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When fighting the burden of overweight and obesity, diet remains a powerful preventive factor. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate more efficient interventions on diet change by synthesising knowledge of previous weight loss programmes based on the use of digital devices.

Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses approach, a systematic literature review through five databases was undertaken focussed on the assessment of studies oriented towards diet change that incorporated digital devices including computers, tablets, mobile phones, portable and non-portable tracking devices. In total, 15 empirical studies (2004–2018) were identified and examined for efficacy and presence of theory and behaviour change techniques.

Digital devices supporting weight loss programmes have evolved rapidly over the past 15 years, from reminders using the short message system to self-quantification through mobile applications. Nine studies show a significant difference between conditions, in favour or one (or more) intervention arm. The remaining studies failed to find significance between conditions but were using a comparison with an active intervention, potentially indicating equivalent efficacy. A low level of theory use and use of behavioural techniques was evident.

The literature review is limited to studies that have scientifically evaluated the (potential) weight loss associated with the weight loss intervention. This review could be put into perspective with other complementary research, in particular, qualitative research aimed at exploring participants’ motivations to use (or not) digital devices to lose weight.

Given their low cost and the size of the overweight population, it appears that public health policies could integrate digital devices more strongly in their efforts to combat obesity. Social marketing can add its expertise to medical-based programmes which in return bring their need for more quantitative evaluation of the efficacy of the interventions.

Few previous reviews have examined the extent of the efficiency in digital diet change programmes. The review shows that, in general, digital interventions can support weight loss for adults; however, more studies are required to provide a strong evidence base for efficacy. Given their low cost and the size of the overweight population, public health policies could integrate these devices more strongly in their efforts to combat obesity. A theory-driven social marketing perspective could enhance development ensuring interventions are effective and valued by users.

“Social eating initiatives” are framed as a specific type of community-based food service that provides opportunities for people to eat together in local spaces using surplus food. These initiatives provide a meal that is fresh, affordable and more environmentally friendly than fast or convenience foods. In this research, we build upon the food well-being model to explore how food consumption is experienced in these community settings and the role of social eating projects in shaping the different dimensions of people's foodscapes. We adopted a community-based participatory approach and engaged in a series of dialogues with staff volunteers and coordinators at four “social eating initiatives”. We also conducted 45 interviews with service users and volunteers at three sites in the Midlands region.

The role of community-based food initiatives responding to hunger by utilising surplus food to feed local populations is often conceptualised critically. However, closer attention to the experiences of staff, volunteers and customers at these spaces, reveals them as sites where knowledge and experience of food is being developed with this contributing to a sense of well-being beyond nutrition. Shared food practices and eating together contribute to social capital and are important dimensions of food well-being that are significantly restricted by food insecurity. The “food well-being” model envisages a shift in focus from health, defined as the absence of illness, towards well-being as a positive relationship with food at the individual and societal level. In the concluding remarks of this article, it is suggested that this holistic conception is required to understand the role and function of social eating initiatives.

This paper aims to examine the role of attachment in consumer brand relationships and its links with constructs such as trust, satisfaction, commitment and behavioural loyalty.

This paper is based on exploratory and confirmatory studies that provide a model that explains the relationship between brand attachment and its outcomes. A structural equation modelling is used to assess the hypothetical links.

The findings of the structural model confirm the majority of the hypothesised relationships. Brand attachment is considered as an important input to brand commitment for utilitarian products.

Few studies have attempted to model the relationship between brand attachment and its antecedents and outcomes. This research also focused on a particular utilitarian product that is not – apparently – affect laden.

This paper examines the potential of photography as a design thinking method to develop innovative food experiences that improve food well-being.

This paper is a critical review of research using photography to examine the complex physical, emotional, psychological and social relationships individuals have with food at personal and societal levels.

The conceptual legitimacy of photography is well-established in the social sciences but has been missing from design thinking practices. Photography is particularly well suited to understand the highly visual practice of food and to design innovative food experiences.

Practical and ethical issues in the use of photography are considered as a research tool. Future research should examine photography as an integrated tool in the entire design thinking process.

A table of photographic research methods for all stages of design thinking, from empathy to prototyping, is presented. Best practices for the successful implementation and interpretation of photography in food design thinking are discussed.

Photography is a uniquely inclusive and accessible research method for understanding the social problem of food well-being and designing innovative food experiences.

To the best of the authors knowledge, this paper provides the first conceptual foundation for the use of photography in design thinking. The paper identifies novel photographic methods that can be used to understand problems and generate solutions. It provides guidelines to successfully integrate photography in the design of innovative food experiences that improve food well-being.