Tackling healthy, sustainable diets and Net Zero goals with new UKRI-funded THRIVING project

The THRIVING Food Futures project, a consortium of researchers including Professor Thijs van Rens of the University of Warwick, has been awarded a five-year funding grant by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

This new research hub aims to develop policy solutions that reduce the carbon footprint of our diets whilst maximising health benefits.

It will bring together the public, policymakers and academics to co-design and evaluate policies for healthy, sustainable diets, with a focus on changing how food is marketed and sold.

As well as helping the country meet its legal Net Zero targets, sustainable diets can address public health issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and health inequalities.

Members of the THRIVING Link opens in a new windowhub include researchers from Oxford, Cambridge, Strathclyde, Warwick, Queen Mary University London and City St George’s University London.

Professor Thijs van Rens will lead a team working on the development of metrics, algorithms and tools to support the project. A new Nutrient and Environmental Profiling Model will classify and rank foods based on their nutritional content and environmental impact, to help inform policies for healthy, sustainable diets.

The team will also create novel digital tools, such as smartphone apps, to collect data and evaluate the effect of interventions in real-world shopping environments. These tools will allow for large-scale testing of proposed policies independent of commercial partnerships, and enable rigorous evaluation of how different policy approaches influence food choices and sustainability.

Thijs said:

We cannot deliver on net zero promises without significant change to our diets, because production of food, particularly of ruminant meat, is responsible for a third of carbon emissions globally. At the same time, making diets healthier to halt the obesity epidemic and the public health crisis is just as urgent.

Healthier, more sustainable diets are a responsibility of all. But we cannot wait for everyone to be on board, and we cannot rely on the large commercial players in the food system to do the right thing. Urgent action is needed now.

In the THRIVING project, we want to not only clarify what foods are good for human and planetary health, but also find ways build public support for these diets, and gather real-world evidence on what policies will be effective in encouraging dietary change.

Pete Scarborough, Professor of Population Health at Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, and project lead, added:

“The THRIVING Food Futures research hub is a great opportunity to reshape the UK’s food system in a way that benefits both our health and the environment.

“By working closely with policymakers and the public, we will create evidence-based solutions that are not only effective but also widely accepted and viable. If implemented, these policies can contribute to a healthier population and a healthier planet.”

This ambitious project is part of a new wave of transdisciplinary research hubs funded by UKRI and NIHR, designed to support transformative change. The THRIVING Food Futures project will not only provide valuable real-world evidence but also develop tools and policy maps that can be used beyond the life of the project.

• For more information about the project and its goals, please visit the THRIVING Food Futures webpageLink opens in a new window