31. Jack Bobo, University of Nottingham Food Systems Institute

Food Lab Talk

Jack Bobo is the Director of the University of Nottingham’s Food Systems Institute which brings together transdisciplinary researchers to address some of the most pressing food systems challenges. He is also the author of the 2021 book “Why smart people make bad food choices.” In this episode, Jack shares how breaking down silos can foster collaboration, why reframing your thinking can help navigate tradeoffs, and how small shifts in language can impact people’s perceptions.

Jack Bobo: “I believe less in right and wrong and good and bad, and more in thinking in terms of choices and consequences. And if you can help to lay out the consequences of actions, I think in many ways you can lead people to knowledge instead of sort of beating them up with science. Researchers and academics love to tell people what to do and they like to tell them the answer. I think it's much better to be able to help people to understand the consequences of different choices. And then you may end up getting a different outcome, but at least they understand the consequences of it and it's an informed decision.”

00:00 Intro to Jack

01:14 Overview of the University of Nottingham’s Food Systems Institute

03:44 Taking a systems approach to lead global change

05:18 Why consensus is important for problem solving

06:45 Addressing the “language barrier” in food systems solutions

08:38 How shifting from “should” to “could” focuses on opportunities and solutions

11:40 Leading people to knowledge by framing the consequences of choices

13:56 Building trust by understanding confirmation bias and the misleading nature of our brains

17:38 The paradox of improved nutrition research and rising obesity rates

20:00 How to overcome the invisible influences on food choices

23:14 Changing the food system by focusing on social norms

25:51 The importance of word choice for effective change making

27:59 Why networking and storytelling are life skills

29:39 Balancing the continuum of local vs. global sustainability

31:37 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• University of Nottingham Food Systems Institute
• The Nature Conservancy
• Book: Why smart people make bad food choices
• TEDx: Why We Fear the Food We Eat
• Futurity Food

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.