Increasing children’s consumption of pulses for healthy and sustainable diets.

About the Project

Transforming current diets is essential to address major public health and environmental challenges (Stewart et al., 2021). In England, 22% of children are living with overweight or obesity by the time they begin primary school aged 4–5 years (NHS Digital, 2024), with rates highest among children living in deprived areas. Many children’s diets are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, while being low in fruits, vegetables and pulses. Only 4% of children currently meet recommended fibre intake guidelines. Poor diet quality during childhood increases the risk of obesity and later-life non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

Pulses - such as beans, lentils, and peas, offer potential to improve both human and planetary health. They are nutrient-dense, high in fibre and protein, low in saturated fat, relatively cheap and have a substantially lower environmental impact than animal-based protein sources. Despite these benefits, consumption of pulses and other plant-based proteins remains low in the UK.

Organisations that provide food to children, including nurseries, schools and play organisations, represent an important and scalable setting for promoting healthier and more sustainable eating habits. However, there is currently limited understanding of the attitudes, perceptions and practical challenges faced by key stakeholders (e.g. parents, educators, caterers and providers) in introducing pulse-based foods to children.

This PhD project will investigate the behavioural, social, and environmental factors that influence the provision and acceptance of pulse-based meals in child-focused settings. The research will assess current food offerings, explore stakeholders’ attitudes and perceived barriers and enablers to incorporating pulses into menus. Findings will inform the design of evidence-based behavioural interventions aimed at increasing children’s acceptance and consumption of pulses.

Depending on the candidate’s interests and methodological expertise, the project may involve qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed-methods research approaches. Potential methods include interviews, focus groups, surveys, co-design workshops, experimental studies and the development and pilot testing of behavioural interventions in real-world settings. There is also flexibility in the type of organisations to target to suit candidate’s interests.

The project offers opportunities to contribute to research in psychology, behavioural science, public health and sustainability, with the potential to generate meaningful impact for children’s health and environmentally sustainable food systems.