News
On May 23rd, Wageningen University (WUR) in the Netherlands released the first report for Work Package One (WP1), based on data gathered from their Group Model Building sessions.
The report has sparked some thought-provoking news articles on the topic. WUR published the following news item
Why eating healthy is more challenging for people of modest means - WUR
When interviewed, Sanne Djojosoeparto, a researcher on FOODPATH WP1 in the Consumption and Healthy Lifestyle group in Wageningen University, explained, "A healthy meal often costs more than an unhealthy one, which can be a major barrier, especially for those on tight budgets. And that's not the only challenge they face."
Djojosoeparto, along with WUR colleagues Nieke Sonneveld, Maartje Poelman, and Carlijn Kamphuis (Utrecht University) conducted three sessions in Ede with both professionals and local residents to explore how financial limitations influence eating behavior. The group included eleven experts in nutrition, health, or debt assistance, and fourteen Veldhuizen residents with firsthand experience of financial hardship. Emphasizing the value of lived experience, they collaboratively identified barriers to healthy eating for people with limited means, resulting in a system map outlining 62 contributing factors.
The full report can be found here: Why Healthy Eating is not obvious for everyone: a systems perspective on eating behaviour of people of modest means and recommendations for systemic change.