The consumption and distribution of food, as well as its production, has become a major public policy issue over the past few decades; what we eat is no longer merely a private matter but carries significant externalities for wider society.

Hillary J. Shaw is a Senior Research Fellow at the London School of Commerce and Managing Director of Shaw Food Solutions. His research interests include food security, sustainable development and food access. As well as leading a range of consultancy projects, he has been invited to speak at many international conferences and has published widely in the areas of food, health, diet and corporate social responsibility.

1. Introduction: harvesting obesity 2. You are what you eat: the biochemistry of food 3. Minding your diet: the psychology of food 4. What do we mean by 'food': the philosophies of food 5. Grosser grocers and cornered shops: changing access to food 6. Mapping food access and obesity: the food desert phenomenon 7. Getting back into shape: initiatives for tackling obesity 8. Future food consumption: a slimmed-down world?