Sacks Gary, Chan Jasmine, Mann Davina, Dickie Sarah, Gaucher-Holm Alexa, Naughton Shaan, Ruffini Oriana, Robinson Ella
Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
BMC Nutr. 2025 Feb 11;11(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s40795-025-01029-x.
Food environments on university campuses have an important influence on the diets of staff and students. This study aimed to assess the healthiness, equitability and environmental sustainability of Australian university food environments, and identify priority recommendations for policy and practice.
We applied the previously developed 'Uni-Food' tool in nine universities (17 campuses, 165 food retail outlets) in Australia between 2021 and 2022. Data on three components: (1) 'university systems and governance'; (2) 'campus facilities and environment'; and (3) 'food retail outlets' were collected from desk-based policy audits and in-person campus audits. Universities were given an overall score from 0-100, based on their performance across all components.
University scores ranged from 27/100 to 66/100 (median = 46). Universities scored highest in the 'campus facilities and environment' component, reflecting that the broad campus environment (including areas such as catering, advertising on campus, and food-related environmental sustainability initiatives) has been an area of focus. Universities scored lowest in the 'university systems and governance' component, reflecting a relative lack of policy action, funding and governance in this area, with few initiatives to promote the availability and affordability of healthy and environmentally sustainable foods.
Stronger action is needed to improve Australian university food environments, including in food retail outlets, vending, catering and at campus events. Universities can demonstrate leadership by implementing university-wide policies that limit the availability of unhealthy foods and beverages (e.g. sugary drinks) on campus, and setting targets for the proportion of healthy and environmentally sustainable foods procured and sold on campus. Other stakeholders, including governments, can play a role in incentivising universities to adopt recommended actions.
大学校园的食物环境对教职员工和学生的饮食有着重要影响。本研究旨在评估澳大利亚大学校园食物环境的健康程度、公平性和环境可持续性，并确定政策和实践的优先建议。
2021年至2022年期间，我们在澳大利亚的九所大学（17个校区，165个食品零售点）应用了先前开发的“大学食品”工具。从基于桌面的政策审计和现场校园审计中收集了关于三个组成部分的数据：（1）“大学系统与治理”；（2）“校园设施与环境”；（3）“食品零售点”。根据各大学在所有组成部分的表现，给出0至100的综合评分。
大学得分在27/100至66/100之间（中位数 = 46）。大学在“校园设施与环境”组成部分得分最高，这反映出广泛的校园环境（包括餐饮、校园广告以及与食品相关的环境可持续性倡议等领域）一直是重点关注领域。大学在“大学系统与治理”组成部分得分最低，这反映出该领域相对缺乏政策行动、资金和治理，促进健康和环境可持续食品的可及性和可负担性的举措很少。
需要采取更强有力的行动来改善澳大利亚大学校园的食物环境，包括食品零售点、自动售货机、餐饮服务和校园活动等方面。大学可以通过实施全大学范围的政策来发挥领导作用，这些政策限制校园内不健康食品和饮料（如含糖饮料）的供应，并设定校园内采购和销售的健康及环境可持续食品的比例目标。包括政府在内的其他利益相关者可以在激励大学采取建议行动方面发挥作用。
