Congratulations to our eight researchers from the Food Environments Team at the Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute (NHIRI) selected to present their research at the Australian Public Health Conference recently held in Perth Western Australia, 17-19 September 2024.
Prof Gina Trapp, ECU’s Professor of Food and Nutrition Environments and Head of the Food Environments Team at NHIRI delivered the prestigious Basil Hetzel Conference Oration. Prof Trapp’s oration, titled ‘Recipe for Change: Essential Ingredients to Turn Research into Policy,’ highlighted the critical steps needed to translate research into impactful policy to improve children’s health.
Reflecting on the honour, Prof Trapp said, “Presenting the Basil Hetzel Oration was a profound privilege. Dr Basil Hetzel was a giant in public health, whose work in creating and applying robust evidence by including iodised salt in the diet has prevented millions of children from being born with brain damage. His legacy inspires us to continue striving to make meaningful change to our unhealthy food environments which are driving poor outcomes in our communities.”
The conference theme, ‘High Value Public Health in a Complex World,’ emphasised the necessity of a systemic approach to public health, recognising that solutions must be tailored to the unique challenges faced by at-risk and vulnerable groups in Australia such as children.
”This conference was a great opportunity to highlight our world leading research work which is conducted across the Community, Organisational, Consumer and Information Food Environments streams” said Dr Claire Pulker. “Our research aims to collectively build the evidence base to support healthy food environments for children to live, learn, play, and flourish”.
The team gave four presentations from the research stream of Community Food Environments, where the team is investigating the exposure of children and the community to the types, location and accessibility of the different sources of food in their community food environment.
Dr Clare Whitton presented on the Healthy Childrens’ Menus: Feasibility and Acceptance in Western Australian Food Outlets research study. Frith Klug presented on the Co-development of the WA Food Atlas: a case study for Multi-Sector Collaboration. Sharonna Mossenson provided a presentation on WA local government public health plans: An audit of food environment initiatives, and Dr Ros Sambell gave a presentation on A natural experiment. Preliminary findings from interviews with northern suburb residents, WA.
Two presentations were given from the research stream of Information Environments, where the team is investigating children’s exposure to unhealthy food advertising in their local communities.
Dr Jacinta Francis presented a study on Children’s views on outdoor advertising of unhealthy food and beverages near schools; and Dr Claire Pulker presented on the topic of What else is needed to implement unhealthy food marketing restrictions in Australia?
Two other presentations were given by our Food Environment Team members at the conference. A presentation by Joelie Mandzufas was on a study How often do apartment residents purchase meals out of the home? The other was by Dr Ros Sambell on Boosting Healthy Eating Assessments in Early-Childhood Education and Care: Empowering Authorised Officers.
Congratulations to all our presenters for representing NHIRI at this national conference and for their ongoing contribution and commitment to building the evidence base needed to create healthy food environments where every child thrives in communities that celebrate and support healthy eating.
Find out about the Food Environments Team and their award-winning research program here.
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