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Kelly Parsons

@kellyparsons.bsky.social

1.4K followers 660 following 290 posts

Post-doc #foodpolicy researcher. Role of policymaking processes and governance structures in #foodsystems. What's in the policy toolbox for transforming #foodsystems. Food #systemsthinking. Food #policycoherence. Kellyparsons.co.uk. @thefoodrules

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Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · Nov 17

Hello! I'm a researcher at @mrcepid.bsky.social Cambridge Uni. I specialise in #foodpolicy + applying systems thinking to food: policymaking processes/structures; understanding policy levers to change #foodsystems; how policies interact + #policycoherence; and how to improve research evidence use.

Reposted by Kelly Parsons

MRC Epidemiology Unit @mrcepid.bsky.social · Jun 12

The latest UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) report, covering 2019-2023, finds that key dietary recommendations are still not being met by many in the population, with those in the most deprived areas tending to have poorer diets.

Read more at buff.ly/U3eIVr9

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National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 to 2023 highlights dietary deficiencies and inequalities - MRC Epidemiology Unit

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has published the latest report from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), which shows results for 2019-2023. The NDNS is […]

www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Kelly Parsons

Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · Jun 11

Spending Review settlement for DEFRA: capital spend up (flood defences) but resource spend down

Seems to cut ELMs funding (as rumoured) - no details yet, assume SFI being re-targeted. Basic Payments wound down

But will continue to be a separate pot of funding for peat + trees worth 'up to £400m'

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Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · Jun 7

#foodpolicy loophole

UK supermarkets exploit tax loophole to produce cider at ‘pocket-money prices’

Campaigners say ‘super-strength subsidy’ puts pressure on the NHS, as some ciders cost same as apple juice

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Kelly Parsons

LindsayGrahamUK @lindsaygrahamuk.bsky.social · Jun 4

👓👇#Freeschoolmeals

Stephen Morgan MP @stephenmorganmp.bsky.social · Jun 4

This is a historic change for children and for families.

A hundred thousand children lifted out of poverty.

The mark of a government with a Plan for Change👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/news/over-half-a-million-more-children-to-get-free-school-meals

Over half a million more children to get free school meals

New entitlement to free school meals for all children in household on Universal Credit.

www.gov.uk

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · Jun 3

Thanks for inviting me to to contribute to the chaper on #foodpolicy coherence @jeremyfarr.bsky.social, the #foodsystems report is epic and with great visuals too

Jeremy Farr @jeremyfarr.bsky.social · Jun 3

Very pleased to have co-authored a chapter on policy coherence ➡️➡️ with @kellyparsons.bsky.social

foodsystemhorizons.org/insights/rep...

Policy coherence - Food System Horizons

Authors Jeremy Farr, Jessica Bogard and Kelly Parsons Key points Citation Farr J, Bogard J and Parsons K (2025) Insight […]

foodsystemhorizons.org

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · Jun 1

'Next year’s presidential election seems to be weighing on his mind more than November’s Cop30 climate summit in Belém'

Brazil’s environmental governance is under threat – and Lula is siding with oil industry

Politicians reviled environmental minister Marina Silva in the senate this week, but new legislation is fuelling the fire

www.theguardian.com

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Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 31

Sweet dreams: dessert parlours help to revive UK’s high streets

Market thought to be worth more than £500m as diners seek cheaper alternatives to the pub or a meal out

www.theguardian.com

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 29

'...the government needed something like a climate security centre to feed these arguments into the decision-making process around security matters rather than delegating them to other departments such as Defra' #foodsystems #foodpolicy

UK must consider food and climate part of national security, say top ex-military figures

Former army and navy leaders urge government to think beyond military capability in advance of key defence review

www.theguardian.com

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 29

Important research #foodsystems #foodpolicy

Pesticides, antibiotics, animal medicines: the chemical cocktail seeping into our rivers

The list of everyday pollutants is a long one, and they could be as damaging to our water ecosystems as sewage spills

www.theguardian.com

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 28

V lucky that hyperlocal journalism is alive and well in our area, and the latest edition of Tower Hamlets Slice is a food special! 😃 #foodsystems

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 28

Very excited to have this on my doorstep

Fancy a masterpiece? Just pop one in your basket! V&A’s new open-access outpost will thrill art-lovers

The Victoria & Albert’s new warehouse boasts a mind-boggling 250,000 artefacts. Our art critic tries its ‘order an object’ service and gets intimate with some national treasures – including ‘the bigge...

www.theguardian.com

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 26

😃

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 26

Government’s AI peatland map ridiculed for confusing bog with rock

Farmers and residents across the country were quick to spot inaccuracies in Defra’s map — and worry that policy decisions will be erroneous

www.thetimes.com

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Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 24

Was just coming on here to say the same. Best bit of writing I have read for a while, thank you @archiebland.bsky.social

Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · May 24

If you only read one thing this weekend, this moving piece by @archiebland.bsky.social might be it.

The boy who came back: the near-death, and changed life, of my son Max

It was, we were told, a case of sudden infant death syndrome interrupted. What followed would transform my understanding of parenting, disability and the breadth of what makes a meaningful life

www.theguardian.com

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 23

'the project had taken a singular, “whole-system” approach in targeting children and families, community organisations, schools and the environment, ensuring “it’s the people within the locality that are making the decisions”'

Bradford project produces ‘outstanding’ rise in children’s physical activity

JU:MP programme included co-design of play spaces, exercise in faith settings and interventions in schools

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Kelly Parsons

Tamar Haspel @tamarhaspel.bsky.social · May 22

For anyone else looking for a link to the MAHA report, the go-to source for any food-related political news is @hbottemiller.bsky.social, and her newsletter, @foodfixco.bsky.social, has it.

If you don't subscribe, you should! Her link is here.
foodfix.co/wp-content/u...

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Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 21

You styled it out

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 21

(Opens article and scrolls straight to the shoes)

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Reposted by Kelly Parsons

Pete Scarborough @petescarbs.bsky.social · May 21

If FT are right about this announcement it will be yet another example of ambitious public health policy being announced and then quietly watered down before implementation

Camille Perrin @perrincam.bsky.social · May 21

“UK ministers are set to delay the implementation of rules that would ban unhealthy food advertising before 9pm in order to change guidance to allow brand marketing following heavy lobbying from the industry.”
Industry = 1 ; Kids’ health = 0
🫠
www.ft.com/content/a4a5...

Ministers to delay UK junk food advertising ban until next year

Marketing of unhealthy products to be barred before 9pm on TV but branded advertising using company names will be allowed

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Kelly Parsons

Jennifer Clapp 🇨🇦 @jennifer-clapp.bsky.social · May 21

Looking forward to participating in this webinar with @ipes-food.org colleagues and moderated by @thinink.bsky.social on June 3! Do join us! Details below ⬇️

IPES-Food @ipes-food.org · May 20

📢 Announcing our WEBINAR | The New Geopolitics of Food: trade wars, hunger & the case for cooperative self-reliance

What happens when food becomes a pawn in global power struggles?

Join IPES-Food experts + @thinink.bsky.social
📆June 3
🕑14h CEST/8am EDT

REGISTER: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

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Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 21

Love this

John Burn-Murdoch @jburnmurdoch.ft.com · May 21

Other people appreciating all the tiny design decisions that go into FT charts is my new favourite thing 🥰📈🥰📉🥰

Reposted by Kelly Parsons

Big Issue @bigissue.com · May 21

Trussell food banks reported a 46% increase in emergency food parcels provided for families with children compared to five years ago.

Food banks urge Labour to rethink benefit cuts amid surge in demand

www.bigissue.com

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Reposted by Kelly Parsons

Pete Scarborough @petescarbs.bsky.social · May 21

Happening at 4pm today! You can attend online or in person at the Oxford Martin School.

Pete Scarborough @petescarbs.bsky.social · May 19

On 21/5 at 4pm, the @oxfutureoffood.bsky.social seminar will feature the excellent Prof Pete Smith from Aberdeen Uni. He'll be talking about fixing the food system for health, climate and biodiversity.

Please join us at @oxmartinschool.bsky.social or online! More info and sign up sheet below.

Fixing the food system is central to tackling the world's climate, biodiversity, water and human health crisis

Future of Food seminar: Professor Pete Smith

www.futureoffood.ox.ac.uk

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Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 18

Nice way to learn about ingredients...

The best ingredients to buy in Asian, African, Middle Eastern and Polish stores – by the cooks and foodies who shop there

From fresh noodles and frozen lotus buns to smoked country sausages and pandan leaves, these are the brands the experts swear by (and where to get them online)

www.theguardian.com

Kelly Parsons @kellyparsons.bsky.social · May 17

👀 #foodpolicy #foodsystems

www.theguardian.com

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