Investigating the Indirect Effects of Child-Targeted Food Promotion on Children's Diets. Obesity is forecast to cost the Australian community more than $58 billion in 2008. The prevention and reduction of obesity thus has the potential to create significant savings in terms of obesity-related treatment costs and impairments. Children have been identified as a population requiring particular attention in efforts to combat obesity. The proposed study will provide an enhanced understanding of the r ....Investigating the Indirect Effects of Child-Targeted Food Promotion on Children's Diets. Obesity is forecast to cost the Australian community more than $58 billion in 2008. The prevention and reduction of obesity thus has the potential to create significant savings in terms of obesity-related treatment costs and impairments. Children have been identified as a population requiring particular attention in efforts to combat obesity. The proposed study will provide an enhanced understanding of the role that food promotion plays in sub-optimal food choices made by children and their parents. The results of the study will be translated into specific public policy recommendations to assist governments and health agencies in determining appropriate courses of action to promote healthy diets among children and their families.Read moreRead less
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
Public and ethical responses to mandated alcohol warning labels about increased long-term risk of cancer. This project will determine how the Australian public will respond to the proposed introduction of alcohol product warning labels. It will establish how such at point of sale messages can acceptably and effectively inform Australians about the long-term, but modifiable, cancer risk associated with alcohol use and reduce the national cancer burden.
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
Trust makers, breakers and brokers: building trust in the Australian food system. This research will compare and contrast the way that food trust is managed in Australia and the United Kingdom, with a particular focus on how trust is damaged and repaired. Using consensus-testing processes, best practice models will be developed to assist government, industry, media and consumer groups to build and maintain trust in the food supply.
Exposure to alcohol advertising and sponsorship in Australian televised sport: association with explicit and implicit alcohol cognitions and drinking. The project will examine whether alcohol advertising and sponsorship in televised sport is related to positive alcohol-related thoughts and alcohol consumption in young adults. The project will use novel methods that assess both conscious and unconscious alcohol-related attitudes, and will provide important evidence for informing alcohol policy.
Individual, social and physical environmental influences on children's active transport and independent mobility. Childhood obesity is likely to have significant economic and social impacts on Australian society. Preventing further increases in this disease is crucial, particularly among children at high risk such as those living in rural or disadvantaged areas. The promotion of behaviours such as active transport may have a significant benefit for public health; however little is known about wh ....Individual, social and physical environmental influences on children's active transport and independent mobility. Childhood obesity is likely to have significant economic and social impacts on Australian society. Preventing further increases in this disease is crucial, particularly among children at high risk such as those living in rural or disadvantaged areas. The promotion of behaviours such as active transport may have a significant benefit for public health; however little is known about what influences active transport among children in rural or disadvantaged areas. This study will identify important factors influencing active transport and will directly inform strategies aiming to promote health and wellbeing, thereby creating a healthier generation of Australian children.Read moreRead less
What will it take to decrease socio-economic inequalities in obesity? There is little understanding of how the increasing prevalence of obesity, and its prevention and management, may contribute to socio-economic inequalities in health. This project aims to identify policies that are most likely to both decrease the prevalence of obesity and decrease associated inequalities in health.
Understanding women's experiences of unplanned pregnancy and abortion. The economic, health and social costs to the Australian community of unplanned pregnancies and abortions constitute a public health concern of undoubted significance. Debates in both policy and public arenas are hampered by a lack of comprehensive reliable evidence about incidence of abortion and the factors underlying decisions to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Further, there is considerable variation among Australian stat ....Understanding women's experiences of unplanned pregnancy and abortion. The economic, health and social costs to the Australian community of unplanned pregnancies and abortions constitute a public health concern of undoubted significance. Debates in both policy and public arenas are hampered by a lack of comprehensive reliable evidence about incidence of abortion and the factors underlying decisions to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Further, there is considerable variation among Australian states regarding abortion-related legislation. The data generated from this project will establish an evidence base, inform potential legislative change and monitor any effects, and improve delivery of appropriate health services and strategies to prevent unplanned pregnancies and their adverse consequences.
Read moreRead less
Sustainability and urban design: An evaluation of the impact of liveable neighbourhoods. This 5-year prospective research study is consistent with ARC's sustainability and health priorities. The aim is to examine the relationship between urban design and a number of health-related, sustainability and social outcomes including walking, cycling, transportation mode choice, perceived and real safety and sense of community (n=2438). The study is unique because it evaluates the impact of a state g ....Sustainability and urban design: An evaluation of the impact of liveable neighbourhoods. This 5-year prospective research study is consistent with ARC's sustainability and health priorities. The aim is to examine the relationship between urban design and a number of health-related, sustainability and social outcomes including walking, cycling, transportation mode choice, perceived and real safety and sense of community (n=2438). The study is unique because it evaluates the impact of a state government's subdivision control guidelines on a range of health, social, economic and sustainability outcomes. Funding has been received to study the health-related outcomes. This application seeks additional funding to support related? as yet unfunded - studies raised by our multi-sector industry partners. Read moreRead less