Public Health Disrupted – the new Podcast from UCL Health of the Public

"It's not our children who are disordered, it's the environment in which we're expecting them to operate."In this month’s episode, our experts explore the pressing issue of children's mental health in the UK. With one in five young individuals facing probable mental health disorders, the urgency for effective support systems is undeniable.Joining the conversation are Kate Silverton, renowned broadcaster turned qualified child therapist, and Professor Nicola Walshe, a proponent of climate change and sustainability education. Together, they dissect the challenges faced by schools and parents in supporting children's mental health and the innovative ways to foster well-being through nature and the arts.Kate Silverton shares her insights on the variability of mental health support in schools and the critical need for standardised, professionally trained mental health professionals on-site. She emphasises the importance of understanding the neuroscience behind children's behaviour and offers a sneak peak of some of the practical, science-backed strategies found in her latest book, ‘There’s still no such thing as naughty: parenting for the primary years’.Professor Nicola Walshe discusses her work with the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education, highlighting the transformative power of combining arts with nature to improve children's mental and emotional well-being. She presents compelling evidence from the Eco-Capabilities project, illustrating how such practices not only benefit the students but also reinvigorate teachers' passion for their profession.This episode is an impassioned call to disrupt the status quo of public health and education systems, advocating for a holistic approach that prioritises emotional well-being and connection to nature as the foundation for learning and growth.Public Health Disrupted with Rochelle Burgess and Xand Van Tulleken is produced by Annabelle Buckland at Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creativeRead full show notesAcess transcript

"Is technology the magic bullet for humanitarian aid, or does it come with its own set of ethical dilemmas?"In this episode, hosts Dr Xand van Tulleken and Dr Rochelle Burgess delve into the complex world of humanitarian crises and the transformative role of technology in emergency responses.With the expertise of Professor Maria Kett, an anthropologist with a rich background in disability-inclusive humanitarian aid, and Sarah Spencer, an AI technical consultant navigating the challenging intersection of AI, national security, and public policy, this episode explores the intricate relationship between technology and humanitarian action.From AI’s potential for predicting and containing epidemics, to the potential pitfalls of humanitarian surveillance, our guests discuss how technology is reshaping the humanitarian landscape. They challenge us to consider the ethical implications of data security, consent, and the agency of vulnerable populations whose lives are increasingly datafied.Read full show notes Access transcript

Join hosts Doctor Xand van Tulleken and Dr Rochelle Burgess for Season 4, Episode 1 of Public Health Disrupted with Prof Helen Bedford and Doctor Ranj Singh."It's about building knowledge with communities and allowing people to ask questions without negative labelling."Why are vaccination rates declining, and how can we rebuild trust? Vaccine rates are falling in the UK, and it's time we turn the tide. In this Public Health Disrupted episode, Xand and Rochelle dig into the reasons behind declining immunisation with child health experts Helen Bedford and Ranj Singh. From NHS changes to misinformation shared online, this episode uncovers key drivers of vaccine hesitancy, from misinformation proliferating online to barriers in accessing immunisation services. Together, our experts offer solutions like bringing vaccines to communities, improving communication by providing people with opportunities to ask questions, removing practical barriers, and increasing the perception of vaccinations as a social norm. Listen for an insightful take on improving vaccine uptake through empathy, facts and accessibility.Read full show notes Access transcript

“It’s the indirect act of racism that is leading to poorer outcomes for racialised groups.”How does racism impact people’s health? And how big is this problem? We're three years on from George Floyd's murder, which launched a wave of global protests under the banner never again. This, of course, has not been the case. We're also three years since the COVID pandemic began, which really highlighted the long-standing racial health inequalities in the UK and beyond.In this month’s episode, Dr Halima Begum (CEO of ActionAid UK) and Delan Devakumar (Professor of Global Child Health) discuss the systemic challenges faced by people of colour, and the complex relationship between racism, health equity, and efforts for social justice.Read full show notes Access transcript

Join hosts Doctor Xand van Tulleken and Dr Rochelle Burgess for Season 3, Episode 4 of Public Health Disrupted with Prof Joyce Harper and Rachel Lankester. “We’re more valuable to our communities post-menopause as leaders than as breeders.” How does our society value menopausal women? The lack of public awareness around this natural phase in a women’s life has resulted in the menopause being associated with a lot of shame, and a whole bunch of negative misconceptions.In this thought-provoking episode, Joyce Harper (Professor of Reproductive Science at the UCL Institute for Women’s Health) and Rachel Lankester (author of Magnificent Midlife) challenge the prevailing negative narrative surrounding the menopause by debunking common myths, and revealing the surprising beneficial rewards that await women post-menopause. Plus, what can we learn from the whales? Read full show notes Access transcript

“A remarkable number of claims you see in newspapers and magazines about sex are essentially made up.”What does the average British person think about sex? For over 40 years the Natsal surveys have been recording sexual data, capturing striking changes in our behaviour and sexual lifestyles across the decades. They have been pivotal in the population measurement of the social, behavioural and biological aspects of sexual health. Its evidence has underpinned public health policy, practice and research for over 25 years.So, how do you get someone to open up about something that’s so deeply personal and sensitive? Who decides what questions need to be asked and how much can we rely on the reported data? As a co-lead at Natsal, Prof Cath Mercer shares insights into the methodology and the survey’s broadening remit while Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter presents his argument for disrupting public health messaging.Read full show notes Access transcript

“It’s really not our fault that we struggle with our health, we have to look to the system around us and hold them accountable.”In our fast-paced world, convenience is king where food is concerned and many of us are now fuelling our bodies with an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food. In today’s episode, we’re taking a closer look at this industrially processed food (which is designed and marketed to be addictive), and asking the question: do we really know what it's doing to our bodies?Our guests, Chris Van Tulleken (infectious diseases doctor, TV Presenter and writer) and Christina Adane (social campaigner, Bite Back campaign) explore why exercise and willpower can't save us, and how ultra-processed food is affecting our bodies, our health, our weight, and the planet. You can find out more about this topic in Chris’ newly released book, Ultra Processed People from all good booksellers like this one https://thebookery.org.uk/product/ultra-processed-people/Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at UCLH, and one of the BBC’s leading science presenters having worked on many flagship Health & Science programmes. His research focuses on how corporations affect human health especially in the context of child nutrition and he works with UNICEF and The World Health Organisation on this area. Chris co-presents CBBC’s Operation Ouch! alongside his twin brother Xand van Tulleken. Chris’ recently released book Ultra-Processed People explores the world of ultra-processed food and the affect it’s having on the health of the public.Christina Adane is a social campaigner who led the Bite Back campaign to extend free school meals into the holidays during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Passionate about tackling food injustice and the climate crisis, her work has been recognised by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who welcomed Christina as a guest on their podcast, and by the BBC, who named her in their most inspiring 100 women of 2020. In 2021, she won the Diana Legacy Award for her efforts with Bite Back in fighting for a fairer food system. Discover more about Bite Back and its campaigns for a fairer food system at https://www.biteback2030.com/ Public Health Disrupted with Rochelle Burgess and Xand Van Tulleken is produced by Buckers at Decibelle Creative, find her on Instagram: @decibelle_creative and here: https://www.decibellecreative.com 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION“The way to get economic growth in a sustainable way is to improve the income of the bottom 60% of the population.”How does the cost-of-living crisis affect the health of the public? What impact does financial stress have on our physical and mental wellbeing? This episode aims to reshape the narrative and create a clearer understanding of the growing economic and health problems affecting millions of people living in the UK.Professor Sir Michael Marmot (Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity) and Jack Monroe (award-winning food writer, TV presenter, and campaigner) explain why there are health inequalities in our society and how the cost-of-living crisis disproportionally affects people on lower incomes. They outline the challenges faced by those living in poverty and what changes are required to safeguard our future against this mounting humanitarian crisis.GUESTSProfessor Sir Michael Marmot is Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity and Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health. Michael has worked on health inequalities for nearly 50 years. He chaired the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health, several WHO Regional Commissions, and has led influential reviews and reports on tackling health inequality for governments in the UK. He is the Advisor to the WHO director-general, on social determinants of health, and supports a network of local authorities in England, working in-depth to develop a 'Marmot' approach. Most recently Michael was conferred Companion of Honour in the New Year’s Honours list 2022, for services to public health.Jack Monroe is an award-winning food writer, TV presenter, and a campaigner against hunger and poverty in the UK. She is author of the bestselling cookbooks: Good Food For Bad Days, Tin Can Cook, Vegan (ish), Cooking on a Bootstrap and A Girl Called Jack. She was awarded the Fortnum and Mason Judges' Choice Award in 2013 and the OFM Best Food Personality Readers' Award in 2018. She has given evidence to parliamentary inquiries and consulted on the School Food Plan and National Food Strategy. Jack has also developed a new price index, The Vimes Boots index, to measure the cost of basic foodstuffs and inflation as it affects those on the lowest incomes.Follow Jack Monroe on Twitter @BootstrapCook and Instagram @jack_monroeRead The Business of Health Equity: The Marmot Review for Industry report here.Public Health Disrupted with Rochelle Burgess and Xand Van Tulleken is produced by Buckers at Decibelle Creative, find her on Instagram: @decibelle_creative and here: https://www.decibellecreative.com 

“The ways in which we talk about our bodies, the metaphors we use to understand our bodies in the world around us radically shape our health and the way we approach health.” What is meant by the obesity crisis and where does the power lie to address the social determinants and intricacies that impact it? With a growing epidemic of chronic illness, is there a need to reframe public health’s approach to tackling obesity? In this episode, multi-award-winning content creator and body image/self-love advocate, Stephanie Yeboah, and international researcher and anthropologist, Dr Aaron Parkhurst, seek to answer these questions and discuss how the body positivity movement can be used to influence societal change. Read full show notes Access transcript