Search Results (328)

The effective adoption of quality assurance and traceability systems is increasingly recognised as a critical enabler of circular economy (CE) outcomes in the plastics sector. This study examines the factors that influence the implementation of such systems within Australia’s recycled plastics industry, with a focus on how these factors vary by company size, supply chain role, and adoption of CE strategy. Recycled plastics are defined here as post-consumer or post-industrial polymers that have been reprocessed for reintegration into manufacturing applications. A mixed-methods survey was conducted with 65 stakeholders across the Australian plastics value chain, comprising recyclers, compounders, converters, and end-users. Respondents assessed a structured set of regulatory, technical, economic, and systemic factors, identifying whether each currently operates as an enabler or barrier in their organisational context. The analysis employed a comparative framework adapted from a 2022 European study, enabling a cross-regional interpretation of patterns and a comparison between CE-aligned and non-CE firms. The results show that firms with CE strategies report greater alignment with innovation-oriented enablers such as digital traceability, standardisation, and closed-loop models. However, these firms also express heightened sensitivity to systemic weaknesses, particularly in areas such as infrastructure limitations, inconsistent material quality, and data fragmentation. Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) highlighted compliance costs and operational uncertainty as primary barriers, while larger firms frequently cited frustration with regulatory inconsistency and infrastructure underperformance. These findings underscore the need for differentiated policy mechanisms that account for sectoral and organisational disparities in capacity, scale, and readiness for traceability. The study also cautions against the direct transfer of European circular economy models into the Australian context without consideration of local structural, regulatory, and geographic complexities. Full article

This study aims to determine the association between vegetable and fruit consumption and other lifestyle factors and the prevalence of psychological distress. Sex differences in these relationships are also examined. Data from 45,717 participants aged 18 and older, obtained via the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey (years 2011–12, 2014–15, and 2017–18), were analysed using logistic regression with jackknife parameter estimation. Vegetable consumption was inversely related to psychological distress. Eating two servings of fruit per day was associated with lower distress, but additional servings did not have the same effect. When stratified by sex, only women benefited from fruit consumption. When accounting for long-term health conditions, the sex difference in distress was ameliorated. Older age, higher exercise levels, and not smoking were significantly associated with lower distress. Frequency of alcohol consumption was inversely associated with distress. Lower-income groups consumed greater quantities of fruits and vegetables than higher-income individuals. Vegetable consumption appears to be more strongly associated with mental health than fruit consumption. Chronic disease symptom management may be one way of addressing sex differences with regard to distress levels. The differential impact of dietary components on men and women requires further investigation to determine if the effects are due to a true biological difference or unidentified confounders. Full article

Accurate electricity wholesale price (EWP) forecasting is crucial for advancing sustainability in the energy sector, as it supports more efficient utilization and integration of renewable energy by informing when and how it should be consumed, dispatched, curtailed, or stored. However, high fluctuations in EWP, often resulting from demand–supply imbalances typically caused by sudden surges in electricity usage and the intermittency of renewable energy generation, and unforeseen external events, pose a challenge for accurate forecasting. Incorporating local temporal information (LTI) in time series, such as hourly price changes, is essential for accurate EWP forecasting, as it helps detect rapid market shifts. However, existing methods remain limited in capturing LTI, either relying on point-wise input sequences or, for fixed-length, non-overlapping segmentation methods, failing to effectively model dependencies within and across segments. This paper proposes the Local-Temporal Convolutional Transformer (LT-Conformer) model for day-ahead EWP forecasting, which addresses the challenge of capturing fine-grained LTI using Local-Temporal 1D Convolution and incorporates two attention modules to capture global temporal dependencies (e.g., daily price trends) and cross-feature dependencies (e.g., solar output influencing price). An initial evaluation in the Australian market demonstrates that LT-Conformer outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods and exhibits adaptability in forecasting EWP under volatile market conditions. Full article

With expanding urban sprawl and the characterization of Australian housing as little more than glorified tents, there is a clear need for expert-informed tools—such as the Green Building Council of Australia’s Communities ratings. But what lessons can be learned from the ratings of recent housing developments? A review of existing cases and supporting materials found low rates of engagement for some criteria and few projects meeting the criteria, with the most direct links being with sustainability. The patterns of scores obtained and criteria addressed appear to reflect many developers placing emphasis on compliance with the minimum standards rather than best practice in sustainability. Notable areas with poor performance include greenhouse gas mitigation strategies, the use of environmentally friendly materials and the sustainability of buildings. Strong, comprehensive education campaigns regarding up-front costs relative to long-term benefits, perhaps more heavily focused on end consumers, may help address some of the hesitancy developers have in engaging with key criteria. However, current rating frameworks fail to account for the pressing need for infill development to address the ‘missing middle’. Perhaps an evolution is needed in sustainability-oriented ratings, such as a mandatory sustainability assessment, that would crystallize the green premium of sustainable housing, thereby harnessing the demand from consumers’ for better quality. Full article

With the rise of omnichannel (OC) retailing in food e-retail, understanding how OC retailing and product quality attributes influence consumer purchasing behaviour and value perceptions is crucial for developing e-retail strategies and enhancing consumer services. This study examined their impacts on Chinese consumers’ purchases of Australian beef (brisket) through a discrete choice experiment in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen and analysed 872 valid responses using multinomial logit, random parameter logit, and latent class models. Our findings reveal that Chinese consumers prefer buying Australian brisket via OC apps and offline stores, paying approx. 44% and 134% more per 500 g, respectively, compared to self-operated e-commerce stores. Brand, manufacturer and origin traceability are key quality attributes, with additional paid for brisket manufactured and packaged in Australia (under Australian brands) and featuring the MLA “True Aussie Beef” label over QR codes. This study also identified four distinct consumer clusters: (i) premium shoppers, (ii) channel and traceability-oriented shoppers, (iii) omnichannel and price-oriented shoppers and (iv) tech-savvy and discerning shoppers, highlighting varying sensitivities to e-retail channels and product attributes. These findings offer strategic and actionable insights for Australian beef exporters and OC retailers seeking to optimise consumer engagement and value creation in China’s evolving e-retail landscape. Full article

Background/Objectives: Evidence suggests that plant-based dietary patterns are beneficial for cardiometabolic health. However, it is unclear whether the quality of plant-based dietary patterns is differentially associated with cardiometabolic health. This study aimed to examine the association between three plant-based diet quality indices and cardiometabolic health among Australian adults. Methods: Data on 4877 adults (mean 45.1 years) from the cross-sectional Australian Health Survey 2011–2013 were used. Three plant-based diet quality indices (overall, healthful, and unhealthful) were derived from two 24 h dietary recalls. Anthropometric measures and blood pressure were assessed by trained interviewers. High-risk waist circumference was classified as ≥80 cm in females and ≥80 cm in males. Hypertension was defined as >140/90 mmHg. Fasting blood samples were used to estimate lipid profiles and diabetes status (based on plasma glucose or HbA1c). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association between plant-based diet indices and cardiometabolic markers. Results: The healthy plant-based diet index was associated with lower odds of a high-risk waist circumference (OR 0.98; 95%CI 0.96–0.99), and the unhealthy plant-based diet index was associated with increased odds of having hypertension (OR 1.02; 95%CI 1.00–1.04). No other significant associations were identified between the plant-based diet quality indices and cardiometabolic outcomes. Conclusions: There was some evidence that the quality of plant-based dietary patterns was differentially associated with cardiometabolic health, with healthier plant-based dietary patterns associated with lower odds of a high-risk waist circumference, and less healthy plant-based dietary patterns associated with increased odds of hypertension. These findings support the consideration of the quality of plant foods consumed, and the need for targeted advice for optimising cardiometabolic health among adults. Full article

Background: Dietary intake during the first year of life is a key determinant of a child’s growth and development. ORIGINS is a longitudinal birth cohort study investigating factors that contribute to a ‘healthy start to life’ and the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study aims to describe the dietary intakes of one-year-old children participating in ORIGINS and compare these to the Australian Dietary Guidelines and Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs). Between 2020 and 2023, dietary intake data were collected on 779 one-year-old children using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The analysis explored milk intake (breastmilk, infant formula, and cow’s milk), the introduction to solids, macronutrient, micronutrient, and food group intakes. Results: The results indicated that 41.5% were still being breastfed at one year of age, while 58.0% continued to receive formula milk. While the cohort met NRV cut-offs for most micronutrients, iodine intake fell below requirements, and sodium intake exceeded recommendations. Diet quality, based on the food group intake, did not meet recommendations, with children over-consuming fruit and discretionary foods, while under-consuming vegetables and cereals and grains foods. Conclusions: These findings highlight areas for improvement in the dietary intake of one-year-old children. Full article

Australia, which has one of the world’s highest per capita meat consumption rates, is hesitant toward adopting alternative proteins. This study examines consumer perceptions of protein alternatives and their perceived safety, nutritional value, health risks, cost and willingness to incorporate them into their diets. Using a mixed-methods approach, a survey of 520 Australians aged 18 to 64 revealed that while alternative proteins are viewed as occasional dietary options, younger consumers—despite their tendency to favour traditional food choices—show interest in plant-based milk and algae-based products. However, across all generations, interest in regular consumption of plant-based meats, insects and cultured meat remains low. These findings highlight evolving attitudes, challenges to market growth, and the importance of fostering greater consumer trust to encourage wider adoption of alternative proteins. Addressing generational differences in adoption and resistance will be essential for expanding market penetration. Full article

Greater engagement with alternative food supply chains is considered a key factor in reducing a range of environmental and social harms associated with the global agri-food system. However, consumer engagement with these supply chains is low, and little research has investigated this issue in the Australian context. This study aimed to identify Australian consumers’ drivers and barriers in procuring food grown locally from alternative grocery retailers. Self-reported primary or co-equal grocery shoppers (n = 325) completed measures of drivers and barriers to shopping for locally produced food (within 200 km) from alternative retailers, as well as current behavioural engagement with such. An exploratory factor analysis revealed four key drivers (Food Shopping as an Expression of Values, Food Shopping as a Socio-Emotional Experience, Avoiding “Unnatural” Food, Protesting the Duopoly) and two key barriers (It’s All Too Hard, Local Food Scepticism). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that together, these drivers and barriers explained a significant 9% of the variance in the frequency of alternate shopping practices, of which only the barrier It’s All Too Hard accounted for a significant amount of unique variance. Findings point to ways to encourage engagement with sustainable food systems, as well as critical barriers to overcoming disengagement. Full article

Background/Objectives: Convenience cooking foods have gained popularity as they reduce the time and effort spent on preparation. These types of products are often deemed unhealthy and low in nutrients. However, if these products had an adequate serving and variety of vegetables and healthful sources of protein, they could be a good time-efficient and cost-effective alternative. However, there is no established evidence on health professionals’ opinions and ideas about convenience cooking products, nor is their information whether if they consume them or recommend them to their patients/clients, or whether they could provide a solution when patients are confronted with decision fatigue. The objective of the present study is to define the opinions that health professionals have regarding convenience cooking products and their healthfulness, if they use these products themselves, if they recommend these products to clients, and their ideas regarding decision fatigue and the use of convenience cooking products. Methods: A cross-sectional survey analysed the opinions of 143 Australian health professional participants, including dietitians, nutritionists, and doctors on their use of the products, if they recommend them to their clients, their health opinions of the products and decision fatigue. Results: The findings indicate that 74.8% of the participants use convenience products. The participant’s professions (p = 0.0014) and their personal usage of the products (p = 0.0154) significantly correlated with their recommending these products. Additionally, 86.7% of participants believed that decision fatigue impacts food choices. Conclusion: These insights highlight the complex role of convenience cooking products in dietary practices, particularly for time-poor individuals, and provide insight into the potential for future improvements in the nutritional formulations of these products to enhance their acceptability among health professionals. Full article

Background/Objectives: International guidelines recommend that all children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) receive education on the glycaemic impact of fat and protein from diagnosis. In addition, the insulin strategy should be adjusted to compensate for fat and protein excursions. Data from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) can guide insulin adjustment. This study sought to determine whether the current practices of dietitians in Australia and New Zealand align with guidelines. Methods: An anonymous, online survey of paediatric T1D dietitians working in tertiary centres (n = 20; Australia, n = 14, New Zealand, n = 6) was undertaken from February to March 2023. The Australian and New Zealand Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (ANZSPED) disseminated the survey link. The questionnaire covered three content domains: demographic information about the clinic and practitioner, the health professionals’ education practices regarding fat and protein, and the use of CGM. Results: This pilot study had a 100% response rate, with a dietitian representative from all eligible centres responding on behalf of the diabetes team. Only 10% (n = 2) of respondents both (i) provided education on the glycaemic impact of fat and protein to all families at diagnosis and (ii) always provided insulin strategies to manage fat and protein where it impacted glycemia, as per guidelines. Barriers to education included a lack of procedure (47%, n = 7), consumer resources (40%, n = 6), and time (33%, n = 5). Reasons for not recommending strategies to manage fat and protein were perceptions that the family was overwhelmed (100%, n = 10) or not interested (60%, n = 6), and uncertainty of the best strategy (40%, n = 4). CGM was used by “almost all” respondents to educate and adjust the insulin strategy (90%, n = 18). Conclusions: Most dietitians surveyed were not consistently providing fat and protein education and management strategies to children with T1D in line with guidelines. CGM is a key tool routinely used by dietitians in nutrition education to help guide insulin adjustment. Dietitians need greater support through educational resources for families and training in evidence-based strategies to manage deglycation from dietary fat and protein to align with guidelines. Full article

Insect-based dog food is increasingly becoming available in pet food markets, potentially offering environmental and nutritional benefits, depending on insect species and how they are reared, processed, and utilized. However, there is limited understanding of dog owners’ attitudes towards the use of insects as protein alternatives for dogs. An online survey was conducted to explore Australian dog owners’ (n = 201) attitudes towards insect-based pet food, segmenting participants according to their food neophobia, previous insect consumption, and dog-human relationship. Participants’ dog food purchases were highly influenced by perceived health/nutrition, palatability, and product quality, with these factors being of most importance to ‘dog people’ (i.e., participants with closer relationships with their dogs). Participants were reasonably accepting of insect-based pet food made from mealworms and crickets and slightly accepting of products made from black soldier fly larvae. In contrast, participants’ responses to plant-based pet foods were neutral. Food neophiles, and to a lesser extent, insect-eating consumers (i.e., those who had previously eaten insects), were found to be more willing to feed their dogs insects in comparison to non-neophiles and non-insect-eating consumers. Overall, Australian dog owners appear to be supportive of feeding their dogs diets supplemented with insect protein. Insights from this study will help inform the development and marketing of insect-based pet foods. Full article

Perinatal depression is highly prevalent, yet there is a very low rate of treatment uptake and help-seeking. The MumSpace Initiative was funded by the Australian government to invest in digital stepped-care treatments and support for perinatal depression, to improve mental health outcomes and national access. This paper describes the reach of the MumSpace initiative as a one-stop shop offering perinatal depression treatments with a solid evidence base (MumMoodBooster programmes), supported by a prevention programme addressing modifiable risk factors through a smartphone application (MindMum) as well as evidence-based universal prevention programmes. We have brought together multi-skilled teams and a Perinatal Depression Consortium to deliver the programmes and address changing technology. The effectiveness of MumSpace was evaluated through systematic monitoring of consumer reach: data analysis of website traffic and resource uptake. MumSpace has successfully sustained engagement, attracting over 275,000 visits since its launch in 2017, with the number of visitors to the website increasing year on year. The central treatment tools, MumMoodBooster and Mum2BMoodBooster, have reached over 10,000 Australian women, largely through self-referral. Despite the development of a portal for direct clinician referral and monitoring, continuing challenges for implementation involve integrating digital treatments into traditional services and recruiting professionals to directly engage mothers. Full article

Introduction: Resource trade-offs are a universal feature of decision-making in healthcare. Public funding for home care is an example of a complex resource allocation decision, requiring balance between the needs of the individual and the capacity of the welfare system to meet those needs across the population. Under consumer-directed care policies, responsibility for resource allocation decisions rests with the care recipient, but there is no existing measure of allocative efficiency resulting from these consumer-led decisions. Our research considers resource allocation decisions by home care package recipients under consumer-directed care and evaluates the consistency of consumer-directed resource allocation with medically identified recommendations. Method: Retrospective cohort analysis of twenty home care package resource allocations made by home care package recipients in South-East Queensland, compared to associated medically identified needs and discussions with a potential service provider. Findings: Resource allocation decisions in the Australian home care setting are complex, multi-faceted, and made in highly uncertain environments. There are significant differences between services and equipment recommendations made by assessment teams, service providers, and home care recipient choices. Discussion: Awareness of the decision-making process and resulting decisions provides a foundation for future research to simplify decision-making for home care package recipients without sacrificing autonomy, leading to improved resource allocation efficiency and home care program outcomes. Conclusion: Consumer-directed care is a globally popular policy position to allocate public funds related to health care needs, despite uncertainty around the impact of this policy on program outcomes. Our analysis suggests further understanding of factors influencing resource allocation decisions is needed to define appropriate supports for effective decision-making in home care resource allocation, and further research effort is required to determine efficient resource allocation to inform policy changes, irrespective of the decision-maker. Full article

With an avalanche of market manipulations and unethical tactics in the Australian financial industry, the empowerment levels of female Australian consumers when making financial investment decisions are highly questionable. Through the theoretical lens of a utilitarian perspective, financial investment decisions are often built on the pillars of trust, security, and assurance, which allow consumers to make decisions rationally and gain empowerment when making these decisions. However, due to the widespread manipulations prevailing in Australian financial markets, the role of rationality and its influence on consumer empowerment remain understudied. Based on this context, this paper uncovers the association between how each stage of rational decision-making (RDM) (i.e., demand identification, information search, and the evaluation of alternatives) influences the consumer power (i.e., consumer resistance and consumer influence) of female Australian consumers when making financial investment decisions. In doing so, this study employs a quantitative approach, whereby the proposed conceptual framework is tested among 357 female Australian consumers to understand their decision-making power in the presence of heightened situations of market manipulation in the financial industry. The results show that information search has a significant positive relationship with consumer influence and consumer resistance when making financial investment decisions. Additionally, the findings suggest that female Australian consumers should not only rely on individual-based sources of power but also have exposure to network-based sources of power to gain empowerment when making financial investment decisions. Lastly, it is suggested that government bodies, financial institutions, and regulatory authorities should not only implement financial literacy programs but also promote gender diversity across organisations to encourage women’s empowerment (i.e., Goal 5 (SDGs)—Achieve Gender Equality and Empower all Women and Girls). Full article