Are you ready to swap salmon for sprats and sardines?

University of East Anglia

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

Seabass, seabream, mackerels and sardines.

view more 

Credit: Credit: Arturo Fanciulli

Millions of Britons could be ready to swap imported fish for home‑caught favourites like sardines, sprats and anchovies – according to a new study from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

A new report reveals that more than 40 per cent of consumers are willing to experiment with fish they’ve never tried before.

The study suggests the UK is overlooking a major opportunity to improve national health and bolster local economies by embracing its own rich stocks of small, nutritious fish.

The study was led by researchers at UEA’s Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment (CSERGE).

They say that now is the perfect time for Britain to rediscover its local seafood.

Lead researcher Dr Silvia Ferrini, from UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences, said: “Despite an abundance of fish species in British waters, more than 80 per cent of the seafood we eat here in the UK is imported.

“And much of the fish caught in local seas - including Cornish sardines and anchovies - is exported, instead of ending up on British dinner tables.

“This imbalance drives up carbon emissions, leaves the UK vulnerable to global supply chains, and pushes shoppers towards the same narrow selection of cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns.

“Sardines and anchovies were once staples of traditional coastal diets but nowadays, many British consumers have never tried them.

“Concerns about taste and bones often stand in the way.

“But our research shows that curiosity is strong, with nearly half of UK consumers saying they would be willing to try these lesser‑known species - especially if they are fresh, locally sourced and reasonably priced.”

How the research happened

Researchers at UEA combined two focus groups, a national consumer survey, supermarket sales analysis and UK Living Costs and Food Survey (LCFS) datasets to understand buying behaviour and attitudes towards trying new fish.

Key findings: 
 

• 84 per cent of UK adults eat fish, with most consuming it around once a week at home and less than monthly when eating out.
   
• Supermarket sales are heavily concentrated around the ‘big five’ - cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns.
   
• 58 per cent of Brits have never tried sprats, 28 per cent have never tried anchovy, 23 per cent have never tried herring and 12 per cent have never tried sardines, despite their abundance in UK waters.
   
• Among those who have tried these species, 32 per cent dislike anchovy, 26 per cent dislike sardines, 22 per cent dislike herring and 13 per cent dislike sprats.
   
• But up to 41 per cent of respondents were willing to trying new species such as sprat, sardine or flatfish.

The new report also reveals that a generational divide is emerging. Younger adults eat considerably less seafood than older generations and often feel unsure about selecting or preparing fish.

The report warns that unless something changes, this lack of confidence could accelerate a long-term decline in seafood consumption.

“One practical solution is introducing British fish into school meals, helping children develop healthy habits early and giving families the confidence to diversify their diets,” said Dr Ferrini.

“This is a real chance to reconnect coastal economies with healthier, affordable food choices.

“Awareness campaigns, more adventurous canteen menus and stronger promotion from retailers will be vital in shifting public perception and helping small fish become everyday foods again.

“Flexible diets, aligned with nature’s own rhythms - for instance, eating sardines when they are most abundant - can support both ecological sustainability and human wellbeing,” she added.

Dr Bryce Stewart, Senior Research Fellow at the Marine Biological Association and scientific reviewer of the report, said: “The UK’s current reliance on a small range of seafood types, mostly imported, risks food security and disconnects the public from its rich maritime heritage.

“But this new research provides hope and guidance for how that might be changed, resulting in a combination of environmental, nutritional, economic and cultural gains.”

The report trialled a new “Pyramid Fish” sustainability label and found that most consumers thought it was easy to understand and helpful when choosing between species. This suggests that many people would happily choose locally caught fish if the benefits were clearer on supermarket shelves.

The authors recommend a mix of strategies to shift behaviour, ranging from price incentives such as supermarket promotions or VAT reductions to greater visibility of small fish in shops.

They argue that if retailers increase shelf space, highlight local origins and offer simple recipe ideas, many customers will be more likely to give species like sardines and anchovies a try.

Dr Ferrini said: “A simple swap - replacing even one imported fish dish with a local, nutrient‑rich species - could bring wide‑ranging benefits.

“The UK could strengthen food security, cut carbon emissions, support coastal communities and help restore balance in marine ecosystems, all while giving families access to healthy, affordable and delicious home‑caught fish.

“The message is clear - sardines and anchovies aren’t just good for you - they could help secure the future of Britain’s seafood.”

‘The Socio-economic evidence for sustainable fisheries’ report is part of the CSERGE Pyramids of Life: Working with Nature for a Sustainable Future programme.

The research forms the human-needs pillar of a wider Pyramids of Life framework, which connects three interdependent systems - marine ecology, human nutrition, and environmental pressures.

This research was funded by UK Research and Innovation’s Sustainable Management of UK Marine Resources (SMMR) initiative.

---

DOI

10.6084/m9.figshare.30741821 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The Socio-economic evidence for sustainable fisheries’

Article Publication Date

8-Jan-2026

 

Health: estimated one in ten British adults used or interested in GLP-1 medications for weight loss

BMC (BioMed Central)

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

In early 2025, around 4.9 million British adults — almost one in ten — are estimated to have recently used, or expressed interest in using, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist medications to support weight loss. The findings, which are based on a nationally representative household survey of 5,260 British adults, are published in BMC Medicine.

GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications help lower blood sugar, support weight loss, and reduce the risk of heart and kidney complications. The GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide are licensed for weight loss in the UK but only around 220,000 people will be eligible for treatment with these on the NHS between 2025 and 2028.

Sarah Jackson and colleagues investigated the prevalence of use and interest in GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications among British adults — with an average age of 49 years — using survey data collected between January and March 2025 as part of the Smoking Toolkit Study. The authors found that 2.9% of participants reported using GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications within the previous year to support weight loss. Of those who had not recently used these medications for weight loss, 6.5% were interested in doing so within the next year. Extrapolating from these figures, the authors estimate that around 1.6 million British adults may have used GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications to support weight loss between 2024 and early 2025 and that a further 3.3 million were interested in doing so at the start of 2025. Among those who used a GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medication to support weight loss within the previous year, 15% reported using a medication that was not licensed for weight loss in the UK. The authors speculate that this could be due to off-label prescribing or individuals acquiring medications through non-medical routes such as online purchases.

The authors found that GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medication use and interest was more prevalent among women, those aged between 45 and 55 years, and those who reported experiencing moderate to severe levels of psychological distress within the previous month. Interest in GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications was also higher among individuals reporting difficulties with their finances, and who were not in work due to long-term illness or disability.

The findings highlight substantial demand for GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications to support weight loss in Britain. The authors recommend regular monitoring of their use, health outcomes, and broader impacts on the British healthcare system, and to ensure that they are provided safely, appropriately, sustainably, and fairly.

---

Journal

BMC Medicine

DOI

10.1186/s12916-025-04528-7 

Article Title

Prevalence of use and interest in using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss: a population study in Great Britain

1.6 million UK adults used weight loss drugs in past year

University College London

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

An estimated 1.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland used drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro to help lose weight between early 2024 and early 2025, according to a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers.

The research, published in BMC Medicine and funded by Cancer Research UK, found that an additional 3.3 million people said they would be interested in using weight loss drugs over the next year.

The team looked at data from 5,260 people who were representative of the general population and who responded to a survey conducted in early 2025.

They found that use of the drugs was twice as common among women compared to men and more common among people in middle age (aged 45-55), and those who reported psychological distress in the past month.

The team also found that levels of use were similar across social grades, but that interest in using drugs to support weight loss in future was greater among more typically disadvantaged groups (among whom obesity is more prevalent), suggesting a demand not currently met by private prescriptions.*

Lead author Professor Sarah Jackson, from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said: “Our findings show that an estimated 4.9 million adults in Great Britain – nearly one in 10 – have recently used a drug to support weight loss or were interested in using one in the near future.

“This usage far exceeds NHS England’s initial goal of prescribing these drugs to 220,000 people over three years.

“We do not know about our survey respondents’ BMI or health conditions, so it is not clear how far this reflects a genuine medical need or how often the drugs are used unnecessarily by people of a healthy weight.

“We hope to gather more detailed data in future, monitoring how trends change over time. Good data are important as large numbers of people are taking these drugs outside medical supervision and there is wide potential for misuse. NHS prescribing data only captures a small part of the picture.”

Co-author Professor Clare Llewellyn (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care) said:  “Weight-loss drugs like GLP-1 agonists could play an important role in improving the health of the nation. Our findings suggest many people are accessing these medications outside the NHS. This raises concerns about equity given the costs of these drugs, as well as the adequacy of supervision of treatment.”

For the study, researchers used data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, an ongoing survey that interviews a different sample of adults in England, Wales and Scotland (but not Northern Ireland) each month, who are representative of the country’s general population. Questions relating to weight loss medications were added to three months of questionnaires (January-March 2025).

Survey participants aged 18 and over were asked about their use of five medications: Mounjaro (containing tirzepatide), Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus (all three containing semaglutide) and Saxenda (containing liraglutide).** Most respondents taking medication solely for weight loss (four out of five) reported using Mounjaro.

Overall, 4.5% of participants reported using one of the medications in the past year for any reason; 2.9% reported using them for weight loss (i.e., an estimated 1.6 million people), while 1.7% reported using them exclusively for weight loss (equivalent to 910,000 people) i.e., they did not use them for an additional reason such as to lower heart disease risk or regulate blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetes.

Use of the medications to support weight loss was higher among women than men (4% vs 1.7%) and higher among those of middle age (4.2% of 45- and 55-year-olds compared to 1.2% of 18-year-olds and 1.5% of 75-year-olds***).

Prevalence was higher among those who reported moderate or severe psychological distress in the past month (3.7% vs. 2.4% among those reporting no/low distress).

Among those using medication for weight loss, 15% (about one in seven) were using medication not licensed for this purpose (such as Rybelsus licensed in the UK for type 2 diabetes only).

Using drugs “off-label” can also pose safety risks, the researchers said, if the medicines are accessed without appropriate clinical supervision.

Interest in using drugs to support weight loss in future was reported by 6.5% of respondents who had not used a medication for weight loss in the past year (equivalent to 3.3 million). Interest was higher among women, with nearly one in 10 (8.9%) saying they would be likely or very likely to consider using them in the next year, and among people aged 45 to 55 (9.7%).

By contrast, only one in 20 (5.1%) men said they would likely consider using weight loss medications in the next year.

Interest was also higher among people who had experienced moderate or severe psychological distress in the past month (10.0% vs. 5.2% among those reporting no or low distress).

Jo Harby, Director of Health Information at Cancer Research UK, said: “As obesity rates rise in the UK, this study shows growing public interest in weight loss medication. While these drugs can aid weight loss, they’re not a silver-bullet, as evidence suggests most people regain weight after treatment.

“More research is needed on their long-term impact, how these drugs affect cancer risk, and how best to support people to maintain a healthy weight. These drugs should only be prescribed by healthcare professionals alongside continued care and advice on diet and activity. It’s also vital that everyone who needs it can access a range of weight-management support.

“The world around us shapes our health, and the UK Government must do more to create healthier environments for all.”

* Mounjaro, for instance, typically costs £200 a month so is unaffordable for many.

** All of these medications function as appetite suppressants by mimicking a hormone (GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1) which makes people feel fuller. Mounjaro, in addition, also helps regulate blood sugar levels by mimicking the hormone GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide).

***These estimates of specific ages are based on modelling drawing on data from participants of all ages.

---

Journal

BMC Medicine

DOI

10.1186/s12916-025-04528-7 

Lack of support for people on weight loss drugs leaves them vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, say experts

University of Cambridge

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

People prescribed the new generation of weight loss drugs may not receive sufficient nutritional guidance to support safe and sustainable weight loss, leaving them vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss, say experts at UCL and the University of Cambridge.

In research published today in Obesity Reviews, the team, led by Dr Marie Spreckley from the University of Cambridge, found a lack of robust evidence surrounding nutritional advice and support and the impact this has on factors such as calorie intake, body composition, protein adequacy, and patient experiences.

Weight loss drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide – available under brand names including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro – mimic the naturally-occurring hormone glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), released into the blood in response to eating. The drugs suppress appetite, increase a feeling of being full, and reduce food cravings.

These drugs can reduce calorie intake by between 16-39%, making them a powerful tool to help people living with obesity and overweight. However, there has been little research to examine their impact on diet quality, protein intake, or adequacy of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Evidence suggests that lean body mass – including muscle – can constitute up to 40% of total weight lost during treatment.

Dr Adrian Brown, an NIHR Advanced Fellow from the Centre of Obesity Research at UCL, the study’s corresponding author, said: “Obesity management medications work by suppressing appetite, increasing feelings of fullness, and altering eating behaviours, which often leads people to eat significantly less. This can be highly beneficial for individuals living with obesity, as it supports substantial weight loss and improves health outcomes.

“However, without appropriate nutritional guidance and support from healthcare professionals, there is a real risk that reduced food intake could compromise dietary quality, meaning people may not get enough protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals essential for maintaining overall health.”

Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend semaglutide as an option for weight management for individuals who meet specific criteria, such as a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35.0 kg/m2 and comorbidity (that is, they also have other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc). But the guidelines stress that when administered through the NHS, treatment is part of a programme alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity in adults.

Most people, however, access the drugs privately. There are currently around 1.5 million people in the UK using GLP-1 drugs, of whom the vast majority – 95% – are thought to access the medication privately, where they are not always provided with the additional nutritional advice and support.

Dr Marie Spreckley, from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said: “Use of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapies has increased rapidly in a very short period of time, but the nutritional support available to people using these medications has not kept pace. Many people receive little or no structured guidance on diet quality, protein intake, or micronutrient adequacy while experiencing marked appetite suppression.

“If nutritional care is not integrated alongside treatment, there’s a risk of replacing one set of health problems with another, through preventable nutritional deficiencies and largely avoidable loss of muscle mass. This represents a missed opportunity to support long-term health alongside weight loss.”

Inadequate micronutrient intake can put people at risk of a range of conditions, from fatigue and an impaired immune response to hair loss and osteoporosis. Loss of lean mass – in most cases, muscle – increases the risk of weakness, injury and falls.

The researchers identified just 12 studies that looked at nutrition and diet alongside treatment with semaglutide or tirzepatide. Even then, as the trials varied widely in their approaches to dietary advice and nutritional assessment and lacked standardised protocols and reporting, it was difficult to reach robust conclusions to inform the optimal support for people taking weight loss drugs.

Given the widespread – and increasing – use of these medications and the urgency of providing advice to individuals using the drugs, as well as calling for more research the researchers argue that we can turn to what has been learnt from the guidance and support offered alongside weight loss surgery, such as gastric bands, which leads to similar outcomes to GLP-1 drugs.

Dr Cara Ruggiero, co-author from the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said: “While GLP-1 receptor agonists are increasingly used, there remains a clear gap in structured nutritional guidance. In the interim, we can draw on well-established post-bariatric nutrition principles. Our previous work highlights the importance of prioritising nutrient-dense foods including high-quality protein intake, ideally distributed evenly across meals, to help preserve lean mass during periods of reduced appetite and rapid weight loss.”

While there was insufficient evidence from the studies to recommend strict low-fat diets to complement the weight loss drugs, some observational studies found that people on the treatments often consumed excessive levels of total and saturated fat. This suggests that there might be a need for individualised fat intake guidance, aligned with broad national recommendations, the team says.

Similarly, although meal frequency was not explicitly tested in most trials, they say that strategies such as small, frequent meals may help reduce common side effects such as nausea and improve tolerability, especially in the early stages of treatment.

In calling for more research in this area, the team says it is important that people who use the treatments are consulted to help identify the types of information and wrap-around support that are most meaningful and needed in real-world care. They have launched AMPLIFY (Amplifying Meaningful Perspectives and Lived experiences of Incretin therapy use From diverse communitY voices) to understand how people experience next-generation weight loss therapies when used for weight management.

Dr Spreckley, who is leading AMPLIFY, said: “These medications are transforming obesity care, but we know very little about how they shape people’s daily lives, including changes in appetite, eating patterns, wellbeing, and quality of life. That’s what we’ll explore, working in particular with people from communities historically under-represented in obesity research, to help shape the future of obesity treatment.”

The research was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with additional support from the Medical Research Council and the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre.

Reference

Spreckly, M et al. Nutrition Strategies for Next-Generation Incretin Therapies: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Current Evidence. Obesity Reviews; 8 Jan 2026; DOI: 10.1111/obr.70079

---

Journal

Obesity Reviews

DOI

10.1111/obr.70079 

Method of Research

Systematic review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Nutrition Strategies for Next-Generation Incretin Therapies: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Current Evidence

Article Publication Date

5-Jan-2026