rest of England. Northern regions also have higher levels of adult obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and greater mortality rates from preventable cancer, and preventable cardiovascular and liver diseases.

The authors point to a number of influencing factors, including higher food insecurity, lack of access to healthy foods, and the high numbers of fast food outlets located in the North.

They are calling for policymakers to adopt a range of targeted recommendations to address this issue. These include strategies to improve access to healthy food in the North and prevent food insecurity, the establishment of a skilled nutritionist workforce in the North, improved collection of regional-level diet data, and measures to ensure families have enough income to meet their basic needs.

Analysis in the report reveals that:

• Intake of calcium, fibre, vegetables, fruit, legumes, healthy fatty acids and sodium are all lower in the North than the England average

• The average household in England spends 16% more on food per week than a household in the North East. In the North East, the average weekly household food expenditure is £56.30, the lowest in the country. The average household spend in England is £65.50

• Weekly expenditure on fruit and vegetables in northern regions is up to £3.27 less than the England average

• The North West has the highest percentage of households experiencing food insecurity (13%) of all regions in England

• The North has 103.6 fast food outlets per 100,000 people, compared to an average of 81.9 in England. This is 26% higher than the national average

• The three northern regions have the highest levels of adult obesity in the country: 32.2% in the North East, 29.3% in the North West, and 28.9% in Yorkshire and the Humber

• The North East has the highest levels of childhood obesity in 10-11 year olds at 24.5%, compared to 19.1% in the South West

• The North has the highest rates of all-cause adult mortality across England, with more than 100 additional deaths per 100,000 than the England average

• The prevalence of hypertension in the North East is 54% higher than in London

• The three northern regions have the highest mortality rates in the country for preventable cancer, preventable cardiovascular disease, and preventable liver disease

• Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), cancer and liver disease in under 75s are higher in the three northern regions than the English average - with the North West experiencing the highest rates of CVD and cancer, and the North East experiencing the highest rates of liver disease

The researchers say that addressing these challenges will not just transform outcomes for northern communities, but also reduce the strain on the UK health system. The NHS is estimated to spend over £11.4 billion a year treating and managing obesity alone, with the wider social costs estimated at £74.3 billion annually. It spends £10.7 billion a year treating diabetes, which is around 6% of the UK health budget.

The report features several recommendations based on research and existing policy, which will help improve outcomes for communities in the North. These include:

• The implementation of place-based strategies to provide more equitable access to healthy food across multiple societal sectors
• Supporting local authorities in restricting fast food advertising as well as planning permission for new takeaways
• Improving collection of regional data on nutrition and diet to inform local decision making

The authors call for an expansion of a skilled workforce focused on nutrition at a regional level to improve understanding of regional health challenges and the impacts of public health interventions. They also urge policymakers to ensure that families have an adequate and secure income to meet basic needs, by removing the two-child benefit cap, expanding investment in early years services, and making sure children receive support regardless of family size.

Expertise and experience already exist in the North - including within Fuse - which could help to shape and inform such interventions, with the right support and investment. The report features several case studies highlighting active research and policy, including investigations into reversing Type 2 Diabetes, improving maternal diet by offering nutrition education to midwives, and the work of local authorities to limit new fast food outlets and reduce childhood obesity.

Professor Amelia Lake, Deputy Director of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, and Professor of Public Health Nutrition at Teesside University, said:

“The contents of this report are deeply concerning. People in the North have a lower daily intake of important nutrients, and spend less on food such as fruits and vegetables than anywhere else in the country. They also have higher rates of obesity, preventable diseases and adult mortality. Communities with poor options for healthy food are also overrun with the highest numbers of fast food outlets in the country, which further exacerbates the problem for so many by limiting food choices. This is all set within a wider context of inequalities and dietary inequalities.

“However, it is important to note that these trends are also reversible. The report features case studies of research and policymaking in the North which demonstrate that these issues can be tackled thoughtfully, decisively, and using the experience and expertise that exists in the North itself, while working alongside communities. This will require investment and the ability to build our capacity in the field of nutrition and within communities, but we can achieve so much if we act now and work together.”

Read the full report: Food, Health and Nutrition in the North of England: Inequalities and Opportunities

Last modified: Tue, 22 Jul 2025 01:05:11 BST