Celebrating a decade of research
This year marks 10 years since Deakin’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition was established with a clear vision: to improve health outcomes through quality research.
A decade on, our work continues to shape healthier lives and build a more vibrant society.
Our membership has grown, more than doubling from 56 to 131 researchers, and so has our impact.
Working alongside our colleagues and collaborators, we’ve made great progress in active living, sport, food and nutrition research. Together, we’ve influenced policy and practice, pioneered new evidence-backed programs, contributed to guidelines and resources, and built capacity in the field.
We’ve also marked some key academic achievements over the decade, including:
- Ranked as the number one sports science school in the world six times, and number one in Australia every year since the rankings began (together with the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences), according to ShanghaiRankings;
- At least one research member named a highly-cited researcher each year, and our research is consistently recognised as well above world standard;
- External research funding topping $45 million;
- Published more than 3000 peer reviewed journal articles; and
- Overseen more than 130 PhD completions.
Our flagship programs, TransformUs and INFANT, are being rolled out across multiple jurisdictions, delivering health, social, and educational benefits expected to make a lasting impact well into the future.
The Institute has grown to include the Baker-Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes, a collaboration between researchers from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and Deakin, to focus on developing lifestyle solutions for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.
In 2024, Deakin’s Centre for Sport Research became part of the Institute, further strengthening opportunities to increase the university’s impact in sport research.
And we are just getting started. With hundreds of projects in the pipeline from developing innovative digital health interventions; to exploring healthy and sustainable food systems; or using exercise and nutrition approaches for the prevention and management of chronic disease – we are excited to see what the next decade holds.
Find out more about our Institute here and follow us on LinkedIn as we mark our significant events, share our impact, and recognise the contribution of our researchers, partners and supporters over the past 10 years.
