The Food Environments Team, under the leadership of Professor Gina Trapp, has recently established its research base at the Joondalup Campus of ECU’s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute (NHIRI). As a dynamic force in food and nutrition environments research, Professor Trapp’s team is shaping innovative environmental-level strategies to improve community health outcomes. The Food Environments Team conducts world leading research across four key research streams: Community, Organisational, Consumer and Information Food Environments. These streams collectively aim to sculpt the nutritional landscapes where children live, learn and play.
Amidst Australia’s battle with poor dietary habits and high rates of obesity, the team’s work is more crucial than ever. With the majority of Australian’s not adhering to national dietary guidelines, the team is tackling the pervasive influence of energy-dense and nutrient-poor food environments. Their research strives to understand and transform the nutritional decisions and eating patterns that are at the heart of public health challenges. We are thrilled to have joined NHIRI – a leading institution that will enhance our capacity to conduct multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach. Our aim is to foster environments where every child has the opportunity to thrive in communities that prioritise, celebrate and support healthy eating. Through robust evidence generation, we aspire to drive pivotal policy and practice changes.” Professor Trapp said.
The Food Environments Team prioritises making healthy foods accessible, available, affordable and equitable; curbing the marketing and availability of unhealthy foods in key childhood settings. These efforts are aimed at mitigating childhood obesity and its associated health risks.
Embedding consumer insights and lived experience into their research, the Food Environments Team ensures their work remains grounded in real-world applicability and community relevance. “Adhering to co-design principles and maintaining active engagement with ourConsumer and Stakeholder Advisory Committees from project conception to knowledge transfer is vital for our impactful research,” Professor Trapp elaborates. Aligned perfectly with NHIRI’s overarching purpose to discover and share real-world solutions to improve health and quality of life, the Food Environments Team at ECU is spearheading vital advancements in the domain of nutrition and health innovation. This new chapter at NHIRI promises to be a transformative journey towards better health outcomes from communities across Australia and beyond.
Check out the Food Environments Team’s award-winning research program here: About the Food Environments Team Research
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