BBSRC Health Inequalities in the Food System

Funding available to foster a better understanding of the causes of dietary health inequalities in the UK food system and deliver place-based, solution-focused interventions to improve equity and health.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has launched this opportunity in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and Innovate UK to support projects researching dietary health inequalities in the UK food system. Supported projects should take a food systems approach to design and deliver place-based, solution focused interventions.

The objectives of this funding opportunity are to support interdisciplinary research and innovation that will:

• Improve understanding of the causes of dietary health inequalities in the UK food system at local levels, regional levels or both.
• Deliver place-based, solution-focused interventions to reduce dietary health inequalities in the UK food system at local levels, regional levels, or both.
• Inform policy and practice by working with stakeholders (government, business and/or the third sector) to deliver interventions.
• Increase interdisciplinary research capability and capacity in reducing dietary health inequalities in UK food systems.

The expected outcomes of this funding opportunity are:

• Researchers and stakeholders take a systems approach to understanding and addressing the impacts of dietary health inequalities in the UK food system.
• Solution-based interventions are adopted by businesses and government at local levels, regional levels, or both and lead to a reduction in dietary health inequalities in the UK food system.
• Enhanced relationships between different actors across the food system, including local authorities, food manufacturers or retailers, policymakers and NGOs, enabling a connected evidence-based approach to policy-making and industry practice.
• Increased interdisciplinary research capability and capacity in reducing dietary health inequalities in the UK food system.
• A clear understanding of the causes of dietary health inequalities in the UK food system.
• A significant reduction in dietary health inequalities in the UK food system.

A key aim of this opportunity is to work with a range of stakeholders including decision-makers, businesses, and civil society organisations, to design and deliver exemplar interventions at a local levels, regional levels or both that can be applied elsewhere to reduce dietary health inequalities. Place-based interventions that will transform the current food system and lead to longer term household food and nutrition security are particularly encouraged.

The duration of each award is a maximum of three years. Projects must start by 1 April 2025.