The Commonwealth Government has awarded $3.4 million in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding for three innovative projects focusing on preventing obesity in Australians.
These grants are among eight grants, totalling $9.7 million, for research into the social and economic factors impacts on health.
The grants are:
- Deakin University will receive $1.9 million to investigate the causes of increased obesity risk among socioeconomically disadvantaged women and children. The study will also look at women and children who appear resilient to obesity, with a view to applying lessons learned to other women and children.
- The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Sydney South West Area Health Service will receive $650,000 to trial a home visit early intervention regime in a disadvantaged population. The program particularly targets the early onset of childhood obesity.
- Monash University will receive $760,000 to look at a regulatory approach to obesity prevention. Laws related to the provision, marketing and labelling of food, urban planning, transport, taxes and subsidies will all be analysed, and practical reforms suggested.
These new grants are in addition to more than $529 million in NHMRC grants for 2007 announced earlier this week. Those grants included $14.7 million for obesity-related research.
| Media contacts: | Claire Kimball | Tony Abbott’s Office | 0413 486 926 |
| Nigel Harding | NHMRC | 0409 307 671 |