Hungry for Change Report
Our new report, commissioned by Bite Back 2030 and supported by Guys’ and St Thomas’ Charity, highlights significant changes in young people’s eating habits and attitudes to food since the start of lockdown, and it reveals starkly different experiences based on socio-economic background.
Our Hungry for Change report makes five key recommendations to Number 10 ahead of an expected announcement this month on new measures to tackle obesity. Over a thousand 14 - 19 year olds from England took part and insights from the research paint a mixed picture of lockdown life for teens, showing a significant increase in snacking; fresh enthusiasm for cooking; and a newfound enjoyment of eating as a family. It also reveals a new awareness of the gap between rich and poor when it comes to diet, and a powerful appetite among young people for a fairer food system.
Key findings from the report, published today July 1st 2020:
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45% of participants say that they are now more aware of the injustices that exist in the food system, and 40% are worrying about those injustices more now than before lockdown.
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A third of teens reported cooking more, although those from less affluent socio-economic backgrounds were found to be stepping up to take responsibility for preparing meals for key worker single parents rather than cooking for enjoyment.
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60% of young people feel eating as a family has positively impacted their health and wellbeing while in lockdown.
Christina Adane, Youth Co-Chair of Bite Back, and a driving force behind the free school meals campaign:
“Being at home has opened my eyes to the magnitude of problems this country faces, especially with food. I want the Prime Minister to listen to young people; see the issues we have to face like holiday hunger, inaccessibility to healthy food and lack of nutrition. I don’t want us to be the victims of endless fast food advertisement and celebrities endorsing stuff that everyone knows is bad for us! I want to be part of a world where our health is the priority of the food industry. There are enough people that think the same way for this change to happen; we just need to take the opportunity that lockdown gave us to have a fresh start.”
