Nesta

The world around us shapes what we eat. 🍎

Our daily choices are heavily influenced by what is cheap, available and heavily advertised. Right now, this system has made the UK one of the largest consumers of ultra-processed foods in the world.

If we want to tackle this public health crisis, we have to look beyond individual willpower and actually fix our broken food system.

In the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, we dive deep into how the government can finally turn the tide on obesity. We are joined by health policy expert Dr Dolly van Tulleken and Hugo Harper, director of Nesta’s healthy life mission, to unpack the urgent steps needed to fix our food environment.

Together, they examine the structural forces shaping our diets, reveal why so many public health policies get watered down or delayed and discuss what the evidence really says works.

In each episode of the Policy Fix , we take a policy problem and then look at the solutions for fixing it.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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There is no bigger public health issue in the UK today than obesity. Around two-thirds of people are living with excess weight and obesity, costing our society a staggering £126 billion every single year in hits to the NHS, lost productivity and lowered quality of life.

How can the government finally turn the tide and fix our broken food system?

🎧 In the latest episode of the Policy Fix, host Joseph Owen explores this challenge with health policy expert Dr Dolly van Tulleken and Hugo Harper, director of Nesta’s healthy life mission.

Together, they unpack the food environment that shapes what we eat, why so many policies get watered down or delayed, and what the evidence really says works.

In each episode of the Policy Fix podcast, we take a policy problem and then look at the solutions for fixing it.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

🌟 Like the Policy Fix podcast? Subscribe, rate and review

A year ago, the government set out a ‘moonshot’ to end the obesity epidemic in the 10 Year Health Plan for England. However, successive governments have announced almost 700 initiatives to tackle obesity in the last 30 years - in that time, rates have doubled.

So why has nothing worked and what would it actually take to turn the tide?

In the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, host Joe Owen sits down with health policy expert Dr Dolly van Tulleken and Hugo Harper, director of Nesta’s healthy life mission, to debate the structural changes that can actually move the dial - such as mandatory targets for supermarkets. We think this could reduce obesity by around 20%.

Together, they unpack the food environment that shapes what we eat and look at what the evidence really says works.

In each episode of Policy Fix, we take a policy problem and look at the solutions for fixing it.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

🎧 Like the Policy Fix podcast? Subscribe, rate and review.

Could a second referendum on Europe do more harm than good?

In the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, Professor Anand Menon, director at UK in a Changing Europe, breaks down what a second referendum might look like in practice.

In each episode of the Policy Fix, we look at a unique policy challenge and what it takes to fix it. Find out the true economic cost of Brexit and whether rejoining is the right choice for Britain in the latest episode.

🎥 Watch the full conversation with Anand, Tim Leunig and host Joe Owen: https://bit.ly/4oiAaqR

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Here's why the EU is hardlined on a non-member deal for the UK ⤵️

On the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, Professor Anand Menon breaks down the strategic challenge behind an EU and UK trade deal.

The conversation covers free movement and the single market, the customs union, the politics of immigration and cost of living, why the EU has little incentive to make life easy for the UK, and whether rejoining is realistic given the current political climate.

🎥 Watch the full conversation on YouTube ➡️ https://bit.ly/4oiAaqR

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Is the UK running out of realistic options on Europe?

In this episode of the Policy Fix podcast, Professor Anand Menon, director at UK in a Changing Europe, explains why our actual menu of choices is narrowing fast.

Anand joins Nesta's Tim Leunig and host Joe Owen to discuss the future of EU-UK relations and the economic cost of Brexit.

🎥 Watch the full conversation on YouTube ➡️ https://bit.ly/4oiAaqR

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From an economics perspective, the right model is to rejoin the EU, says Nesta's Tim Leunig. But to what extent is Brexit a purely economic issue, versus a deeper debate over British sovereignty?

Tim joins UK in a Changing Europe's director, Anand Menon, and host Joe Owen to discuss the future of EU-UK relations and the economic cost of Brexit in the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast.

🎥 Watch the full conversation on YouTube ➡️ https://bit.ly/4oiAaqR

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Is a social media ban the best way to keep children safe online?

With yesterday's announcement of a social media ban for under-16s, the debate over online regulation has never been more urgent. But is a straightforward ban the right move, or should policymakers be looking at more innovative alternatives?

🎙️ We were joined by Nesta's Tony Curzon Price and Demos' Hannah Perry to explore this issue on the Policy Fix podcast.

The conversation digs into what policymakers should do about social media and its effect on children, weighing up the benefits and limitations of radical intervention such as a blanket social media ban as seen in Australia, and the alternatives that should be on the table.

🎧 Watch the full episode on Youtube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/4erFNOT

A UK ban on social media for under 16s is officially on the table - but is it really the best solution for children's online safety?

We were joined by digital policy expert Hannah Perry (Demos) and Nesta's Tony Curzon Price to dig into what policymakers should do about social media and its effect on children, on a recent episode of the Policy Fix podcast 🎙️

Our guests weigh the merits of radical intervention alongside regulatory and policy options with host Joe Owen.

Listen to the conversation to explore why legislation has so far failed to keep pace, whether a social media ban will be truly effective, and whether, instead of just banning social media, we need to build it better.

🎥 Watch the full episode of the Policy Fix ➡️ https://bit.ly/4dE1zjP

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How Ireland has gained from Brexit - and why they would drive a hard bargain ⤵️

In our latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, we're exploring the UK's place in Europe with guests Professor Anand Menon, director at UK in a Changing Europe and Nesta's Tim Leunig.

While the UK remains outside the single market for goods, Ireland has seen a significant boost in manufacturing exports due to post-Brexit trade diversion. This economic shift creates a new policy challenge for any future UK-EU negotiations.

Listen to the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast hosted by Joseph Owen to learn more about the future of UK-EU relations and the economic impact of Brexit.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube ➡️ https://bit.ly/4oiAaqR

🎧 Subscribe, share and rate wherever you get your podcasts.