Monday, 27 September 2021
Volunteers are needed for a study looking into whether the £20 uplift in Universal Credit has had a positive impact on their diet and nutrition.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham have launched the Income, Diet and Nutrition study to explore income, the uplift to Universal Credit and its influence on the food included in people’s diets, their micronutrient intake and food security status.
Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 families in receipt of Universal Credit were given an extra £20 per week, this is due to end next month.
Researchers are looking for 100 volunteers aged 18-65 who have been receiving Universal Credit to take part in two stages of the study. In each stage people will be asked to complete a 24-hour dietary recall and a survey, there is also an option to provide a blood and urine sample.
The Universal Credit uplift gave a boost to family incomes and we want to see what impact this has had on their diets. Have they been eating more fresh fruit and vegetables? Has their diet been more varied? Have they tried new things? – these are some of the questions we hope to answer and get a picture of the food security status of people in our region.
Food poverty, often referred to as household food insecurity, can be caused by a crisis in finance or personal circumstances. It may also be a long-term experience of not being able to access or have the facilities to prepare a healthy diet. It encompasses both the affordability of food and its availability within local communities. An estimated 8.4 million people in the UK struggling to get enough to eat and food insecurity can affect anyone.
We are undertaking a number of studies looking into how diets have changed during the pandemic. There are so many factors that influence our daily food choices and income is probably one of the biggest, we hope to find out what a difference just £20 per week can make to a person’s diet and nutritional intake.
Anyone taking part in the study will receive a gift of a food box and for participants who provide blood and urine samples there is a supermarket gift voucher.
If you are interested in finding out more or want to take part email: IDNS@nottingham.ac.uk
Story credits
More information is available from Michelle Thomas on michelle.thomas@nottingham.ac.uk or Dr Simon Welham on simon.welham@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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