Dr Katherine Kent and Professor Karen Charlton have launched a massive study into the Illawarra-Shoalhaven food environment – and they need your help. Photo: Michael Gray.
What do you think of the food scene in the Illawarra? Two researchers from the University of Wollongong (UOW) want to know.
Dr Katherine Kent and Professor Karen Charlton, experts in the field of dietetics from the Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems Research Group at UOW, are about to begin a massive survey of households in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, to find out what people think about the region’s food environment.
It’s a pretty broad question and covers things like whether there are healthy takeaway options nearby, what a basket of groceries costs and whether people with dietary requirements can find the food they need.
About 10,000 households across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, selected at random, will receive the Let’s Talk About Food survey in their mailbox soon.
A social media campaign will also be launched, in conjunction with partner Healthy Cities Illawarra and Food Fairness Illawarra.
Dr Kent said the team had undertaken extensive research into the food environment in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven and what they found was deeply concerning.
The data showed that when shopping for food, residents of these two regions faced six times as many unhealthy food options, such as fast-food outlets, compared to healthy ones, such as butchers, and fruit and vegetable shops.
“Mapping the food environment of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven matters, because it helps us to understand if everyone can easily access healthy food,” Dr Kent said.
“Wollongong and Shellharbour local government areas have the highest numbers of unhealthy food outlets, compared to Kiama and the Shoalhaven.
“This imbalance not only makes it challenging for people in our community to choose nutritious foods but could also contribute to higher rates of diet-related health problems in the long term.”
Dr Kent said the researchers were now working to gather more insights from local residents on food access, dietary habits, and their perspectives on the food available in these communities.
They believe it is the largest household survey of its kind in the regions and are hopeful it will be able to act as a case study for the whole of NSW.
In addition to examining the locality of food options, the team’s research has also looked at other aspects of how and what we eat, from food insecurity to the cost of groceries and the prevalence of local producers.
“When it comes to access to fresh, healthy food options, where you live matters,” Dr Kent said.
“What we eat and how we access that is such a fundamental part of our day-to-day wellbeing but we need to hear from residents so we can have the full picture.
“It’s like having all the pieces of the puzzle.”
The research team hopes to get enough survey responses to help identify how to improve our local food systems.
“Creating a healthy food environment is essential for communities because it empowers individuals to make nutritious choices and cultivates a culture of health that benefits everyone,” Dr Kent said.
“We can’t fix our food environment without hearing from as many members of the community as we can about what worries them, how they feel about access to food, if they can afford it, if they prefer to buy directly from farmers.
“Hearing from consumers is fundamental to make change.”
Dr Kent and Professor Charlton are encouraging residents aged 18 and over to take part in the online survey.
Many will have a postcard-sized invitation with a QR code sent directly to their home.
All other residents can access the survey by going to uow.info/food, or through Healthy Cities Illawarra’s website and social media platforms.
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