NPHP home < SIGNAL home <

FOODChain Newsletter

FOODChain is the official newsletter of the Strategic Inter-Governmental Nutrition Alliance, SIGNAL. It aims to cover news and discussion concerning all aspects of public health nutrition, and provide an opportunity for further networking and exchange of ideas.

Regular features include ‘FOODviews’, discussion and analysis of topical issues, State Round Ups and What’s On.

FOODChain is a resource to be used and accessed by all those interested in public health nutrition and therefore welcomes input via articles and discussion from all interested people and organisations.

If you are interested in contributing to FOODChain, please contact the editor:
Christina Pollard
Tel: 08 9222 2062
Fax: 08 9222 2088
Christina.Pollard@health.wa.gov.au

Current and past issues of FOODChain are available in PDF format. Adobe PDF is a file format that allows you to view and print a document with its original formatting preserved. In order to do this you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Current Issue

Issue No 17, August [PDF, 1.44mb]
This issue of FOODChain highlights the assessment of growth and development in infancy and childhood.

Previous Issues

Issue No 16, February 2005 [PDF, 553k]
This issue of FOODChain highlights Nutrition in Schools.

Issue No 15, October 2004 [PDF, 416k]
This issue of FOODChain highlights the importance of developing the workforce to deliver public health nutrition gains.

Issue No 14, May 2004 [PDF, 1.7MB]

This issue of FOODChain assesses progress on the strategic management of Eat Well Australia and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition Strategy and Action Plan. SIGNAL members and key partners reported on current activities and future priorities.

Issue No 13, December 2003 [PDF, 646k]

This issue of FOODChain covers the important theme of 'ensuring a safe and healthy food supply'. Articles highlight the need for strong partnerships, advocacy, education and research to direct the policy and regulations that impact on public health nutrition in Australia and New Zealand.

FOODViews is Rosemary Stanton's snapshot of the far-reaching health,
ecological and social implications of our food supply decisions.

This edition of FOODChain also reflects on the recently reviewed dietary guidelines featured in the last issue of FOODChain, which highlight the importance of food safety. Articles in this FOODChain emphasise the role a safe and healthy food supply play in food public health nutrition.

Issue No 12, September 2003 [PDF, 860k]

In the wake of the release of the NHMRC Dietary Guidelines for Australians, the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents and Infant Feeding Guidelines for Health Workers, this issue of FOODChain provides an overview of the background and development of dietary guidelines in Australia.  

An article that details the process for guidelines development provides an insight to the enormity of the task of their revision.   Discussion of changes and shifts in emphases in the revised guidelines is also included in this issue.

Issue No 11, April 2003 [PDF, 518k]
This 'Promoting Healthy Weight' issue of FOODChain highlights the public health response to the emerging overweight and obesity epidemic in Australia. Health Ministers have recently called together a National Obesity Taskforce to map out an Australia plan for action. SIGNAL and the Strategic Inter-Governmental Forum on Physical Activity and Health (SIGPAH) meet and work together to identify ways to address this major problem in Australia and will provide advice to the Taskforce. This issue demonstrates the value of a combined public health nutrition and physical activity approach to addressing healthy weight.

A personal perspective on effective interventions addressing overweight and obesity in Australia is presented. Articles highlight the complexity of the issue, interventions, national guidelines and recommendations, and the urgent need for a national food, nutrition and physical activity monitoring system. Recent research papers feature the extent and underlying causes of overweight and obesity, the importance of breastfeeding, socioeconomic status, and the family food environment. Intervention strategies outlined range from of global strategies (e.g. 5 A Day), national and state initiatives (eg. Physical Activity Taskforce, Healthy Weight National Activities in New Zealand), to local interventions (10,000 Steps Rockhampton and the Food Hopscotch Game). Lastly, State roundups report on current public health activity in Australia.

Issue No 10, December 2002 [PDF, 699k]
This ‘Monitoring and Surveillance’ issue of FOODChain demonstrates the value of a monitoring system for public health nutrition in terms of use of data, and highlights some of the current and future issues and challenges. An insider’s perspective on the achievements, current status, and complexities of food and nutrition monitoring in Australia is included. Articles address the importance and use of food and nutrition monitoring and surveillance data by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), and in assessing the adherence to the recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. An outline of the important work undertaken to build an Australian food and nutrition monitoring system and publications readers can access are featured throughout this issue. Two emerging themes are: while there appears to be some data collected throughout Australia there is a consistent call for a timely, well resourced national public health nutrition monitoring and surveillance system. Lastly, State roundups report on obesity summits in NSW, Victoria and SA, and a variety of activities in Eat Well Australia priority areas are discussed.

Issue No 9, August 2002 [PDF, 1.3Mb]
This issue of FOODChain focuses on promoting good nutrition for mothers, infants and children. It provides a snap shot of many innovative and exciting projects funded through the Commonwealth Government’s National Child Nutrition Program and Prof Binns shares views on breastfeeding that challenge us to take appropriate actions based on his wealth of experience and expertise. A comprehensive State Round-up section identifies major gains in building capacity of public health nutrition, these include increases in the Qld and the NT workforce and a variety of research initiatives which will inform future public health nutrition activities.

Issue No 8, April 2002 [PDF, 616k]
This Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition edition of FOODChain highlights the areas of concern and activity in Australia. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition Strategy and Action Plan is our vision to shape our future. Guidance and advice on how to effectively work to improve Aboriginal nutrition is given by those who have been working in the area for many years and projects described in this edition show practical application of this advice. The diversity of roles taken on by Aboriginal Health Workers at local levels, nutrition training requirements, and the support needed once workers are trained are discussed. The WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey and the paper by Thompson et al. on the social and cultural context of food and physical activity in an urban Aboriginal community are briefly outlined.

Issue No 7, December 2001 [PDF, 987k]
In this issue: A personal view of the history and prospects for promotion of vegetables and fruit in Australia; Launch of the National Nutrition Strategy - Eat Well Australia; SIGNAL National Vegetables and Fruit Action Plan; International 5 A Day Symposium; A Planning Framework to Promote Increased Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables; Strategic Direction for Australia's Vegetable Industry; National Cancer Prevention Policy; Vegetable and Fruit Intakes - Trends and Barriers; Do Real Men Eat Fruit and Vegetables?; Vegetable and Fruit Consumption in Central West Queensland;Coles 7-a-day; Tooty Fruity Vegie; Kamilaroi Market Garden Project; Children and Vegetables - Bringing Them Together; Food Facts for Preschoolers; What's There to Eat?; A BBQ Vegetable Tasting at the Flora Festival; Promoting Fruit and Vegetables Through Tasting Events; Provitamin A Content of Local Bananas and Taro in Micronesia; Tucker Gets Big Cancer Profile at National Workshop

Issue No 6, August 2001 [PDF, 333k]
In this issue: Does Evidence-Based ‘Inertia’ Stifle Best Practice in Public Health Nutrition?; Evaluating Research Evidence on Public Health Interventions; Cochrane Health Promotion and Public Health Field – Promoting best evidence of the effectiveness of health promotion and public health intervention; Best Practice in Nutrition – A clinical perspective applied to public health; Hawkesbury Food Program; Good Food in Family Day Care; Better food Better care Project; Nutrition Training for Cooks in Revised Childcare Regulations; 20th National Dietitians Association of Australia Conference Report; Changes to DAA Membership; New SIGNAL Vegetables and Fruit Program Manager; and New Name for Nursing Mothers Association.

Issue No 5, April 2001 [PDF, 607k]
In this issue: Food Security for All: Building Healthier Communities; Measuring Food Supply in Australia; Measuring Food Security in Australia; The Mt Druitt Food Project; The Kamilaroi Market Garden Project; The Penrith Food Project; Foodbank Australia; Meals on Wheels; and Australian Public Health Nutrition Workforce Project.

Issue No 4, December 2000 [PDF, 1.3Mb]
In this issue: National Child Nutrition Program – Indigenous kids set to benefit; Better ATSI Nutrition Paper; Indigenous Nutrition Programs; A Consumer Tax on Food; EWA and NATSINSAP; and Accreditation for Nutritionists.

Issue No 3, October 2000 [PDF, 1Mb]
In this issue: Non-government organisations – building the power of partnerships; Australian Cancer Society; The NHF and Diabetes Australia; Smaller NGOs and PHN; News from AIHW; Additional University Info; and Australian Monitoring Unit.

Issue No 2, June 2000 [PDF, 432k]
In this issue: Health Claims – their history and future; Opportunities in Public Health and community nutrition training around Australia; Foodviews – Dietetics 2000 and beyond; Book review; Overview of training; and ABC – New US Guidelines.

Issue No 1, March 2000 [PDF, 1.2Mb]
In the first edition of the SIGNAL Newsletter: National food and nutrition monitoring system; What do we mean by ‘Food Access’ and ‘Food Supply’; ‘Healthy Kids’ Nutrient Criteria Review; Dietary Guidelines for Older Australians; and a Food and Nutrition Special Interest Group (FANSIG) Update.

top of page