Open any newspaper or magazine and you are bound to find an article or discussion on food and health. We all know that healthy food has a positive effect on our health. Still, many questions arise, including that of the relationship between food supply, food consumption and healthy living. The Food & Healthy Living professorship seeks to answer these questions.
In Western society, food is available everywhere. Food scarcity is a thing of the past and food security is a matter of fact for the vast majority of the population. Yesterday’s food scarcity and seasonal dependency have made way for the year-round availability of food. The food supply structure is changing. Because of this, food production systems are under pressure. In addition, urbanization and the variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds influence our food consumption.
The Food & Healthy Living professorship focuses on questions such as:
- Why do we eat what we eat?
- How do consumption patterns relate to food supply systems and structures?
- How are these patterns embedded in daily life?
- How can we encourage sustainable food consumption for a healthy life in all groups in urban areas?
Sustainable solutions
Together with students of the bachelor’s programs European Food Business, Food & Healthy Living and Geo, Media & Design, as well as the master’s program Food Systems Innovation, we research in what way we can promote sustainable and healthy food consumption.
The professorship encourages broad collaboration with, among others, Flevocampus, Floriade and the AMS Institute (Amsterdam institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions).
In addition, the professorship is involved in the transdisciplinary program of the ‘Nederlandse Wetenschaps Agenda Transitie naar een Duurzaam Voedselsysteem’ (Translation: Dutch Scientific Agenda Transition towards a Sustainable Food System).