news 2024

Older adults in the UK who are socially isolated are more likely to have an insufficient intake of key micronutrients such as vitamin C and vitamin B6, increasing their risk of health problems, according to a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in the journal Age and Ageing , looked at data from 3,713 people in the UK aged 50 and over who filled in a detailed questionnaire about what they ate and drank on two separate days.

People who eat more ultra-processed foods (UPF) are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but this risk can be lowered by consuming less processed foods instead, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL. The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe in collaboration with experts at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, investigated the relationship between the degree of food processing and type 2 diabetes risk, including which kinds of UPF were most high-risk.

Climate change will move and reduce the land suitable for growing food and timber, putting the production of these two vital resources into direct competition, a new study has found. The sight of vineyards in Britain is becoming more common as hotter summers create increasingly suitable conditions for growing grapes.

Planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from global food supply chains could fall by 17% if people change their food choices towards more plant-based diets, a new study reveals. More than half of the global population (56.9%) are currently over-consuming and would save nearly a third (32.4%) of global dietary emissions by switching to the plant-forward planetary health diet proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission, according to the research.

Researchers at Imperial College London have discovered how foods with a higher fibre content keep us feeling more satiated. In a study published today , researchers at Imperial have found that a higher-fibre diet stimulates the release of a key appetite-reducing hormone, in the ileum, part of the small intestine.

Heavily processed plant-based foods may be worse for heart health than non-processed foods. New analysis of the health impacts of plant-based ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has found they may pose a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases compared to less-processed plant-based foods. The research , led by the University of São Paulo and involving Imperial College London, used data from more than 118,000 people.

New research from the Global Challenges Research Fund's (GCRF) One Health Poultry Hub, including researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has, for the first time, modelled the transmission of avian influenza ('bird flu'), revealing the speed at which it can spread in Asia's live bird markets.

A study by the University of Southampton has found that market forces have provided good food price stability over the past half century, despite extreme weather conditions. Research into US wheat commodities by economists at Southampton, in collaboration with UCL, also suggests high uncertainty about the state of future harvests hasn't destabilised the market.

Farmers don't have to choose between lowering environmental impact and improving welfare for their pigs, a new study has found: it is possible to do both. But this is not reflected in the current food labelling schemes relied on by consumers. The way we classify farm types and label pork isn't helpful for making informed decisions when it comes to buying more sustainable meat.

Babies who are breastfed, or partially breastfed, for more than six months are less likely to be given sugar-sweetened drinks and sweet or salty snacks before they are 12 months-old, according to new research. The latest study, led by the University of Glasgow and published in the Maternal and Child Nutrition journal, looked at the links between breastfeeding and complementary feeding, otherwise known as the weaning process, where babies receive only part of their nutrients from milk and need to consume an increasingly varied diet.

Potassium deficiency in agricultural soils is a largely unrecognised but potentially significant threat to global food security if left unaddressed, finds new research involving researchers at UCL, University of Edinburgh and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. The study, published in Nature Food, found that more potassium is being removed from agricultural soils than is being added, throughout many regions of the world.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contain more calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt than minimally-processed foods - but not all'UPFs are unhealthy, according to new research from UCL. For the study, published in The British Journal of Nutrition , scientists wanted to investigate whether food processing information could be a useful indicator of what is healthy to eat.

Undergraduate research conducted in a kitchen during lockdown could reduce food waste and help keep veg in prime condition for longer Published on Wednesday 24 January 2024 Last updated on Wednesday 24 January 2024 Chopped carrot pieces are among the most universally enjoyed foods and a snacking staple - a mainstay of school lunchboxes, picnics and party platters year-round.