Windermere grants target rural and regional nutrition

Three Deakin projects have recently been awarded Special Grants from the Windermere Foundation. Valued at around $15,000 each, the Special Grants were awarded to staff from the Deakin Population Health Strategic Research Centre.

The research and development grants target projects that focus on the nutritional status of rural and regional Victorians, with priority given to early/mid-career health professionals working in Victoria.

Dr Erin Smith received the grant for her project on “Engaging rural and regional community-based obesity prevention initiatives in Victoria”. Dr Kristy Bolton gained the grant for her project “What is the relationship between diet quality and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in rural, Victorian adolescents (12-18 year olds)?” The third grant was awarded to Professor Steve Allender and Ms Jennifer Marks for their project on “Friends and health behaviour over the primary to secondary school transition in rural and regional Victoria.”

The Windermere Foundation is a company, limited by guarantee, that seeks to support research and development projects that relate to contemporary issues affecting the health and wellbeing of Victorians. Through such support, it also aims to support the development of future health care leaders in Victoria.

The Special Grants program, for which six grants were made in total, aims to address the nutritional status of rural and regional Victorians, especially where this relates to eating disorders or childhood obesity. Particular preference was given to proposals that demonstrated rural or regional engagement with metropolitan services through innovative technologies.