Rural nutrition and dietetics research : future directions

Aim: The aim of this study was to summarise key evidence from recent Australian rural nutrition research and provide recommendations for future nutrition and dietetics research with rural communities. Context: Clear evidence demonstrates that diet plays a role in the health gap between rural and metropolitan Australia. Despite the opportunity to address the health of rural Australians through better nutrition, alarmingly low investment in nutrition and dietetics research has occurred historically, and over the past decade. Approach: A review of the evidence was undertaken by rural nutrition and dietetics leaders to provide a commentary piece to inform future rural nutrition research efforts. Conclusion: Establishing strong, collaborative place-based nutrition and dietetics research teams are necessary to combat the significant gaps in the scientific knowledge of solutions to improve nutrition in rural Australia. Further, dieticians and nutritionists who live in and understand the rural contexts are yet to be fully harnessed in research, and better engaging with these professionals will have the best chance of successfully addressing the nutrition-related disease disparity between rural and metropolitan Australia.