From soil to survival: food systems as a systemic health risk

Modern food systems are not just an environmental concern but a foundational determinant of population health, influencing longevity, morbidity, and resilience across populations.

Ageing populations, climate volatility, antimicrobial resistance, and globalised supply chains are increasingly interacting, amplifying long-term health risk beyond what is typically captured in current actuarial models.

Regenerative agriculture can be understood as an upstream preventative health intervention, acting on food quality, dietary patterns, and system resilience rather than responding to illness downstream.

For actuaries, food systems represent an emerging driver of morbidity, longevity, and tail risk – one that may increasingly shape the assumptions underpinning life, health, pensions, and social care models.

Speakers

Andy Muddle, FIA C.Act
Nicky Draper, HonFIA