From Discovery to Impact

20142018

Health

Innovative approaches to address primary prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases.

Maintaining the health and wellbeing of young people is of paramount importance to a society’s sustainable growth and advancement. The great challenge facing both countries will be preventing illness, disability and premature death from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The World Health Organisation estimates such diseases are responsible for 71 per cent of worldwide deaths each year, and has declared them the second greatest threat to global health, behind only pollution and climate change.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Identifying barriers to fresh nutritious food among young people, their need for spaces to be physically active, as well as the increasing pressures that negatively impact their mental wellbeing.
The pilot implementation of healthy lifestyle trainin (around diet, exercise and the dangers of smoking within two existing Indonesian school health programs.
Evaluation of the advertising tactics of Big Formula showed Indonesian and Australian mothers and health professionals were influenced away from exclusive breastfeeding towards purchasing their less-healthy products.
Geospatial mapping demonstrated the saturation of Big Tobacco advertising targeting children and adolescents around schools (places that are intended to be healthy and safe spaces for children and young people).
In October 2017, the Indonesian delegates to the International Association for Adolescent Health Congress committed to form a national adolescent health association. This has led to the establishment of the Indonesian Association for Adolescent Health (AKAR), a resource for influencing Indonesian policy agendas, research, education and training, and clinical practice.
Raising awareness to the ‘double burden’ of nutrition in children and adolescents, with the need to reduce stunting and obesity.
Supporting the development of empowered, bilateral collaborative research partnerships.
Providing opportunities for experiencing research engagement, consultation and learning practices through divergent thinking, appreciative inquiry and participant ownership.