Research outputs
2026
Over one in four UK children face food insecurity: what can paediatricians do?
Arnold, R., Cattermole, R., Taylor-Robinson, D., Hargreaves, D., & Loopstra, R. (2026). Over one in four UK children face food insecurity: what can paediatricians do?. Paediatrics and Child Health United Kingdom, 36(2), 38-44. doi:10.1016/j.paed.2025.11.006
2025
Hungry for Change: Tackling Obesity and Food Insecurity in the North of England. Chapter 1: Food Insecurity in Families with Children
Loopstra, R., Arnold, R., Tajik, B., & Roberts, K. (2025). Hungry for Change: Tackling Obesity and Food Insecurity in the North of England. Chapter 1: Food Insecurity in Families with Children. Retrieved from https://www.healthequitynorth.co.uk/app/uploads/COTN-APPG-2025-EMBARGOED.pdf
Did increasing the UK’s Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits by £20 per week in 2020-21 reduce food insecurity?
Loopstra, R., Baumberg Geiger, B., & Reeves, A. (2025). Did increasing the UK’s Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits by £20 per week in 2020-21 reduce food insecurity?. Journal of Social Policy.
2024
What is driving food insecurity risks in UK households with children?
Arnold, R., Taylor-Robinson, D., Hargreaves, D., & Loopstra, R. (2024). What is driving food insecurity risks in UK households with children?. European Journal of Public Health, 34(Supplement_3). doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckae144.712
A study exploring food support from a North-West London food bank
Loopstra, R., & Bayes, N. (n.d.). A study exploring food support from a North-West London food bank. doi:10.1186/isrctn44408179
Food insecurity, disability and age in the UK.
Hadfield-Spoor, M., Avendano, M., & Loopstra, R. (2024). Food insecurity and disability among working-age and older adults. Public Health Nutrition, 27(1). doi:10.1017/s1368980024000570
Growth in UK children living in households with food insecurity
Loopstra, R. (2024). Growth in UK children living in households with food insecurity. BMJ, q997. doi:10.1136/bmj.q997
2023
How effective were government food box schemes for those who were shielding during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom? Local and national stakeholder perspectives
Lambie-Mumford, H., Loopstra, R., & Gordon, K. (2023). How effective were government food box schemes for those who were shielding during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom? Local and national stakeholder perspectives. Public Health Nutrition, 26(12), 3247-3255. doi:10.1017/s1368980023001829
Food banks: Understanding their role in the food insecure population in the UK
Loopstra, R., & Lambie-Mumford, H. (2023). Food banks: Understanding their role in the food insecure population in the UK. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 82(3), 253-263. doi:10.1017/s0029665123002720
Child Poverty and the Cost of Living Crisis. A report prepared for the APPG Child of the North. https://www.thenhsa.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/01/COTN-APPG.pdf
Taylor-Robinson, D., & Loopstra, R. (2023). Child Poverty and the Cost of Living Crisis. A report prepared for the APPG Child of the North. https://www.thenhsa.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/01/COTN-APPG.pdf.
2022
Food insecurity among disabled adults
Hadfield-Spoor, M., Avendano, M., & Loopstra, R. (2022). Food insecurity among disabled adults. European Journal of Public Health, 32(4), 593-599. doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckac034
2021
The Continuing Effects of Welfare Reform on Food Bank use in the UK: The Roll-out of Universal Credit
REEVES, A., & LOOPSTRA, R. (2021). The Continuing Effects of Welfare Reform on Food Bank use in the UK: The Roll-out of Universal Credit. Journal of Social Policy, 50(4), 788-808. doi:10.1017/s0047279420000513
Working‐age adults using food banks in England have significantly poorer health and higher rates of mental health conditions than adults in the general population: A cross‐sectional quantitative study
Loh, S., Knight, A., & Loopstra, R. (2021). Working‐age adults using food banks in England have significantly poorer health and higher rates of mental health conditions than adults in the general population: A cross‐sectional quantitative study. Health & Social Care in the Community, 29(5), 1594-1605. doi:10.1111/hsc.13226
Family policy and food insecurity: an observational analysis in 142 countries
Reeves, A., Loopstra, R., & Tarasuk, V. (2021). Family policy and food insecurity: an observational analysis in 142 countries. The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(8), e506-e513. doi:10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00151-0
Wage-Setting Policies, Employment, and Food Insecurity: A Multilevel Analysis of 492 078 People in 139 Countries
Reeves, A., Loopstra, R., & Tarasuk, V. (2021). Wage-Setting Policies, Employment, and Food Insecurity: A Multilevel Analysis of 492 078 People in 139 Countries. American Journal of Public Health, 111(4), 718-725. doi:10.2105/ajph.2020.306096
2020
The Relationship Between Food Banks and Food Insecurity: Insights from Canada
Tarasuk, V., Fafard St-Germain, A. -A., & Loopstra, R. (2020). The Relationship Between Food Banks and Food Insecurity: Insights from Canada. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 31(5), 841-852. doi:10.1007/s11266-019-00092-w
Liberal trade policy and food insecurity across the income distribution: an observational analysis in 132 countries, 2014–17
Barlow, P., Loopstra, R., Tarasuk, V., & Reeves, A. (2020). Liberal trade policy and food insecurity across the income distribution: an observational analysis in 132 countries, 2014–17. The Lancet Global Health, 8(8), e1090-e1097. doi:10.1016/s2214-109x(20)30263-1
The Housing Situations of Food Bank Users in Great Britain
Clair, A., Fledderjohann, J., Lalor, D., & Loopstra, R. (2020). The Housing Situations of Food Bank Users in Great Britain. Social Policy and Society, 19(1), 55-73. doi:10.1017/s1474746419000150
2019
The rise of hunger among low-income households: an analysis of the risks of food insecurity between 2004 and 2016 in a population-based study of UK adults
Loopstra, R., Reeves, A., & Tarasuk, V. (2019). The rise of hunger among low-income households: an analysis of the risks of food insecurity between 2004 and 2016 in a population-based study of UK adults. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 73(7), 668-673. doi:10.1136/jech-2018-211194
Food bank operational characteristics and rates of food bank use across Britain
Loopstra, R., Lambie-Mumford, H., & Fledderjohann, J. (2019). Food bank operational characteristics and rates of food bank use across Britain. BMC Public Health, 19(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-019-6951-6
2018
Interventions to address household food insecurity in high-income countries
Loopstra, R. (2018). Interventions to address household food insecurity in high-income countries. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(3), 270-281. doi:10.1017/s002966511800006x
Impact of Welfare Benefit Sanctioning on Food Insecurity: a Dynamic Cross-Area Study of Food Bank Usage in the UK
LOOPSTRA, R., FLEDDERJOHANN, J., REEVES, A., & STUCKLER, D. (2018). Impact of Welfare Benefit Sanctioning on Food Insecurity: a Dynamic Cross-Area Study of Food Bank Usage in the UK. Journal of Social Policy, 47(3), 437-457. doi:10.1017/s0047279417000915
Rising food bank use in the UK: Sign of a new public health emergency?
Loopstra, R. (2018). Rising food bank use in the UK: Sign of a new public health emergency?. Nutrition Bulletin, 43(1), 53-60. doi:10.1111/nbu.12306
2017
The growing disconnect between food prices and wages in Europe: cross-national analysis of food deprivation and welfare regimes in twenty-one EU countries, 2004–2012
Reeves, A., Loopstra, R., & Stuckler, D. (2017). The growing disconnect between food prices and wages in Europe: cross-national analysis of food deprivation and welfare regimes in twenty-one EU countries, 2004–2012. Public Health Nutrition, 20(8), 1414-1422. doi:10.1017/s1368980017000167
‘Set up to Fail’? How Welfare Conditionality Undermines Citizenship for Vulnerable Groups
Reeves, A., & Loopstra, R. (2017). ‘Set up to Fail’? How Welfare Conditionality Undermines Citizenship for Vulnerable Groups. Social Policy and Society, 16(2), 327-338. doi:10.1017/s1474746416000646
Is trade liberalisation a vector for the spread of sugar-sweetened beverages? A cross-national longitudinal analysis of 44 low- and middle-income countries
Mendez Lopez, A., Loopstra, R., McKee, M., & Stuckler, D. (2017). Is trade liberalisation a vector for the spread of sugar-sweetened beverages? A cross-national longitudinal analysis of 44 low- and middle-income countries. Social Science & Medicine, 172, 21-27. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.11.001
2016
Food insecurity and social protection in Europe: Quasi-natural experiment of Europe's great recessions 2004–2012
Loopstra, R., Reeves, A., McKee, M., & Stuckler, D. (2016). Food insecurity and social protection in Europe: Quasi-natural experiment of Europe's great recessions 2004–2012. Preventive Medicine, 89, 44-50. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.05.010
2015
An Exploration of the Unprecedented Decline in the Prevalence of Household Food Insecurity in Newfoundland and Labrador, 2007–2012
Loopstra, R., Dachner, N., & Tarasuk, V. (2015). An Exploration of the Unprecedented Decline in the Prevalence of Household Food Insecurity in Newfoundland and Labrador, 2007–2012. Canadian Public Policy, 41(3), 191-206. doi:10.3138/cpp.2014-080
Rising food insecurity in Europe
Loopstra, R., Reeves, A., & Stuckler, D. (2015). Rising food insecurity in Europe. The Lancet, 385(9982), 2041. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(15)60983-7
Austerity, sanctions, and the rise of food banks in the UK.
Loopstra, R., Reeves, A., Taylor-Robinson, D., Barr, B., McKee, M., & Stuckler, D. (2015). Austerity, sanctions, and the rise of food banks in the UK.. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 350. doi:10.1136/bmj.h1775
Food Bank Usage Is a Poor Indicator of Food Insecurity: Insights from Canada
Loopstra, R., & Tarasuk, V. (2015). Food Bank Usage Is a Poor Indicator of Food Insecurity: Insights from Canada. Social Policy and Society, 14(3), 443-455. doi:10.1017/s1474746415000184