The Built and natural environments for healthy living group focuses on understanding how the built and natural environments in which people live, work, learn and play can be designed to support opportunities for physical activity via incidental activity, active play, active transport, sport and recreational physical activity, as well as healthy eating.

Elements of the built and natural environment we focus on include urban design and accessibility, streetscapes, park design, school environments, play spaces and community food environments.

This group covers:

  • Understanding how neighbourhood attributes and urban design influence active transport and physical activity across the lifespan
  • Investigating the role of parks and greenspace in supporting healthy active living
  • Exploring school and play space design to optimise physical activity and wellbeing
  • Understanding how we can best empower and support communities to design and implement actions to promote healthy eating and physical activity
  • Determining the role of the environment on individual food and beverage behaviours
  • Evaluating the impact of environmental modifications on active living and healthy eating.

Group leader

Deakin Distinguished Professor Anna Timperio Director, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition
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Group members

Deakin Distinguished Professor Jo Salmon Deakin Distinguished Professor
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Professor Lisa Barnett Professor
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Professor Jenny Veitch Professor
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Associate Professor Kristy Bolton Senior Lecturer Nutrition Sciences
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Associate Professor Shannon Sahlqvist Associate Professor
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Dr Jill Hnatiuk Senior Lecturer in Physical Activity and Health
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Dr Alethea Jerebine Executive Dean of Health Research Postdoctoral Research Fellow
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Dr Anne Turner Senior Lecturer
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