Good News

Hirabondhu Sarma gave his PhD exit seminar on October 24^th, 2019: Implementation Science in Nutrition: the experiences of evaluating a home-fortification programme in Bangladesh, Bob Douglas Lecture Theatre, ANU.

Cathy Banwell and Liana Leach have both competed teaching/convening Semester 2 courses on Qualitative Research Analysis and the Social Determinants of Health.

New grants/funding

Farrer, L. Gulliver, A. Calear, A. Leach, L. Hasking P. Batterham, P. Randomised controlled trial of a transdiagnostic online program to reduce the symptoms of mental illness in Australian tertiary students. Australian Rotary Health. $221,091

Christine Heyes LaBond submitted an application for the Excellence in Population Health Research Award, October 11^th, 2019.

Conference presentations

Christine LaBond presented “In The Driver’s Seat: the role of organisational culture in supporting older workers’ health needs” at the International Association of Research Universities Symposium, October 30, 2019, ANU.

Tinh Doan presented “Poor health locked out – rising health and economic inequality in the mature aged population in Australia” at the International Association of Research Universities Symposium, October 30, 2019, ANU.

Outreach and engagement

Julie Smith - Met with federal MP Andrew Leigh re the maternal incarceration and breastfeeding article in the Conversation and National Breastfeeding Strategy

1. Smith JP ‘Making the National Breastfeeding Strategy more than a motherhood statement, Essence, forthcoming December 2019
2. Liana Leach has been working with and advising APLEN (Australian Parental Leave Equality Network) on a report they will release in early November about work-family balance and health.
3. Liana Leach has been invited to Finland in March next year to connect with researchers she is working with on an international study about co-parenting and give invited lectures on the transition to parenthood and mental health. Liana will be away from mid-March to the end of April.

   Other news

   Julie Smith has recently reviewed the following manuscripts:

   British Medical Journal Opem

1. "Breast feeding and the environment 2019

Journal of Human Lactation (IF = 2.233, ERA?)  

1. Breastfeeding and Climate Change: Overlapping Vulnerabilities and Integrating Responses 2019
2. Disparities in Donor Human Milk Supplementation among Well Newborns: A Cautionary Tale 2019 

E Journal of Clinical Medicine

1. The Carbon Footprint of Baby Formula in North America July 2019

Economic and Labour Relations Review

1. Wellbeing Economics in Public Policy: A Distinctive Australasian Contribution 2019

Papers accepted/published:

1. Smith, JP. (2020). Review: Governments push formula, by George Kent, Journal of Human Lactation, forthcoming, accepted 9 October. This is a review to be published in a Q2 medical (obstetrics and gynecology) journal of a book written by a global leader in the area of human rights to food, and a research colleague of mine, George Kent. Kent is Professor Emeritus with the University of Hawai’I, teaches at University of Sydney, and works as a political scientist on human rights and related issues, with a special focus on nutrition and children. His book documents including 3 country case studies how governments may breach children’s human rights by programs providing free formula rather than investing in adequate breastfeeding support programs.
2. Hocking, J, Hull, N & Smith, J.P., ABSTRACT ‘Creating change for breastfeeding: The World Breastfeeding Trend Initiative, Women and Birth, 32, 2019. This is a presentation abstract in a Q1 (Maternity and Midwifery) journal, with colleagues from the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) Australia organisation, of which I was a co-founder in September 2017. WBTi brought together academics, health professionals and breastfeeding and public health advocates to conduct an assessment of Australian breastfeeding policy using the global WBTi tool. Our report and score card were subsequently included in the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy published by the federal Department of Health in August 2019. The presentation focusses on how the work of midwives is related to the WBTi process and how they can participate in changing the landscape for breastfeeding women and families in Australia.
3. Smith, JP  ABSTRACT ‘Making mothers milk count’: economic approaches to costs and benefits of breastfeeding, Journal of Human Lactation, 35(3), S1-S48, 2019. This is a presentation abstract in a Q2 (Obstetrics and Gynecology) journal, from the 2019 Breastfeeding and Feminism Conference in North Carolina, USA. It aimed to illustrate the usefulness of feminist economic approaches to measuring the costs and benefits of breastfeeding, by raising its visibility. It presented various estimates of the economic impact of breastfeeding on women and families, the health system, the economy, and industry, and outlined implications for policy and budget priority setting.
4. Hull, N., Smith, JP ABSTRACT ‘Using a gender analysis of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative to prioritize advocacy work: The case of Australia, Journal of Human Lactation, 35(3), S1-S48, 2019. . This is a presentation abstract in a Q2 (Obstetrics and Gynecology) journal, with colleagues from WBTI (see above), , from the 2019 Breastfeeding and Feminism Conference in North Carolina, USA. It describes how the WBTiAus team prepared its Australian breastfeeding policy assessment and country score card, including preparing the first country report which explicitly applies a gender analysis to each indicator in the report. It summarises key recommendations and describes how the report was used to engage with key Australian policymakers, parliamentarians and health professional organisations, to shift the conversation on breastfeeding to more of a ‘determinants’ framework.
5. Dadhich, JP, Smith, JP, Iellamo A, Suleiman A, ABSTRACT ‘Climate change impacts of the infant nutrition transition: Estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from milk formula production’, Journal of Human Lactation, 35(3), S1-S48, 2019. This is a poster abstract in a Q2 (Obstetrics and Gynecology) journal, from the 2019 Breastfeeding and Feminism Conference in North Carolina, USA. It presents a study with colleagues from international NGOs (IBFAN and SCF) which used life cycle analysis to make the first estimate of the greenhouse gas emissions of milk formula products for six Asia Pacific countries. It found that for every 1 kg of milk formula produced, an additional 4-5 CO2 equivalent GHG are emitted, mostly attributable to sales in China, with most emissions being from toddler formula which WHO has stated is an unnecessary food product for infants and young children.

   Progress on research projects

   Julie Smith – on as presenter, author or co-author on several abstracts accepted at World Public Health Nutrition Congress, 2020.

• Smith JP, Gupta A, Dadhich JP, Baby milk sales in India and China: A food policy comparison, World Public Health Nutrition Conference, Brisbane, Australia, April 2020, poster
• Smith JP, Walters D, et al Breastfeeding economics – using knowledge on costs, benefits and incentives for policy change. World Public Health Nutrition Conference, Brisbane, Australia, April 2020 in 5D - Political economy of food systems and dietary change, Thursday, Apr 2, 2020, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM rapid fire
• Smith JP ‘Lost milk' - food production losses due to suboptimal breastfeeding practices, World Public Health Nutrition Conference, Brisbane, Australia, April 2020 in 3D - Strengthened governance and accountability for nutrition, Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM, rapid fire
• Smith JP and Holla R, Reconsidering regulatory approaches to global trade in baby milk, World Public Health Nutrition Conference, Brisbane, Australia, April 2020 in 3C - Nutrition in international trade and investment Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM rapid fire
• Smith JP and Forrester R, Who pays the time costs for the health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding? World Public Health Nutrition Conference, Brisbane, Australia, April 2020 5D - Political economy of food systems and dietary change, Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM rapid fire
• Smith JP and Iellamo A, Infant and young child feeding in emergencies - Milk Sharing and Wetnursing, World Public Health Nutrition Conference, Brisbane, Australia, April 2020 5B - Resilient food systems for Infant and early childhood nutrition Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM, rapid fire
• Salmon L, Smith JP, Friel S, Resilient food systems for infants; policy for breastmilk sharing in Australia, Achieving sustainable healthy diets. Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM, rapid fire