CSIRO and the University of South Australia have won a government tender to survey Australian kids to determine the kinds of foods they eat and how much exercise they get.

Winning partners welcome national children’s survey news

Reference: 06/132

Today's announcement by the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Tony Abbott, of the first national nutrition and physical activity survey in more than a decade, has been welcomed by CSIRO and the University of South Australia.

• 19 July 2006

The university and CSIRO – through its Preventative Health National Research Flagship and Human Nutrition Centre – won the Department of Health and Ageing’s tender to undertake the survey which will involve gathering information from more than 4000 young people from both metropolitan and regional Australia.

Project Director, Associate Professor Timothy Olds from the University of South Australia's School of Health Sciences, says the national survey will be important to inform research and government policy and provide valuable information for industry.

"This work will provide the basis for developing strategies to improve the health of Australian children," he says.

The University of South Australia is a recognised leader in the fields of anthropometry and research into children's physical activity.

Associate Prof Olds says the university will contribute to the physical activity survey – which will include physical activity levels and weight status of children and young people aged between 5 years and 16 years – while CSIRO will manage the nutrition survey activities.

A CSIRO research scientist with the Preventative Health Flagship, Dr Lynne Cobiac, will manage the food and nutrition element of the survey, which will gather detailed information about the food and nutrient intake of children and young people aged two to 16 years.

"We are honoured to be involved in this important work and help play our part in improving the health and wellbeing of young Australians," Dr Cobiac says.

"We're also pleased to see the Australian Food and Grocery Council joining the federal departments of Health and Ageing and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, in this initiative." 

The Preventative Health Flagship is a multi-disciplinary partnership involving CSIRO and external partners which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians through prevention and early detection of chronic diseases. 

National social research fieldwork company I-View will work with the University of South Australia and CSIRO to help conduct the survey.

Read more media releases in our Media.