Biodiversification of nutrients to meet dietary needs of the UK population: prevention and control of Type 2 diabetes and promotion of a healthy gut

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The quality of the UK's diet is a key public health issue. In 2017, 63% of the UK adult population was overweight, and 27% obese. Poor diet and being overweight or obese can lead to an increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obesity-related diseases cost the NHS more than £6bn/year in 2018 and will cost an estimated £9.7bn annually by 2050\. The impact of preventable ill health on the population threatens the long-term sustainability of the NHS, and a poor diet is a key component of this (British Medical Association, 2018).One of the main reasons the UK is facing challenges in promoting healthy eating habits and ensuring access to nutritious food for all is the limited availability of diverse nutritious foods and food ingredients, particularly in low-income areas (Food Standards Agency, 2019).We propose to undertake this collaborative research project to develop novel functional food ingredients using indigenous Peruvian crops, such as purple corn and yacon crops that are ancestrally recognised for their positive impact on health, to meet and diversify dietary needs of the UK population. Our special focus will be on prevention and self-control of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and promotion of a healthy gut.Facing an increasingly unhealthy population, there is a growing awareness of the link between diet and T2D. Without intervention, 5.5 million people could be living with T2D in the UK alone by 2030\. Along the same line, gut health is gaining popularity among consumers who pursue a holistic approach to prebiotics and probiotics, which are key to supporting a healthy gut microbiome, which plays an important role in overall health and well-being.Our project involves a comprehensive characterisation of nutrient and chemical content of purple corn and yacon-rich food ingredients, analysis of their potential systemic and gut health benefits _in vitro_, a detailed UK consumer research analysis, and the assessment of the food ingredients' nutrients and bioactives digestion and metabolism _in vitro._By incorporating resources that cannot be readily produced domestically due to regulatory restrictions, and land and climate limitations, we will diversify the UK's food supply and improve food security, something crucial with climate change and inflation causing food shortages. Our ultimate goal is to improve the life quality of vulnerable people in the UK, such as people at risk or living with T2D and reduce the burden on the UK's healthcare system.