Food for added life years: Putting research into action (Food4Years)

Lead Research Organisation: University of Reading
Department Name: Food and Nutritional Sciences

Abstract

By 2050, it is predicted that one in four people in the UK will be aged 65 years or over. We have seen increases in lifespan over the last number of decades, however, this not necessarily complemented by increases in health. Improvements in medication and treatments mean that older people are spending longer living with their diseases causing them to spend their latter years living with poor health, disability, and frailty. With our population becoming older on average, this places increasing strain on health and social care services. Ensuring a healthy diet in older adults is one important strategy for supporting health, wellbeing, independence, and quality of life in older adults. One in ten people over the age of 65 are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition in the UK. There are many barriers for older people to consume a nutrient dense diet. In recent years a large body of research has explored factors that can enhance the quality of the diet in older adults, however this knowledge has yet to translate into food products and policy changes. For example, there is a plethora of products on the market targeting infants, children and adolescents, and a consistent acknowledgement that their needs are different. Yet there remains a lack of products supporting healthy ageing, despite the food industry recognising the need to address the challenges of designing and marketing high-quality foods and meals for the older adult consumer.
Much more needs to be done to increase the intake of specific foods, diets and nutrients by older adults, that can help them to improve the quality of life as they age. This can be achieved through a variety of methods which may include improving the nutritional information available to older adults, their carers and health care professional, development and marketing of food products that meet older adult's specific needs, behaviour change strategies such as "nudging" and changes in policy that promote the development of healthier diets for older adults. The overall aim of our project is to build a community of consumers, businesses, charities, clinicians, and academic researchers that are thoroughly committed to the development, integration and communication of healthy, affordable foods and diets for older adults. We will develop research, communication campaigns and policy guidance for foods, diets and environments specifically to promote quality of life and improved health in the ageing UK population.

Technical Summary

The UK national population trajectory forecasts that by 2050, one in four people will be aged 65 years+. However, increases in life-span appear to be surpassing increases in health-span. Incidence rates for chronic diseases are increasing with treatments allowing people to live for longer with their disease. There is good evidence to support changes to lifestyle to maintain or improve body composition, cognitive health, musculoskeletal health, immune function and vascular health in older adults. Much research has been done which has produced significant support for foods and nutrients that contribute to improved health span. Yet two major barriers remain. Firstly, older adult consumers are not meeting current UK recommendations for macro and micronutrients yet this would provide benefits to health and quality of life. Secondly, the UK-specific recommendations may not be sufficient to support the aging population, particularly for nutrients with key physiological roles.

More needs to be done to improve intakes of specific foods, diets and nutrients by older adults, through a variety of mechanisms including improved clarity of information, appropriate marketing, "nudge" strategies and policy changes to enable incentives. More research is needed to explore how to build consumer awareness about the importance eating for healthy ageing and co-produce and co-create diets and foods that meet the ageing populations needs. This message needs to be supported by policy makers and national guidelines. The current market offer of real food solutions for older adults is modest; despite the food industry recognising the need to address the challenges of designing and marketing high-quality foods and meals for the older adult consumer. The aim of the Research Network is to build a Community that is absolutely committed to the development, integration and communication of healthy, affordable foods and specific diets for all older adults across our food landscape.
 
Description To date (13th March 2023) we have a total of 202 individuals signed up to the Food4Years Network from across consumers, charities, healthcare professional, researchers and businesses.
To date we have engaged with the British Nutrition Foundation, Nutrition Society, British Dietetic Association (BDA), British Society for Research on Ageing, The Association of Convenience Stores, the Association for Nutrition, Institute of Food Science and Technology, The British Feeding and Drinking Group, Age UK and Malnutrition Task Force and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (formerly Public Health England).
We hosted two online Satellite workshops focused on the identification of research ideas and opportunities for diets and foods for older adults.
We had 14 applications for our funding round.
We have provided pump-priming funding to six research projects. Three of these projects involve (i) the development of interventions to communicate the nutritional requirements of older adults and three involve (ii) food products and marketing strategies for older adults that are acceptable to their needs. All funded projects are multidisciplinary and include Early Career Researchers.
We have supported and encourage early-careers researchers (ECR) into the sector and provide funds to help engage new investigators to work with charities and industry partners.
Exploitation Route The Network will be used over the next number of years to grow the area of ageing and food research in the UK.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Communities and Social Services/Policy

Education

Healthcare

Government

Democracy and Justice

URL https://twitter.com/Food4Years
 
Description We have published videos through British Nutrition Foundation that are easily accessible to the public,
First Year Of Impact 2024
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare
Impact Types Societal

 
Description All Party Parliamentary Food and Health Forum
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
URL https://www.fhf.org.uk/meetings/
 
Description Presentation of Food4Years at the UKANet Network Evening Policy Makers Meeting
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
 
Description Videos created through this grant and disseminated by the British Nutrition Foundation
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCiVkk1ephc
 
Description MRC Ageing Development Award including ECRs Dr Sophia Amenyah (University of Bournmouth). The pump priming project from Food4Years was the foundation to gaining tis larger grant.
Amount £408,754 (GBP)
Organisation Medical Research Council (MRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2024 
 
Description Understanding how food and beverages deliver improved nutrition across the lifecourse, hub
Amount £356,135 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/X010821/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2022 
End 11/2027
 
Description "Dietary strategies for improving healthy life expectancy: a focus on protein" The Longevity Forum - Science Summit 2023, Oriel College, University of Oxford,15th November 2023. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Event held as part of Longevity Week which revolves around a collection of events all centered on a shared mission: to help individuals attain extended, improved, and more meaningful lives
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://thelongevityforum.com/
 
Description "Dietary strategies for improving healthy life expectancy: a focus on protein". Ageing of the Mind and Senses Conference, University of Sussex, 4th Apr 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Academic conference focused on Ageing of the Mind and Senses
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description "Strategies to increase protein consumption for improving healthy life expectancy: " SHARe paired papers talks. Sheffield Hallam University. 13th June 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Academic presentation at Sheffield Hallam University
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description "The relationship between diet and a healthy life" Online webinar hosted by Food for Sustainability, Portugal. 18th May 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Online academic talk to Food for Sustainability
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.food4sustainability.org/
 
Description A talk at the Annual Scientific meeting of the British Society of Research in Ageing 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A talk at the BSRA was used to increase awareness about the Food4Years network and increase members in the network
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Agewell PPI Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact on the 8th September 2022 Dr Niharika Duggal and Dr Miriam Clegg promoted the Network to the Birmingham 1000 Elders group (a Patient Participant Involvement dedicated to bringing researchers and older adults together) at their Annual Agewell Conference
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description ECR Food4Years Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact We held an ECR workshop at the University of Loughborough in May 2023, co-hosted with one of our pump-primingaward holders, Dr Chris McLeod.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Food for adding life years: Putting research into action." Nutritional Resilience for Healthy Ageing' Conference, Queen's University Belfast, Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences building, Chlorine Gardens. Belfast, June 6-7th 2023. 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Academic conference in which we hosted an Workshop focused on the further development of the Network.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Food4Years Winter Conference January 2024 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The winter conference disseminated the findings from the Food4Years Pump Priming projects in addition to 4 keynote speakers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Invited Speakers at E3S Sensory Science Symposium 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Lisa Methven invited to speak with the French PI at INRAE, Claire Sulmont-Rossé, to speak at the E3S Sensory 10th Anniversary Symposium to be held in the UK. Talk entitled: Co-creation of food solutions to sustain health and autonomy in older adults.
At the talk Lisa Methven opened up the Food4Yeasr partnership up to the sensory community.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Mini conference 'Developing food for older adults: from policy to product and beyond' 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Mini conference 'Developing food for older adults: from policy to product and beyond' held on the 9th of November, we had five speakers and four ECRs chaired the sessions; 110 tickets were 'sold' (event was free).
Speakers and their talk title were as follow:
• Dr Elizabeth Williams - Why diet still matters for older adults - chaired by Dr Chris McLeod.
• Prof Anwesha Sarkar - Designing food for seniors: does eating capability matter - chaired by Dr Victoria Norton.
• Kelly Fortune - Product Development at Apetito - chaired by Konstantinos Prokopidis.
• Joanne Lunn - A retailer perspective on the challenges and opportunities of nutrition for older adults - chaired by Dr Victoria Norton.
• Dr Adrienne Cullum - Developing dietary guidelines in the UK - older adults - chaired by Dr Dorothy Tse.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Presentation of Food4Years at the UKANet Network Meeting 5th Sept2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presenting of Food4Years at the UKANet Network Meeting (5th Sept2023) where we presented the challenges our network is addressing and introduced the pump priming projects we have sponsored.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Satellite workshop 1 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact 1st Satellite workshop held on the 23rd of May 2022 to provide the opportunity for conversation on the priorities for older adult nutritional research and form the basis for the direction and target areas for future research; 66 people joined the main session. After the main session, two discussion sessions were held which included three breakout rooms;
1. Challenges to the development and marketing of food products designed for older consumers
2. Nutritional requirements and older adults: Where evidence and guidelines align and where there are gaps.
3. Co-creating food-based solutions with older adults.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Satellite workshop 2 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact The 2nd Satellite workshop held on the 5th of October 2022 to facilitate collaboration and networking targeted towards our pump-priming call; 33 people joined the main session.
After the main session, a discussion session was held which included 3 breakout rooms and provided an opportunity for researchers to pitch ideas for our pump priming call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Talk to the Local U3A PPI group on 'Promoting healthy Ageing' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A talk was given at the U3A science group compromising of older adults interested in research to promote lifestyle choices such as healthy eating for healthy ageing
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022