Health and Nutrition Needs of Mid-Life and Older Australians: Guiding Food Innovation for Healthy Ageing
UNSW thrilled to announce our collaboration with Sanitarium Health Food Company on an industry-focused PhD project aimed at addressing key challenges in Health Food Manufacturing. This collaborative effort brings together academic expertise and industry insights to drive innovation and deliver real-world impact.
Our project, titled “Health and Nutrition Needs of Mid-Life and Older Australians: Guiding Food Innovation for Healthy Ageing”, and focuses on generating new nutrition insights into the health and dietary behaviors of mid-life and older Australians, focusing on healthy ageing, body composition, and muscle health. This knowledge will support the development of evidence-based health food innovations.
Leveraging the UNSW renowned expertise in Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Innovation and Sanitarium‘s industry leadership in health food innovation and manufacturing, this project epitomises a collaborative approach that bridges the gap between academia and industry. Sanitarium recognises the importance of health and nutrition research in translating evidence-based benefits of health foods to consumers and delivering educational communication programs. Through this collaboration, Sanitarium will develop research capability, build a stronger partnership with the University of New South Wales, and project outcomes will support the development of health food innovations for healthy ageing.
Project supervisor and A/Prof Sara Grafenauer of the UNSW: “The Industry PhD program is a valuable opportunity to translate nutrition science to real-world outcomes, with the high potential to benefit all Australians. It is my pleasure to support such an excellent candidate to achieve this level of scholarship while maintaining an important industry-dietitian role. It shines a positive light on the Dietetic profession, and what is possible through an industry setting where an academic and innovation lens is key to the deliverables.
Chris Cashman is excited to be undertaking this research stating: “I’m very grateful for this opportunity to participate in the National Industry PhD program. This Program provides a unique pathway to develop my research skills and the opportunity to make a valuable contribution to the available evidence on the health and nutrition needs of mid-life and older Australians – an area of significance for public health and for Sanitarium.”
Mid-life remains an understudied yet critical period for preventative nutrition and lifestyle intervention. By examining the intersection of nutrition, physical activity, and ageing, this study aims to support health promotion and the development of innovative food products. The findings will address age-related declines in body composition and muscle health, improving the quality of life for Australia’s ageing population.
Thank you Simon Kalucy and Artha Arthavelina for your work to get this amazing project started under the National Industry PhD Program