皇家华人

UCL Grand Challenge-funded researchers worked with The Trussell Trust to explore the use of food banks in the UK and the impact on the diet and health of those people needing to use them.

In 2015, a听UCL听Grand Challenges听of Human Wellbeing听Small Grant enabled听researchers听Dr Angel Chater (UCL School of Pharmacy听and听University of Bedfordshire),听Dr听Edwina听Prayogo听(UCL School of Pharmacy), Professor听George Grimble (UCL听Division of Medicine),听to investigate the causes and factors affecting food insecurity, and the impact of financial hardship on people鈥檚 health and wellbeing.听听

They collaborated with The Trussell Trust, the UK鈥檚听biggest Food Aid provider,听and researchers at Bath and Southampton universities, to shed more light on who uses foodbanks and why.听In 2015鈥�16,听the Trust distributed听1.1 million emergency food听parcels听and this number increased by 74% in the five years to 2020鈥�21.听听

鈥淭he majority of people referred to food banks are single men and lone听parents, with one in three having children at home,鈥� says Edwina.听听

Single听adults听comprise听a large proportion of food听bank users, which may听result from听the gap between average unemployment benefits and the听actual听cost of living,听leading many听people听to miss meals because they cannot听afford听basic necessities.听听

鈥淔inancial听shocks, such as job loss, relationship breakdown or听due to听loss of听or late payment of听benefits,听can push households into听destitution听and force people to choose between heating听or听eating,鈥� she听explains.听听

The researchers听recommended听that benefit delays听should听be minimised to reduce the risks of pushing those with existing financial strain into听crisis.听

For听her PhD,听Edwina went on to study听the diet听of听people attending听a food听bank or local Advice Centre.听鈥淭he majority of participants had a poor overall dietary pattern and food insecurity was the significant link听between听financial hardship听and听dietary quality,鈥澨齭he says.听鈥淭his suggests that food insecurity should be addressed before听any听improvement in dietary quality听will听be seen.鈥澨�

Professor Grimble adds:听鈥淭his work听was听timely because the Covid-19 pandemic has seen a five- to tenfold increase in听food听bank attendance听following听increased unemployment.听It gives us an idea of how to address the problem of acute听severe听food insecurity,听which is now being听experienced听by many people听for the first time ever听in 2020.鈥澨�