Healthy eating campaigns: perceptions of the message and messenger. This project will be a means to evaluate the likely effectiveness of some of the resolutions of the NSW Childhood Obesity Summit aimed at the commercial food industry and the media. The project will provide information for the food industry on consumers' perceptions of their credibility as a source of information about healthy eating. This will inform the development of communication campaigns, as well as provide guidance on de ....Healthy eating campaigns: perceptions of the message and messenger. This project will be a means to evaluate the likely effectiveness of some of the resolutions of the NSW Childhood Obesity Summit aimed at the commercial food industry and the media. The project will provide information for the food industry on consumers' perceptions of their credibility as a source of information about healthy eating. This will inform the development of communication campaigns, as well as provide guidance on development and marketing of 'healthier' brand extensions. The project will also have considerable benefit for public health. The findings will be relevant to government and non-government health promotion organisations considering the effectiveness of social marketing campaigns in association with food companies.Read moreRead less
Reforming evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policy. This project aims to develop and evaluate a ‘Fit-for-Purpose’ framework to strategically guide evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policies in order to effectively and safely tackle contemporary nutrition and food security problems. The project intends to use interdisciplinary approaches that integrate nutrition science, health promotion and policy science. The project would also examine policy-make ....Reforming evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policy. This project aims to develop and evaluate a ‘Fit-for-Purpose’ framework to strategically guide evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policies in order to effectively and safely tackle contemporary nutrition and food security problems. The project intends to use interdisciplinary approaches that integrate nutrition science, health promotion and policy science. The project would also examine policy-maker acceptance of the framework. Expected project outcomes include an enhanced capacity to critically analyse existing policies and guide future food and nutrition policy formulation and evaluation. This project would provide significant benefits by helping to promote public health, wellbeing and food system sustainability.Read moreRead less
Reducing the social, economic and health burden associated with obesity-related chronic diseases among socio-economically disadvantaged populations. This project will develop new methods and approaches for reducing obesity-related chronic diseases (OCDs) among socially disadvantaged populations in Australia, using prevention models. These prevention models will improve the evidence base in this field as well as inform public health policy and practice in Australia (and other industrialised count ....Reducing the social, economic and health burden associated with obesity-related chronic diseases among socio-economically disadvantaged populations. This project will develop new methods and approaches for reducing obesity-related chronic diseases (OCDs) among socially disadvantaged populations in Australia, using prevention models. These prevention models will improve the evidence base in this field as well as inform public health policy and practice in Australia (and other industrialised countries).Read moreRead less
An RCT To Promote Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours From Infancy: An Intervention To Prevent Childhood Overweight
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,631.00
Summary
In Australia, one in four school-aged children is currently overweight and childhood obesity rates are continuing to rise. In the last five years it has become clear that rates of overweight and obesity are also rapidly increasing in pre-school age children. These are issues that are of concern to health officials as well as to parents. We understand that these rising rates in fatness relate to children's diet and activity patterns, and that these patterns, once established are likely to be patt ....In Australia, one in four school-aged children is currently overweight and childhood obesity rates are continuing to rise. In the last five years it has become clear that rates of overweight and obesity are also rapidly increasing in pre-school age children. These are issues that are of concern to health officials as well as to parents. We understand that these rising rates in fatness relate to children's diet and activity patterns, and that these patterns, once established are likely to be patterns for life. To date, there has been relatively little research regarding the chance to support parents to establish the eating and activity patterns that will protect their children from the very beginning of life. This project seeks to support first-time parents to establish healthy eating and activity behaviours in their children using the highly utilised Maternal and Child Health Centres first time parents' groups. We believe that these groups will provide a strongly supportive environment in which to provide parents with strategies and knowledge for promoting healthy eating and activity patterns for their children, and in turn, promote healthy weight gain. This project will assess the effectiveness of this intervention.Read moreRead less
�Percent Daily Intake� Versus �Equivalent Walking Time�: Making Sense Of The Kilojoules On Food And Drink Labels
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$108,350.00
Summary
We have already established through a series of eight qualitative focus groups plus a pilot survey using a convenience sample that the Equivalent Walking Time (EWT) food label is considered more informative, useful, and difficult to ignore than other labelling systems. As such we now seek to test the EWT against other labelling systems in a more objective and robust fashion, using a much larger, representative sample.
Food and drink company sponsorship of children's sport: publicity or philanthropy? Currently food and beverage company sport sponsorship in Australia has not been analyzed or regulated. The proposed research will incorporate both of these neglected areas by determining current patterns of food company sponsorship and by driving new programs and policies to support sporting organisations in promoting children's health in a consistent fashion. This study will challenge commonly held assumptions an ....Food and drink company sponsorship of children's sport: publicity or philanthropy? Currently food and beverage company sport sponsorship in Australia has not been analyzed or regulated. The proposed research will incorporate both of these neglected areas by determining current patterns of food company sponsorship and by driving new programs and policies to support sporting organisations in promoting children's health in a consistent fashion. This study will challenge commonly held assumptions and social norms relating to the value of food company sponsorship, which is classically viewed as good corporate behaviour, but may in fact have adverse health effects.Read moreRead less
Applying a logic model to link unhealthy food promotion to childhood obesity. This project aims to develop new evidence about the influence of unhealthy food marketing on children’s food attitudes, choices and consumption behaviours. Children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing is recognised by leading international health organisations as a contributor to poor diets and overweight, and is a target for population health intervention. Outcomes from this project aim to contribute to national an ....Applying a logic model to link unhealthy food promotion to childhood obesity. This project aims to develop new evidence about the influence of unhealthy food marketing on children’s food attitudes, choices and consumption behaviours. Children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing is recognised by leading international health organisations as a contributor to poor diets and overweight, and is a target for population health intervention. Outcomes from this project aim to contribute to national and international policy solutions for limiting children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing, by providing original information on the direct and sustained impact of food marketing exposures on children’s overall food intake and dietary quality and the mechanisms that underpin this relationship.Read moreRead less
A taxonomy of Australian consumers' food and health knowledge. Identification and measurement of the basic dimensions of food knowledge of consumers will inform new education curricula and community communication programs. The findings will enable better targeting of community and industry education by policy planners, education authorities, and the food industry. They will also enable monitoring and evaluation of food communication programs. In the longer term, this research may also enable cit ....A taxonomy of Australian consumers' food and health knowledge. Identification and measurement of the basic dimensions of food knowledge of consumers will inform new education curricula and community communication programs. The findings will enable better targeting of community and industry education by policy planners, education authorities, and the food industry. They will also enable monitoring and evaluation of food communication programs. In the longer term, this research may also enable citizens to deal with the changes caused by climate change, metabolic disease and increasing longevity; help educate more literate food industry workers; enhance communications between citizens, industry and government; and generate greater demand for higher quality food products.
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ISNAP (interactive Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol And Physical Activity) Program For Youth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Tobacco addiction usually begins during adolescence and is often accompanied by broader lifestyle issues being alcohol use, poor nutrition and poor physical activity. Young people today are highly engaged with technology, especially social media. Therefore, innovative technology (eg websites, smartphone apps, holographs and augmented reality) have big potential to lower the appeal and occurrence of risk behaviours. This study aims to design and evaluate an e-health lifestyle program for youth.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101791
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,567.00
Summary
Influence of the food environment near schools on children's food intake. Bridging the disciplines of nutrition, public health, geography and urban planning, this unique and innovative project strives to be the first in Australia to: (i) longitudinally map, measure and monitor the food environment near schools; and (ii) comprehensively investigate how the proximity of healthy and unhealthy food outlets near schools impacts on children’s eating behaviours. The findings will be used to develop a s ....Influence of the food environment near schools on children's food intake. Bridging the disciplines of nutrition, public health, geography and urban planning, this unique and innovative project strives to be the first in Australia to: (i) longitudinally map, measure and monitor the food environment near schools; and (ii) comprehensively investigate how the proximity of healthy and unhealthy food outlets near schools impacts on children’s eating behaviours. The findings will be used to develop a set of policy and practice recommendations for key stakeholders (e.g., school staff, students, parents, community members, retailers, planners and government) to help create equitable and health-promoting food environments near schools.Read moreRead less