SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
Research
In 2022, Mrs Yasmine Fakhry, PhD candidate in UEL's School of Childhood and Social Care, conducted a review of health and nutrition in prisons. Malnutrition is prevalent in prisons worldwide, posing significant risks for mortality and morbidity in both developed and developing countries. Mrs Fakhry’s review highlights the role of social factors in prisons, especially concerning food security, the fulfilment of basic nutrition and health rights, weight status, diet quality, and medical nourishment therapy.
The review concludes that women and children in prisons often face inadequate nutrition and health services. In comparisons between countries, developing nations tend to provide poorer health and nutrition services in prisons. While prisoners are among the groups most likely to experience nutritional and health deficiencies, Mrs Fakhry’s research underscores the importance of prioritising robust healthcare systems in prisons to promote health and nutrition for all.
Teaching
UEL’s School of Health, Sport and Bioscience offers a range of accredited continuous professional development (CPD) courses designed to enhance understanding, knowledge, and skills within the current workforce. The Level 4 Nutrition Coach module is an online course, that enables participants to achieve a nutrition qualification through flexible at-home study. The course provides an in-depth understanding of the nutritional requirements for a healthy diet and the role nutrition plays in weight management and athletic performance. Topics covered include food allergies and intolerances, applied nutrition for health, energy balance and calories, achieving nutritional goals, and much more.
Operations
UEL leads several initiatives to support food security for both students and staff. All food outlets are signed up to the TooGoodToGo app, allowing users to purchase surplus food at heavily discounted rates, both minimising food waste and providing affordable food options. UEL has also partnered with FareShare, the UK’s largest charity focused on fighting hunger and reducing food waste. Every Monday and Thursday evening, FareShare is on campus to provide free surplus food and groceries from local suppliers. In 2023, UEL also hosted free healthy breakfast mornings for students and staff every Wednesday at both the Docklands and Stratford campuses, distributing a total of 14,897 free healthy breakfasts throughout the year.
Outreach
In 2023, students from UEL’s Architecture department and researchers from the Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) began developing a new community garden in Newham. UEL led workshops with students from a local school, where they learned about design, construction, sustainability, the circular economy and biodiversity. The students also had the opportunity to collaborate with SugarcreteTM in designing the garden. The garden is being established on unused land near the Crossrail tracks in North Woolwich, with the aim of food grown there to support the local food bank. The garden also provides a space for visitors to learn about the benefits of growing their own fruit and vegetables. The garden will also be used by the local community centre and the Royal Docks Learning and Activity Centre.