The takeaways, cafes, restaurants and bakeries in our neighbourhoods and high streets are hugely important parts of our communities and our local economies. They are the places we go for a quick bite on the go and the places we meet friends and enjoy special occasions with family.

The out-of-home sector is an important part of our food environment: we know that the majority of the population interacts with out of home regularly yet our understanding of what contribution it makes to our diets is limited and regulation is also limited.

Around two-thirds of all adults across the UK are living with excess weight – a figure that has grown dramatically over the last 30 years. Obesity is a major contributor to ill health.

The calorie content of the food we buy at these businesses is often higher than that of food prepared and eaten at home – with bigger portion sizes and foods that are typically high in fat, sugar and salt. Which means these food products, prepared outside of our homes and purchased for immediate consumption, likely contribute significantly to high levels of excess weight and obesity.

What’s more, research has found food outlets with the unhealthiest menus are more likely to be found in deprived areas, where there is also a higher concentration of this kind of food outlet.

To improve our health, we need to make it easier to enjoy healthier food from these places while maintaining the joy we take from eating out, but there isn't enough evidence of what actually works for businesses and their customers. Estimated to be a £22bn industry in the UK, on-the-go convenience and takeaway food is big business. It is also a complex sector; what works for shops selling takeaway sausage rolls is unlikely to work for a pub specialising in Sunday roasts.

Nesta has begun a number of research projects looking at making takeaway apps healthier, working with takeaway and convenience businesses to understand their views on healthy food and to help them implement changes. We are also conducting in-depth data analysis to get to the heart of the issues affecting the sector and how the public are served by it.

By working closely with businesses, policymakers and researchers we are aiming to identify the most effective ways to improve the healthiness of on-the-go and restaurant food and drive up consumer demand for healthier products – maintaining the joy we take from eating out while helping us all to lead healthier lives.