Professor Martin Warren, Dr Maria Traka, Dr Emma Webb and Dr Laura Bardon, met with Members of Parliament and Peers in Westminster on Tuesday, 4 November to present their latest insights on biofortification to tackle the hidden hunger caused by micronutrient deficiency.

As part of Evidence Week in Parliament, the Quadram Institute researchers made policy recommendations and highlighted the need to review current policies considering the latest available evidence. Evidence Week is a unique annual meeting that brings together the public, parliamentarians and researchers from across the UK to discuss how evidence is used and reviewed in Parliament.

Throughout the day, the Quadram Institute researchers, presented their findings to members of Parliament, including Adrian Ramsay MP, Anneliese Dodds MP, Ben Goldsborough MP, George Freeman MP, Graham Leadbitter MP, Liz Twist MP, Lizzi Collinge MP, Mike Reader MP and Steff Aquarone MP, equipping them with vital information to inform the decisions they make on future public health policy.

Researchers from the Quadram Institute and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust highlighted the need to focus on the nutritional quality of food, especially in relation to schools, hospitals and other publicly procured food, and to take steps to improve the nutrient quality of the food we eat in the UK.

On Tuesday evening, Professor Martin Warren opened the annual Evidence Week debate on the issue of ‘hidden hunger’ where people consume excess calories yet are still nutrient deficient. He led the discussion prompting lively debate on the UK’s food system and government strategy alongside speakers Mrs Sharon Hodgson MP, Baroness Walmsley, Baroness Boycott and Emma Rourke, UK’s Acting National Statistician.

Professor Martin Warren said: “We now have the lowest healthy life expectancy of any country in western Europe and the food we eat underpins that. Historically, policymakers have focused on the macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fat and protein, and given little thought to the vital minerals and vitamins that we need to develop and maintain our physical and mental health. Deficiencies in micronutrients like vitamin B₁₂, vitamin D, iron and folate have a profound impact on the nation’s wellbeing. It is important that policymakers recognise the scale of this often-overlooked health challenge and the role it plays in shaping our long-term health outcomes.”

Evidence Week, now in its eighth year, is run by the campaigning charity Sense about Science, in partnership with the Quadram Institute, the UK Statistics Authority, communities and research institutions from across the UK. During the week, MPs meet with leading scientists to get the latest insights on pressing issues covering topics as varied as Artificial Intelligence, health, sports gambling and prison management. It is an opportunity for the public, parliamentarians and researchers to come together to share knowledge and insights.

It also empowers legislators to engage with evidence and equips them with the critical tools to handle uncertainty, identify bias and scrutinise underlying assumptions.

Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science, said: “MPs must engage with an astounding breadth of subjects and sources any given week. This is why Evidence Week in Parliament offers two days of rapid-fire briefings on cutting-edge tools and insights with some of the UK’s leading research groups. We’re delighted that MPs have the chance to hear directly from the Quadram Institute about their new evidence on micronutrient malnutrition that can inform public health policy.”

Notes to the Editors

Evidence Week in Parliament 2025 is organised by Sense about Science, in partnership with the Quadram Institute and the UK Statistics Authority. Running from 3-7 November, Evidence Week opens with an in-person reverse committee hearing where constituents ask MPs about the evidence behind policy issues that matter to them. This is followed by a week of rapid-fire policy briefings from world-class researchers for MPs and peers in Westminster, as well as training from national experts for parliamentary staff on how to understand data and research, and scrutinise reports and evidence presented to them.

Sense about Science is an independent charity that promotes the public interest in sound science and evidence. Founded in 2002, Sense about Science works with decision-makers, world-leading researchers and community groups to raise the standard of evidence in public life. It focuses on socially or scientifically difficult issues where evidence is neglected, conflicting or misunderstood.

A full list of partnering research organisations can be found on the Sense about Science website.

Quadram Institute  

The Quadram Institute is a UK national science capability focused on food, human health and microbes based on the Norwich Research Park and is a partnership between Quadram Institute Bioscience, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of East Anglia and the UKRI-Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

The institute’s mission is to deliver healthier lives through innovation in gut health, microbiology and food and its vision is to understand how food and microbes interact to promote health and prevent disease.  Interconnected research themes deliver a pipeline of research in microbes, food, nutrition and health; the gut and the microbiome; and food innovation.