At #ECO2025 in Málaga, the newly launched ECO2025 Prize for Public Engagement & Science Communication recognised early career researchers translating complex obesity research into real-world impact. We spoke with winner Chiara Gericke, a PhD researcher at University College London (UCL), whose innovative use of geospatial methods highlights structural inequalities in London’s food environment and supports local action on healthy urban planning.
Welcome, Chiara! Please give a brief introduction to your work. Thank you so much – I’m truly honoured to have received this award at ECO. I’m a PhD researcher at University College London (UCL), where I’m exploring the complex interplay between children’s food environments and their genetic susceptibility to obesity. So far, my research has focused on mapping and characterising the neighbourhood food environments children are exposed to, and examining how these environments relate to obesity prevalence. In the next phase of my PhD, I’ll be incorporating genetic data to investigate whether children with a higher genetic predisposition to obesity are more affected when they grow up in more “obesogenic” food environments.
Were there any patterns or findings in your analysis that surprised you or stood out as particularly significant? Yes – while previous research across the UK has shown disparities in fast-food outlet density based on area-level deprivation, I was still struck by just how stark these inequalities are in London. In our study, we found that within a 10-minute walk of schools, children attending schools in the most deprived areas are exposed to an average of 6 fast-food outlets, compared to just 2 in the least deprived areas. This three-fold difference in exposure is deeply concerning, as could potentially result in health inequalities amongst children. If we don’t address these imbalances in food environments, we risk perpetuating a cycle where children from disadvantaged backgrounds face greater barriers to healthy development and are more vulnerable to obesity and its long-term consequences.
You have worked directly with local authorities to share your findings. How did you build those relationships and what kind of engagement did they involve? These relationships take time to develop and require mutual trust and sustained communication. I’ve been fortunate to connect with dedicated individuals in local authorities across London who are genuinely motivated to ensure their decisions are grounded in evidence. Once we identify common goals, I try to keep them updated on my findings – often before publication – which has helped foster collaboration. Some local authorities will even be co-authoring papers with us, contributing to the interpretation and policy implications sections. This kind of partnership is invaluable, as it makes it clearer for others in similar roles how to translate research into practical action and helps to bridge the often-existing gap between academic research and policymaking.
Communicating spatial and statistical analysis can be challenging – what techniques helped you make your work accessible and relevant to policy audiences? Visual storytelling has been one of the most effective tools. I’ve been lucky to receive training from the Medical Research Council (MRC) in using graphics and visuals to communicate complex findings. Maps and data visualisations tend to resonate well with both policymakers and the general public, so I invest a lot of thought into presenting the results in a way that’s both engaging and easy to interpret.
Your research intersects with national policy. In what ways does your work reflect or contribute to the UK’s updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)? The 2024 update to the National Planning Policy Framework introduced takeaway management zones – designated areas around schools where new fast-food outlets cannot open. However, the guidance doesn’t specify the exact distances for these zones. Our research aimed to fill that gap by identifying where children face the greatest exposure to fast-food outlets, providing policymakers with evidence to inform the design and implementation of these zones. Ultimately, our goal is to help ensure these policies are as effective and targeted as possible.
What do you hope urban planners or public health professionals will take from your findings as they develop healthier food environments for children? I hope this research supports local authorities in taking action where it’s most urgently needed. All councils are now required to implement takeaway management zones, and our findings suggest they should prioritise more deprived areas first – where children face the highest levels of exposure to unhealthy food options. This is crucial not only for improving dietary environments, but also for tackling health inequalities. If we fail to address the uneven distribution of unhealthy food outlets, we risk deepening the disparities in childhood obesity and, in turn, long-term health outcomes. Once priority areas are identified, our research can also guide decisions on how large the management zones should be. At the end of the day, we’re aiming to make these decisions more straightforward and evidence-based. And if any local authorities would like further guidance or access to more detailed data, we’re always happy to collaborate and support their efforts.
Finally, how do you plan to use your ECO2025 Public Engagement & Science Communication Prize grant intended for professional development? I plan to use the grant to attend training programmes and conferences that focus on science communication, especially around data visualisation and mapping. I’d like to further develop my ability to communicate spatial data effectively, and I’m looking forward to presenting more findings at future conferences – including ECO 2027 in a few years. I’m excited about what’s to come and hope to continue sharing research that can inform healthier, fairer environments for children.
Read Chiara’s related research abstract, here.
Eli Lilly & Company provided funding for the prize but had no role in the prize selection process or future direction of the winners’ work