Characteristics of the food environment and determinants of food quality, eating behaviours and dietary intake in individuals and populations

Our research is focused on nutrient profiling and food labelling, best practice in dietary assessment, influences on food choice and eating behaviours, and food supply sustainability (or sustainability of the food supply).

Key projects include:

Nutrient profiling and food labelling –Professor Fiona Pelly and Dr Libby Swanepoel

We have a number of studies that are currently underway on this topic, including validation of nutrient profiling systems, the validity of the Health Star Rating, consumer opinion of the Health Star Rating, dietitians perception of the healthiness of food, labelling and marketing of foods targeted at children, and use of POC labelling for large scale catering.

• Thurecht, R., Pelly, F., Cooper, S (2020). The influence of current food and nutrition trends on dietitians' perceptions of the healthiness of packaged foodPublic health nutrition / Vol. Article in press

• Pelly, F., Swanepoel, E., Rinella, J., Cooper, S (2020) Consumers' Perceptions of the Australian Health Star Rating Labelling Scheme Nutrients / Vol. 12, No. 3, Article No. 704

• Morrison, H., Meloncelli, N, Pelly, F. (2018) Nutritional quality and reformulation of a selection of children's packaged foods available in Australian supermarkets: Has the Health Star Rating had an impact? Nutrition and Dietetics, 76, No. 3, pp.296-304

• Thurecht, R, Pelly, F.,  Cooper, S (2018). Dietitians’ perception of the healthiness of packaged food. Appetite / Vol. 120, pp.302-309

• Cooper, S., Pelly, F., Lowe, J B (2017). Assessment of the construct validity of the Australian Health StarRating: a nutrient profiling diagnostic accuracy study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition / Vol. 71, No. 11, pp.1353-1359

• Cooper, S. Pelly, F., Lowe, J (2016). Construct and criterion-related validation of nutrient profiling models: a systematic review of the literature. Appetite Vol 100, pp 26-40

• Meloncelli, N. Pelly, F., Cooper, S. (2015). The nutritional quality of a selection of children’s packaged food available in Australia. Nutrition and Dietetics / Vol 73,No 1 pp 88-94
  

• Burkhart, S.* and Pelly, F (2013). Athletes use and opinion of point of choice nutrition labels at a major international competition. Appetite, 70, 6-13

Food provision for major competition– Lead researcher Professor Fiona Pelly

This project has spanned over the past 20 years and encompasses a broad range of areas that have investigated food provision for Olympic and Commonwealth athletes. Specific focus areas include dietary regimens of athletes, food for sports performance, evaluation of the food environment, determinants of food choice, nutrition servicing by sports dietitians, sustainability, nutrition labelling and integration of nutrition expertise in foodservice. To read more on this research area including references, please refer to Food provision and nutrition support at major competition