Public Health Nutrition Research
Public Health Nutrition is a research theme from the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food
Our research focuses on generating high quality evidence to address equity in access to a fair, quality, affordable and sustainable food supply through policy and practice initiatives. Our research aims to enable community, industry and governments to create healthy, equitable and sustainable food systems and environments.
We are inspired to make a difference at the intersection of community, innovation and policy and have a reputation for hands-on, meaningful research. Our work contributes to the Monash University Impact 2030 - Strategic Plan.
We are privileged to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through projects that we support. We work with many different communities, organisations and population groups including shift-workers, migrants, local governments and social enterprises.
This research theme is led by Associate Professor Julie Brimblecombe, who has an established profile in public health nutrition. She is an honorary fellow with Menzies School of Health Research. She leads an extensive body of research through a wide network of research collaborations in Australia and overseas.
Current research areas
Food and Nutrition Security
Monash Nutrition is involved in a range of Food & Nutrition Security research, teaching and community initiatives. Achieving food and nutrition security, the regular and reliable physical, social and economic access to enough nutritious and culturally appropriate food in a socially accepted way, is an increasing social and public health challenge. This impacts the health and wellbeing of people across the world. In collaboration with our local, national and international Indigenous People’s Food and Nutrition
Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, continuation of knowledge systems, and connection with ancestral lands and values impact food security, health and wellbeing. In partnership with communities, our research aims to address inequities in food security and nutrition through challenging government policy, co-designing effective strategies, driving advocacy, and supporting the public health nutrition workforce and current and future Indigenous public health nutrition leaders. Our vision is to contribute with Indigenous Peoples to the evidence and know-how needed to achieve a sustainable and healthy food system that is equitable and affordable and that embraces Indigenous People’s food knowledge, connection with land, traditions and right for self-determination. We are members of the FAO Planetary Health
Monash Nutrition is involved in a range of research, teaching and community initiatives to promote food sustainability and planetary health. Specific to public health nutrition, we have led the development of Dietitians Australia’s Healthy and Equitable Food Environments
Our food environments - the food available, how it is made available, marketed and promoted, and the policy and practice determinants of these - influence what we eat. This research unites researchers, communities, industry, governments and non-government organisations with the aim of creating healthy, equitable and sustainable food environments. Our research works within complex food environments, including university campuses, workplaces, local government settings, remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community stores and other food retail settings. Our focus is on generating, communicating and translating evidence into practice and policy and working in close collaboration with community, government and industry leaders to ensure our research goals are realistic, achievable and meet the needs of the community. Our flagship projects are Digital Nutrition Lab
The Monash Digital Nutrition Lab is where the science of nutrition meets data science, human-computer interaction and communication. Our vision is for thriving communities where healthier choices are the easy and desirable option. Our mission is to improve health and well-being by co-creating fair and equitable food environments and harnessing the power of AI for social good. This grand challenge will take a village of scientists integrating concepts across disciplines to change systems. Collaborations with experts in the Monash Data Futures Institute, Action Lab, RMIT University, Monash University Malaysia and Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine is the formula to support thriving communities. Our projects include Projects
Monash Health and Wellbeing Policy
Healthy Stores 2020
SWIFt
Benchmarking for Healthy Stores in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
MRSDAT and child nutrition
Monash-Warwick Alliance
MyFoodSwaps
Intake24
Students
Across our five research areas we provide undergraduate and post-graduate students with the opportunity to contribute to finding solutions to public health issues that impact the lives of different sub-groups of the population particularly those marginalised and of greatest need. We provide real-world experiences with world-class supervision and ensure that students are equipped with the research and public health practice knowledge and skills needed to advance their careers and contribute globally to public health nutrition. Through our extensive and established relationships with academics nationally and internationally and with a diverse and large group of stakeholders from multiple sectors across the globe, we connect and place students within real-world situations to offer a unique, meaningful and unforgettable research and public health nutrition experience.
We are always interested in taking on new Honours or PhD students.