![Deputy mayor Judy Coates sits outside the Newcastle University Tamworth site, where the research will be undertaken. Picture by Gareth Gardner Deputy mayor Judy Coates sits outside the Newcastle University Tamworth site, where the research will be undertaken. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205515339/542481a6-6ca3-46b1-a2a8-0fc8fefe04fe.jpg/r0_313_6713_4087_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The eating habits of Tamworthians will go under the microscope to help researchers understand the impact food options have on regional and rural Australia.
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The two-year project aims to gain a clear picture of how regional communities purchase and eat food, looking at behavioural influences that impact their food decisions, including education, availability, and socio-economics.
The $757,310.20 research project will be completed in partnership between Deakin University, the Primary Healthcare Network, the University of Newcastle, and Tamworth Regional Council (TRC).
The project has been funded from a $9.6 million Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), led by researcher Dr Cindy Needham.
TRC deputy mayor Judy Coates said the data collected would help inform the council on how the community could access healthier food options.
"It is part of that big picture to get people eating more healthy choices," she said.
"At the moment, with council, if an application to put up a fast food store comes in and it is within the guidelines, we have to approve it.
"The data is about informing the council about how those choices are made, so if there is an opportunity to change our decision-making process in the future, it will assist us in doing that."
The small villages of Manilla and Barraba will be the project focal points for the Tamworth LGA.
"They have a reasonable population, but they are smaller communities, and their access to healthier food options is restricted," Cr Coates said.
"Their access to fast food options is a lot more limited to the local cafe and the supermarket. But because they are smaller and their socio-economics are why those two areas were chosen," Cr Coates said.
Colac Otway Shire, based in regional Victoria, has also been selected for the research project.
'Most Obese City in Australia'
In 2020, Tamworth was crowned the most obese city in Australia, and the reputation has continued to stick.
Currently, there are four McDonald's, two KFC's, a Hungry Jacks, and many more fast food options located in the Tamworth LGA.
Data from NSWHealth reveals, since 2011, cardiovascular and diabetic hospitalisations and deaths connected to obesity in Tamworth have been on the rise.
The biggest spike in hospitalisations was between 2016 and 2017, with the numbers decreasing between 2019-2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Hunter New England Central Coast PHN Rural Health Access Manager, Annabelle Williams, said compared to the metro areas, Australians living in rural and remote areas face higher rates of diet-related disease and shorter lifespans.
"Poor diets significantly contribute to this health inequality, highlighting the serious priority to improve the diet of those living in rural and remote regions," she said.
"The research will provide a solution-focused approach to understanding factors that influence the dietary risks of Australians living in rural and remote areas.
"The research will provide the PHN and our stakeholders with a tangible way to address these disparities."
Next steps
Cr Coates said the research project would provide valuable information to the council about how it can make the best choices for the community.
The research will be conducted through an online platform instead of face-to-face consultation.
"Part of the initial stage of the research project is identifying and setting up that background information and finding people to support the tech and community sides."
More information about the project will be released in the coming months, Cr Coates said.
"I think it is really exciting, particularly as a council, as we do have a focus on advocating for health," she said.
"I think it will assist us in decision making and how we can help our communities lives in the future."