Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Research grant to investigate healthy eating behaviour in adolescents
Dr Hannah Ensaff, Research Fellow in childhood obesity and child nutrition from the University's Faculty of Health& Social Sciences, has secured an Alpro Foundation research grant for an18-month project to nudge adolescents towards plant-based food choices.
The research will investigate the- attitudes and perceptions of young people towards plant-based diets as well as assessing the impact of behavioural nudge tactics on students' food choices. Collaborating with Professor Pinki Sahota at Leeds Met and Anne Cowling Health& Wellbeing Service Lead at Leeds City Council, Dr Ensaff's research will involve the design, implementation and evaluation of 'nudges' towards plant-based eating within a secondary school dining environment.
Dr Ensaff explains: "Across Europe, there are rising levels of obesity among adolescents, with up to with up to 32%and 37% of 15-year-old boys and girls respectively, being overweight or obese. This increases with age, such that the majority (52%) of European adults are overweight or obese. Obesity in the United Kingdom has almost doubled in the last 20 years, and currently stands at the second highest in Europe at26.1%.
"Young people's diets can be high in saturated fat and sugar, along with low fruit and vegetable consumption. The majority of adolescents do not meet dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetables; 64% and 63% of British 15 year olds do not eat fruit and vegetables daily. These poor choices, typified by low intake of plant-based foods, are mirrored in schools, where students display a low preference for nutrient-rich meals.
"A diet replete with fruit and vegetables can protect against certain chronic diseases. A high proportion of plant-based food during adolescence is not only an important indicator of diet quality, but can also promote healthy food choice behaviour later on in adulthood."
The 'nudges' implemented will be designed based on extensive data collected from young people in their school environment, as well as relevant background literature. The school dining environment provides a sound setting for Dr Ensaff's research, both in terms of instigating the nudges and determining their effectiveness. As well as uncovering insights into young people's attitudes and perceptions towards plant-based diets, it is hoped that the research will improve the accessibility, presentation and prevalence of plant-based food items in order to nudge young people's food choice. In this way, adolescents' diets can be shifted towards a higher proportion of plant-based food choices.
The Alpro Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation, which was founded in 1996 - an initiative of Alpro. Recognising the increasing importance of a healthy lifestyle for long term health benefits, Alpro contributes to health in marketing soya food products that fit with a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle.
The objective of the Alpro foundation is to support and promote scientific knowledge and research in the field of nutrition and health with a focus on plant-based nutrition and sustainability. The foundation aims to help increase the awareness and knowledge about the impact of 'nutrition on human health' amongst health professionals and the general public. www.alprofoundation.org