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Professor Timothy Lang

Emeritus Professor of Food Policy

School of Health & Psychological Sciences Department of Health Services Research and Management

Contact details

Address

Professor Timothy Lang M125, Myddelton Street Building [M]
City, University of London
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom

About

Overview

Tim Lang became Emeritus Professor of Food Policy at City University London's Centre for Food Policy in 2021. He was Professor of Food Policy at City from 2002 to 2021 and had founded the Centre in 1994 at Thames Valley University (now University of West London). After a PhD in social psychology at Leeds University 1970-73, he became a hill farmer in the 1970s in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire which shifted his attention to food policy, where it has been ever since. For years, he's engaged in academic and public research and debate about its direction, locally to globally. His abiding interest is how policy addresses the mixed challenge of being food for the environment, health, social justice, and citizens. What is a good food system? How is ours measured and measuring up? His current research interests are (a) sustainable diets, (b) the meaning of modern food security and (c) the implications of Brexit for the food system. In all these, he explores where the public interest lies and how differences of policy position are addressed.

He has been a consultant to the World Health Organisation (eg auditing the Global Top 25 Food Companies on food and health 2005), FAO (eg co-chairing the FAO definition of sustainable diets 2010) and UNEP (eg co-writing its 2012 Avoiding Future Famines report). He has been a special advisor to four House of Commons Select Committee inquiries, two on food standards (1998-9 & 1999), globalisation (2000) and obesity (2003-04), and a consultant on food security to the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House 2007-09). He was a Commissioner on the UK Government's Sustainable Development Commission (2006-11), reviewing progress on food sustainability. He was on the Council of Food Policy Advisors to the Dept for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2008-10), and is a member of the Mayor of London's Food Board (2009 – present). He helped launch the 100 World Cities Urban Food Policy Pact in Milan 2015. He was policy lead Commissioner on the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems (2016-19) which published the highly acclaimed 'Food in the Anthropocene' report (The Lancet, January 2019)

He and the Centre for Food Policy at City University London work closely with scientific and civil society organisations, the latter in the UK notably through the Food Research Collaboration (run from this Centre since 2014), Sustain (which he chaired in the past), the UK Food Group (of development NGOs), and Food & Climate Research Network (Oxford University). He has been Vice-President of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (since 1999) and President of Garden Organic (since 2008). He is special advisor to the Food Research Collaboration on Food and Brexit ((www.foodresearch.org.uk). He helped create City’s role in the 7 University IFSTAL partnership (www.ifstal.ac.uk) which shared food systems thinking for post-graduates in a wide range of disciplines (2015-19). He was appointed Visiting Professor, Cardiff University School of Geography & Regional Planning in 2017.

He has written and co-written many articles, reports, chapters and books. His most recent books include: Feeding Britain (Pelican, 2020), Food Wars (with Michael Heasman, Routledge, 2015), Unmanageable Consumer (with Yiannis Gabriel, Sage, 2015), Ecological Public Health (with Geof Rayner, Routedge Earthscan, 2012), Food Policy (with D Barling and M Caraher, Oxford University Press, 2009) and the Atlas of Food (with E Millstone, Earthscan 2003/2008), which won the André Simon award 2003. He writes frequently in the media and wrote a monthly column in The Grocer 2000-15.

He was elected Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health in 2001, and Fellow by Distinction in 2014. He was made a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Cooks (City of London) in 2016. He won the BBC R4 Derek Cooper award in 2004, The Observer Lifetime Achievement award in 2007, and the Agri-Bagri Award of the Australia-New Zealand Agri-Food Network also in 2007. He grows vegetables and fruit in his London garden, and is President of Garden Organic, a civil society organisation promoting low impact food production.

Awards

2015 Chancellor’s Prize, City University London (Lord Mayor of London)
2013 Highly commended award, BMA public health book of the year (for Ecological Public Health)
2009 Highly commended award, BMA public health book of the year (for Food Policy)
2009 Fellow, Prince of Wales Food and Farming Summer School, Royal Agricultural College/Organic Research Centre
2009 Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Lincoln
2008 Honorary Freeman, Worshipful Company of Cooks of the City of London
2008 Honorary Fellowship, University of Wales Institute at Cardiff
2007 Agri-Bagri Award, Agri-Food Network of Australia and New Zealand
2007 Observer Lifetime / Hall of Fame Award, UK
2004 Citation (runner up) for Sicco Manshot Prize, The Hague, NL
2004 BBC Radio 4 Food Derek Cooper Award, UK
2003 Caroline Walker Trust award, UK
2003 André Simon Food Book of the Year (for Millstone & Lang The Atlas of Food)
1990 Glenfiddich Award for the work of the London Food Commission 1984-90

Professional Memberships

Fellow, Faculty of Public Health
Member, London Food Board, advising the Mayor of London, 2010-17; reappointed by Mayor Khan 2017 - present
Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Food Farming and Countryside Commission, 2019 ff
Member, World Public Health Nutrition Association, 2014 ff
Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, EAT-Forum Stordalen Foundation, Norway, 2013 - present
Member, Advisory Group, Food Climate Research Network, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, 2013 - 2021

Qualifications

  • Hon DSc, University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, Jan 2009
  • PhD, University of Leeds, UK, Jan 1970 – Jan 1974
  • BA (Hons), University of Leeds, United Kingdom, Sep 1967 – Jul 1970

Employment

  • Visiting Professor, Cardiff University, Feb 2017 – present
  • Chair, Policy section, EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems, May 2016 – Jan 2019
  • London Food Board, Mayor of London, Jan 2010 – present
  • Professor of Food Policy, City, University of London, Jan 2002 – present

Fellowships

  • Fellow by Distinction, Faculty of Public Health, 2014 – present
  • Fellow (FFPH), Faculty of Public Health, 2001 – present

Research

Research Interests

- The political and policy battles over sustainable diets and the meaning of food security;
- Resolving the institutional case for coherent food policies (pre- and post-Brexit);
- Food democracy and the growth of democratic experimentalism about the future of food;
- The shape and status of EU, UK and global food policies.

Publications

Featured publications

  1. Lang, T.M. (2015). Sustainable Diets: hairshirts or a better food future? Development, 57(2), pp. 240–256.

Publications by category

Books (19)

  • Lang, T. (2020). Feeding Britain Our Food Problems and How to Fix Them. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-241-40481-2.
  • Mason, P.M. and Lang, T.M. (2017). Sustainable Diets: How ecological nutrition can transform consumption and the food system. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-74472-0.
  • Lang, T.M. (2015). Food Wars: the Global Battle for Mouths, Minds and Markets. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-80262-9.
  • Gabriel, Y. and Lang, T.M. (2015). The Unmanageable Consumer. London: Sage. ISBN 978-1-4462-9852-7.
  • Rayner, G. and Lang, T. (2013). Ecological Public Health. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-48270-0.
  • Alder, J., Barling, D., Dugan, P., Herren, H.R. and Josupeit, H. (2012). Avoiding Future Famines: Strengthening the Ecological Foundation of Food Security through Sustainable Food Systems. A UNEP Synthesis Report. UNEP.
  • Lang, T., Barling, D. and Caraher, M. (2009). Food Policy: integrating health, environment and society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Lang, T., Barling, D. and Caraher, M. (2009). Food Policy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-856788-2.
  • Millstone, E. and Lang, T. (2008). The Atlas of Food. Earthscan / James & James. ISBN 978-1-84407-499-0.
  • Gabriel, Y. and Lang, T. (2006). The Unmanageable Consumer. SAGE. ISBN 978-1-4129-1893-0.
  • Heasman, M. and Lang, T. (2004). Food Wars. Earthscan. ISBN 978-1-136-53508-6.
  • Lang, T.M. and Hines, C. (1993). The New Protectionism. London, UK: Earthscan.
  • Lang, T. and Clutterbuck, C. (1991). P Is for Pesticides. Vintage. ISBN 978-0-85223-968-1.
  • Lang, T.M. (1988). Food Adulteration and How to Beat It. Unwin Hyman. ISBN 978-0-04-440212-1.
  • Webb, T. and Lang, T.M. (1987). Food Irradiation: the Myth and the Reality. Wellingborough, UK: Thorsons.
  • Clutterbuck, C. and Lang, T. (1982). More Than We Can Chew. Pluto Press.
  • Gabriel, Y. The Unmanageable Consumer. Lang, T.M. (Ed.), London: Sage. ISBN 978-1-4462-9852-7.
  • Rayner, G. and Lang, T.M. Ecological Public Health: reshaping the conditions for good health. Abingdon: Routledge Earthscan. ISBN 978-1-84407-832-5.
  • Lang, T. and Heasman, M. Food Wars. Routledge.

Chapters (27)

  • Parsons, K., Barling, D. and Lang, T. (2018). UK Policymaking Institutions and Their Implications for Integrated Food Policy. Advances in Food Security and Sustainability (pp. 211–251). Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-12-815197-6.
  • Lang, T., Schoen, V., Hashem, K., McDonald, L., Parker, J. and Savelyeva, A. (2017). The Environmental, Social, and Market Sustainability of Sugar. Advances in Food Security and Sustainability (pp. 115–136). Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-12-813079-7.
  • Lang, T.M. (2017). Meat and Policy: Charting a Course through the Complexity. In d’Silva, J. and Webster, J. (Eds.), The Meat Crisis: developing more sustainable and ethical production and consumption (pp. 317–334). Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-67329-8.
  • Lang, T. (2017). Food: Time to shift from classical to ecological public health. New Perspectives in Public Health, Second Edition (pp. 140–148). ISBN 978-1-85775-791-0.
  • Lang, T.M. (2015). The Emergence of Contemporary Consumerism. The Unmanageable Consumer (pp. 7–24). London: SAGE. ISBN 978-1-4739-3376-7.
  • Lang, T.M. and Heasman, M.K. (2015). Food Wars. Food Wars Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-80262-9.
  • Lang, T., Wu, M. and Caraher, M. (2013). Meat And Policy: Charting a course through the complexity. The Meat Crisis: Developing more Sustainable Production and Consumption (pp. 254–274). ISBN 978-1-84977-656-1.
  • Lang, T.M. and Caraher, M. (2013). Influencing international policy. In Guest, C., Ricciardi, W., Kawachi, I. and Lang, I. (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-958630-1.
  • Lang, T. and Ingram, J. (2013). Food Security Twists and Turns. Addressing Tipping Points for a Precarious Future (pp. 81–103). British Academy.
  • Lang, T.M. (2012). Sustainable diets and biodiversity: The challenge for policy, evidence and behaviour change. In Organization, F.A.A. (Ed.), Sustainable Diets and Biodiversity Food & Agriculture Org. ISBN 978-92-5-107311-7.
  • Barling, D., Lang, T. and Lele, U. (2012). Increasing Resource Efficiencies: Sustainable Consumption and Production in Food Systems. In Alder, J. (Ed.), Avoiding Future Famines: Strengthening the Ecological Foundation of Food Security through Sustainable Food Systems (pp. 29–38). Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme.
  • Barling, D., Lang, T. and Sharpe, R. (2010). The re-emergence of UK National Food Security on the policy agenda: sustainability challenges and the politics of food supply. In Lawrence, G., Lyons, K. and Wallington, T. (Eds.), Food security, Nutrition and Sustainability: New Challenges, Future Options (pp. 61–78). London: Earthscan.
  • Lang, T.M. (2010). Conclusion: Big Choices about the Food System. In Lawrence, G., Lyons, K. and Wallington, T. (Eds.), Food Security, Nutrition and Sustainability (pp. 271–288). Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-54565-8.
  • Lang, T.M., Barling, D. and Sharpe, L. (2010). The Re-emergence of National Food Security on the United Kingdom’s Strategic Policy Agenda Sustainability Challenges and the Politics of Food Supply. In Lawrence, G., Lyons, K. and Wallington, T. (Eds.), Food Security, Nutrition and Sustainability Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-54565-8.
  • Lang, T.M. (2009). Big Choices about the Food System. In Lawrence, G., Lyons, K. and Wallington, T. (Eds.), Food security, nutrition and sustainability (pp. 271–288). Earthscan / James & James. ISBN 978-1-84407-775-5.
  • Lang, T.M. (2009). Obesity: Using the ecological public health approach to overcome policy cacophony. In Kopelman, P.G., Caterson, I.D. and Dietz, W.H. (Eds.), Clinical Obesity in Adults and Children (pp. 452–470). Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-8226-3.
  • Rayner, G. and Lang, T.M. (2009). Obesity: using the ecologic public health approach to overcome policy cacophony. In Kopelman, P.G., Caterson, I.D. and Dietz, W.H. (Eds.), Clinical Obesity in Adults and Children John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-4443-0763-4.
  • Barling, D., Lang, T. and Sharpe, R. (2008). Ethical Traceability in the UK Wheat-Flour-Bread-Chain. In Coff, C., Barling, D., Korthals, M. and Nielson, T. (Eds.), Ethical traceability and communicating food (pp. 125–165). Dordrecht: Springer.
  • Lang, T.M. (2008). Sustainable Development. In Gabriel, Y. (Ed.), Organizing words (pp. 292–294). Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-921321-4.
  • Lang, T.M. (2008). Sustainable Development. In Gabriel, Y. (Ed.), Organizing Words Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-921321-4.
  • Sharpe, R., Barling, D. and Lang, T.M. (2008). Ethical traceability in the UK wheat-flour-bread chain. In Barling, D. and Korthals, M. (Eds.), Ethical Traceability and Communicating Food Springer. ISBN 978-1-4020-8524-6.
  • Lang, T.M. (2007). The Environmental Impact of Supermarkets: mapping the terrain and the policy positions in the UK. In Burch, D. (Ed.), Supermarkets and agri-food supply chains (pp. 192–215). Edward Elgar Pub. ISBN 978-1-84542-726-9.
  • Lang, T. and Barling, D. (2007). The Environmental Impact of Supermarkets: mapping the terrain and the policy positions in the UK. In Burch, D. and Lawrence, G. (Eds.), Supermarkets and Agri-Food Supply Chains Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84542-726-9.
  • Lang, T. (2005). WHAT IS FOOD AND FARMING FOR? - THE (RE)EMERGENCE OF HEALTH AS A KEY POLICY DRIVER. In Buttel, F.H. and McMichael, P. (Eds.), (pp. 123–144). EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LIMITED.
  • Barling, D. and Lang, T. (2005). Trading on health: cross-continental production-consumption tensions and the governance of international food standards. In Fold, N. and Pritchard, B. (Eds.), Cross-Continental Agro-Food Chains Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-203-44817-5.
  • Barling, D. (2003). Agricultural Biodiversity. In Millstone, E. and Lang, T. (Eds.), The Atlas of Food: Who Eats What, Where and Why London, UK: Earthscan.
  • In Shaw, D., Carrington, M. and Chatzidakis, A. (Eds.), Ethics and Morality in Consumption. In Routledge.

Conference papers and proceedings (6)

  • Lang, T. (2018). The case for Sustainable Healthy Food policies.
  • Lang, T. (2017). Towards Sustainable Production & Consumption.
  • Lang, T. (2016). Sustainable Dietary Guidelines: a test case for ecological public health.
  • Lang, T.M. (2009). Reshaping the Food System for Ecological Public Health. Food Systems and Public Health: Linkages to Achieve Healthier Diets and Healthier Communities 1-3 April, Warrenton, Virginia.
  • Beauman, C., Cannon, G., Elmadfa, I., Glasauer, P., Hoffmann, I., Keller, M. … Zerilli-Marimo, M. (2005). The principles, definition and dimensions of the new nutrition science.
  • Lang, T. (2005). Food control or food democracy? Re-engaging nutrition with society and the environment.

Journal articles (78)

Reports (22)

  • Sharpe, R., McFarlane, G., Lang, T., Lewis, T., Millstone, E. and Marsden, T. (2019). Food, No Deal and the Irish Border. Food Research Collaboration.
  • Lang, T.M., Millstone, E. and Marsden, T. (2017). A Food Brexit: time to get real – A Brexit Briefing. Brighton: University of Sussex Science Policy Research Unit.
  • Bailey, A., Lang, T.M. and Schoen, V. (2016). Does the CAP still fit? London: Food Research Collaboration.
  • Lang, T.M. and Schoen, V. (2016). Food, the UK and the EU: Brexit or Bremain? London: Food Research Collaboration.
  • Schoen, V. and Lang, T.M. (2016). Horticulture in the UK: potential for meeting dietary guideline demands. London: Food Research Collaboration.
  • Schoen, V., Hashem, K., McDonald, L., Parker, J., Savelyeva, A. and Lang, T. (2015). Does Sugar Pass the Environmental and Social Test? London: Food Research Collaboration. ISBN 978-1-903957-05-9.
  • Schoen, V. and Lang, T. (2015). Should the UK be concerned about sugar? London: Food Research Collaboration.
  • Schoen, V. and Lang, T. (2014). UK Food Prices: cooling or bubbling? London: Food Research Collaboration.
  • Lang, T.M. (2013). Food Matters: An integrative approach to food policy. Paris, France: OECD.
  • Lang, T.M., Dibb, S. and Reddy, S. (2011). Looking Forward, Looking Back. Sustainable Development Commission.
  • Lang, T.M. (2009). Setting the Table: Advice to Government on priority elements of sustainable diets. London: Sustainable Development Commission.
  • Lang, T.M. (2009). How new is the world food crisis? Thoughts on the long dynamic of Food Democracy, Food Control and Food Policy in the 21st Century. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University.
  • Barling, D., Lang, T. and Rayner, G. (2009). Current Trends in European retailing and consumption and key choices facing society..
  • Ambler-Edwards, S., Bailey, K., Kiff, A. and Lang, T.M. (2009). Food Futures: Rethinking UK Strategy. London, UK: Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House).
  • Lang, T.M. (2008). Green, Healthy and Fair: a review of government's role in supporting sustainable supermarket food. London: Sustainable Development Commission.
  • Barling, D., Sharpe, R. and Lang, T. (2008). Re-thinking Britain's Food Security..
  • Barling, D., Lang, T. and Sharpe, R. (2008). Towards a National Sustainable Food Security Policy: A project to map the policy interface between Food Security and Sustainable Food Supply..
  • Sharpe, R., Barling, D. and Lang, T. (2008). Re-thinking Britain's Food Security: A research report for the Soil Association. London: Centre for Food Policy.
  • Barling, D. and Lang, T. (2003). Codex, the EU and Developing Countries: an analysis of developments in international food standards setting..
  • Trichopoulou, A., Millstone, E., Lang, T., Eames, M., Barling, D., Naska, A. … van Zwanenberg, P. (2000). European Policy on Food Safety..
  • Lang, T. and Barling, D. (2000). Memorandum: A European Food Authority. London, UK: The Stationery Office.
  • Lang, T.M. and Schoen, V. Horticulture in the UK: potential for meeting dietary guideline demands. London: Food Research Collaboration. ISBN 978-1-903957-15-8.

Scholarly editions (2)

  • Gabriel, Y. and Lang, T. (2007). The Unmanageable Consumer.
  • Lang, T. (2006). Agriculture, food, and health perspectives on a long relationship: understanding the links between agriculture and health.

Working papers (5)

Professional activities

Events/conferences (3)

  1. Cities and Food Democracy. (2016).
    Description: Greater London Authority Capital of Food conference
  2. How much meat? (2016).
    Description: Symposium for Riverford Organics
  3. Sustainable Growth and Food: what the 25-Year Food & Farming Plan ought to say. (2016).
    Description: Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum

Keynote lectures/speeches (8)

  1. Big Data, Big Food & Food Policy. Green Templeton College, University of Oxford (2016).
  2. Food and Water Security: the challenge. Royal College of Defense Studies (2016).
  3. What does food fraud tell us about the food system? York Management School, University of York (2016).
  4. Food Policy and the GLAMUR policy roadmap. Brussels, European Commission (2016). 7th Framework GLAMUR project final meeting
  5. Why the transition to Sustainable Food Systems requires collaborations. Manchester (2016). Sustainable Food North West
  6. Food as Power. Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (2016).
  7. The Jane Grigson Memorial Lecture. Oxford Food Symposium (2016).
  8. Food System and Climate Change. (2016). Sussex University Food, Climate & Society Seminar series

Online article

  1. The elephant in the room at Paris climate talks: why food production must change. (2015). The Conversation Available at: https://theconversation.com/the-elephant-in-the-room-at-paris-climate-talks-why-food-production-must-change-51526