Research Tuesdays - Food system failure

Australia’s health isn’t just driven by hospitals; it’s driven by supermarkets, kitchens, and policy rooms.

Chronic disease is on the rise. Good health is unevenly distributed. And the food system—what we grow, sell, market and consume—is a powerful driver behind both. In Australia, too many people face barriers to healthy eating, from low incomes and insecure housing to long work hours and limited access to nutritious options. These factors are exacerbated by a market saturated with ultra-processed foods, promoted by global corporations.

It’s a system that’s failing both people and the planet.

At the University of Adelaide, researchers are investigating the social and commercial forces shaping our food environments. By connecting the dots between food, inequality, and environmental harm, this research is driving change toward a more equitable, sustainable, and nourishing future.

Join us in June to explore how transforming the food system can transform lives.

The presenter

Professor Fran Baum AO is a public health social scientist with a special interest in advocating for healthy, equitable and sustainable societies. She is Director, Stretton Health Equity at the University of Adelaide's Stretton Institute, an NHMRC Investigator Leadership Fellow, and also a Fellow of ASSA, the AAHMS and the AHPA. She has received many recognitions, such as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her public health service, and has served on many boards and in many industry networks, such as the PHM Advisory Council, PHAA, the Global Steering Council of the People’s Health Movement, and the BMJ International Advisory Board.