Depression is a psychological condition characterised by alterations in the mood and behaviour regulation in women experiencing 50% greater burden of depression than men(1). Additionally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women globally while both CVD and depression can predict the incidence of each other reciprocally. Postmenopausal women particularly, during the menopause transition, are at increased risk of developing CVD and depression(2). Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), is a recently developed cardiovascular health assessment index comprising eight health behaviours and factors: dietary quality, physical activity level, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index, blood glucose, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure(3). It may be used to predict the risk of depression prevalence. This study investigated the association between LE8 and depression prevalence among postmenopausal women using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2020 data. The LE8 score was calculated as the average of all eight components categorised into low (0–49), moderate (50–79), or high (80–100) cardiovascular health status(3). Depression severity was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)(4). Complex survey-adjusted regression models were used. A total of 5472 postmenopausal women were included (mean age: 63.0 years), of whom 654 (12%) met the criteria for depression. The LE8 scores (mean ± SD) for those with and without depression were 53.2 ± 14.6 and 64.9 ± 14.7 (p < 0.001), respectively. Higher LE8 scores were significantly associated with lower odds of having depression (odds ratio [OR] per 10-point increase: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.60–0.72, p < 0.001). Moderate and high cardiovascular health statuses were associated with a 54% and 88% lower odds of depression, respectively, compared to the low cardiovascular health status (p < 0.001). Furthermore, both health behaviour and health factor scores were inversely associated with depression (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.73–0.82, and OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.77–0.90, respectively). A graded relationship was also observed across health behaviour and health factor statuses: moderate and high (vs. low) statuses were associated with 54–39% and 73–61% lower odds of depression, respectively (p < 0.001). Dietary quality was inversely associated with the likelihood of having depression (p = 0.02). Women in the 50th–74th percentile of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) score had 49% lower odds of depression (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29–0.91) and those in the ≥ 95th percentile had 77% lower odds of depression (OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.08–0.67) compared with lowest dietary quality group (1st–24th percentile). These findings suggest that the inverse association between total LE8 scores and depression supports the potential utility of integrating LE8 metrics into CVD management strategies to predict and mitigate depression in postmenopausal women.

The new Aged Care Act and Food and Nutrition Standards focus on nutritional needs of residents however, protein and calcium intakes in older adults in aged care remain below recommended levels. Improving protein and calcium intake in residents to recommended levels is associated with reduced falls, fractures, weight loss and malnutrition, with falls and weight loss being performance indicators in aged care. This intervention was undertaken through food service over 2-years with compliance maintained for the entire period indicating a feasible means to reduce adverse health outcomes in residents. To upscale benefits of this dietary improvement, we developed a training program to up skill food service staff to deliver foods in line with intervention. We aimed to determine if food service staff training results in increased protein and calcium intakes in residents. This 12-week cluster randomised trial involved 12 aged care homes; 6 randomised to intervention (staff training) and 6 to control (residents consume from regular menus). Residents consented to food intake (plate waste analysis), nutritional status (mini nutrition assessment tool) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) assessments at baseline and week 12 with medical records reviewed at baseline. Staff were interviewed before and after training and intervention to determine barriers to implementation. Analysis of dietary outcomes was performed using a linear mixed effects model, with home entered as a random intercept, and baseline values entered as covariates. Data was obtained from 78 residents (median age 84.5 years; IQR: 80–89, 85% female, n = 52 intervention). Baseline protein (65 g/day; IQR 53–78, 0.9 g/kg body weight; IQR:0.7–1.1) and calcium (773 mg/day; IQR: 605–982) intakes were below the respective recommended levels of 1 g/kg body weight and 1100 mg/day. Following intervention group differences were observed for daily intakes of protein (16 g/day; 95%CI: −3, 35), calcium (302 mg/day; 95%CI: 117, 486) and dairy servings (0.9 s/day; 95%CI: 0.3, 1.5). Staff provided insights into implementation barriers. Improvements to protein and calcium intakes in residents were observed, that are associated with reduced adverse clinical outcomes. However, operational constraints may impeded intervention efficacy and detection of anti-fracture efficacy limited by the short study duration. A potential solution is mandating food standards in aged care to ensure nutritional adequacy in residents to reduce adverse clinical outcomes such as falls and fractures.

Childhood is a cultural project with shared goals, constant adaptation, and struggle; child well-being requires the engaged participation of a child in the cultural activities deemed desirable in that community. The evidence and conceptual frame of this paper show the remarkable varieties of childhoods and cultural contexts found around the world, which affect attachment and shared intention/coordinated joint engagement theories.

Nutrition science programs in Australian universities often include curriculum components focused on career development, employability skills, and professionalism(1). However, they typically lack clear scope-of-practice guidance, largely due to the absence of formalised tools, such as decision-making frameworks, specifically designed for use in client-facing settings where individuals or groups may seek dietary advice. Decision-making frameworks have the potential to enhance health professionals’ self-confidence, minimise scope creep between professions, and may foster broader public recognition of the evolving healthcare roles and responsibilities of different professions(2,3). Therefore, developing a new decision-making framework specific to nutrition science (or equivalent) qualifications is an important next step. The aim of the present study was to explore practising nutrition professionals’ perspectives towards the scope-of-practice of nutrition science graduates, especially in client-facing roles where dietary advice is commonly sought. This exploratory qualitative study was grounded in interpretivism and drew upon the participants’ unique experiences to allow a meaningful exploration of a topic not examined in-depth previously. Convenience, purposive, and snowball recruitment strategies were used to recruit eligible participants who were aged 18 years or more, had a nutrition qualification from an Australian tertiary institution, and included recent nutrition graduates, nutritionists/nutrition scientists, dietitians, and course convenors of nutrition and/or dietetics programs. Data was audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, de-identified, and analysed using an inductive, reflexive thematic framework. Seventeen Australian-qualified dietitians and nutritionists/nutrition scientists participated in six focus groups and two interviews. Three themes emerged: (i) confusion surrounding the understanding of scope-of-practice, associated with a lack of clarity and definitions regarding qualifications and roles; (ii) consequences for nutrition graduates, including perceptions that dietetics is the only pathway, as well as potential breaches of scope-of-practice especially in client-facing settings; (iii) potential solutions, such as the need for a specific scope-of-practice decision-making framework to help nutritionists in client-facing settings, using design elements found in existing documents, such as flow charts. Confusion about the scope-of-practice in nutrition is expressed by a range of nutrition professionals, stemming from uncertainty about what graduates with non-dietetic qualifications can do in practice. Participants stated the need for greater clarity, including the development of nationally-applicable scope-of-practice guidelines and decision-making frameworks, as well as a role for universities to embed work-integrated-learning opportunities within programs. These initiatives would benefit graduates by enhancing their professional identity, improving the public’s recognition of their qualifications, and have the potential to better guide employers, nutrition educators and peak bodies in their efforts to prepare and support the next generations of nutrition graduates.

Scholarship on fascism during interwar China has hitherto focused on the ‘Blue Shirt Society’ and the ‘CC Clique’, two Guomindang (GMD) right-wing cliques loyal to their patron Chiang Kai-shek. So far the Generalissimo’s own perceptions and agendas with fascism have been shrouded in myth, probably due to his evasive attitude and the availability of sources. Scholars dealing with the topic have also tended to delineate a peculiar variant of ‘Chinese Fascism’ by drawing on various theories of fascism. This article proposes an alternative approach inspired by transnational fascism—rather than seeing it as an analytical tool, it treats fascism as a highly malleable concept. Focusing on Chiang Kai-shek, the article historicizes his evolving engagements (perception, interaction, appropriation, etc.) with the idea during the Nanjing Decade by diving into critical primary sources, in particular the Diplomatic and Historical Archives of Foreign Ministry in Rome (ASDMAE), the Chiang Kai-shek Archives at Academia Historica (Guoshiguan) in Taipei, Chiang’s diary and writings, among others. It shows that rather than a fixed view, Chiang’s engagements with the idea during the period underwent a process of changes as situation and relevance of fascism evolved. It thus intends to contribute to the topic both empirically and methodologically.

Nutrition plays a critical role in athletic performance and recovery, with particular emphasis on adjusting macronutrient intake, especially carbohydrate and protein, to match the increased energy demands of training and competition(1). Athletes may rely on sports nutrition products to meet their increased carbohydrate and protein requirements due to the inherent convenience of these products. This behaviour may displace nutrient-dense whole foods and compromise overall diet quality. Higher-quality diets, rich in a variety of core food groups, are linked to improved health and reduced chronic disease risk(2) and may potentially enhance performance in athletes through better recovery and reduced injury risk. Notably, better diet quality is frequently linked to better nutrition knowledge(3). Despite these potential benefits, diet quality in older athletic populations has been infrequently evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe and assess associations between diet quality and sports nutrition knowledge in masters distance runners (≥ 35 years, ≥ 30 km/week). Dietary intake was captured via 3-day food-records (FoodWorks; Xyris Australia), with diet quality assessed using the Dietary Guideline Index (DGI)(4). Total DGI scores ranged from 0–120, with sub scores for consumption of core (0–70) and non-core foods (0–50). For all scores, a higher score reflects better diet quality. Sports nutrition knowledge was assessed using the Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (A-NSKQ, % correct). Differences in diet quality and nutrition knowledge between sexes were assessed using independent t-tests / Mann-Whitney U-tests as appropriate. Data are reported as mean ± standard deviation or median (interquartile range). Spearman rho (rs) evaluated associations between Total DGI and A-NSKQ scores. Participants were predominantly middle-aged (48.5 ± 8.2 years), of healthy weight (BMI 22.8 ± 2.8 kg/m2), and averaged 46.1 ± 18.2 km of running per week, with a near equal distribution of males and females (54:45). Diet quality scores were low with no difference between sexes for Total DGI (males 55.5 (22.2) vs. females 56.0 (39.1), p = 0.694), core (males 37.8 (14.6) vs. females 38 (16.5), p = 0.684) or non-core (males 10 (10) vs. females 10 (30), p = 0.433) sub-scores. Participants tended to meet recommended serves of grains (50% meeting), but the majority failed to meet recommended serves of vegetables (15%), fruits (25%), protein foods (31%) or dairy and alternatives (19%). Only 28% met recommendations for discretionary foods. Most participants met alcohol guidelines (88%). Sports nutrition knowledge was on average ‘poor’ with females scoring higher than males (55.5 ± 12.2% vs. 45.4 ± 13.5% respectively, p < 0.001). There was no relationship between Total DGI and A-NSKQ scores (rs = 0.160, p = 0.113). These findings emphasise the importance of including diet quality when assessing dietary intake in athletes and suggest that older athletes may benefit from both general and sports-specific nutrition education.

This paper offers the first detailed examination of riverine depositional practice in the Roman Middle Thames, using a comprehensive, multi-period dataset of river finds. The study reveals an abrupt deviation from long-standing martial traditions, replaced largely by low-value coinage and coarse-ware pottery. Comparative analysis of two crossing sites, the urban Kingston bridge and the rural Goring ford, demonstrates that deposition was a highly structured, likely intentional practice. It is argued that this change reflects Imperial influence and ‘soft control’, alongside the conscious adoption of new material proxies to maintain the role of ritual deposition within the new socio-political landscape.

Bard et al. rightly call out Western-centric bias to champion Worldwide, in-Situ, Local and Diverse developmental research. Yet this inclusivity must be grounded in evolutionary theory to model development. Comparative evidence strengthens accounts of shared intentionality and attachment. Integrating within-species variation through WILD with between-species variation engaging evolutionary perspectives will offer more robust explanations of universal and diverse developmental pathways.

Biodesign projects often stall between promising material prototypes—bacterial cellulose textiles, mycelium composites, algae-derived materials—and scalable, economically viable production systems. This gap emerges from fragmented decision-making across material design, cultivation processes, and techno-economic evaluation, since each domain operates with distinct metrics, vocabularies, and decision thresholds—making cross-domain reasoning difficult to formalize and transfer. We present agents.design.bio, a decision-support framework that enables students, designers, educators, and founders to engage interdisciplinary expertise through structured reasoning. The platform offers a unified conversational interface in which users interact with domainspecific agents: Designer (@designer), Farmer (@farmer), and CFO (@cfo). Together, they operate on a shared knowledge base, manufacturing datasets, and techno-economic models. Rather than generating speculative ideas, the agents evaluate user-defined scenarios and highlight trade-offs, sensitivities, and risks—making cross-domain dependencies explicit and testable. The demonstration walks through four phases— material evaluation, process optimization, scale-up stress testing, and trade-off analysis—reframing scale-up as a structured learning process rather than a late-stage financial constraint.

Patient-centred care represents the gold standard in nutrition management, consistently demonstrating superior outcomes across multiple health variables by incorporating patients’ experiences and preferences into treatment decisions(1). While this approach is well-established in clinical practice, translating patient-centred principles to population-level health resources remains challenging. Co-design methodologies offer a framework for developing lifestyle resources in conjunction with those who will benefit from them, ensuring that it meets their needs. As a result, this facilitates better resource implementation through improved resource uptake. This study applies co-design principles to lifestyle resource development, in the context Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) lifestyle management resources. We aimed to demonstrate how co-design methodologies can be applied and implemented to create more patient centred resources through a pragmatic process that can be adopted by other health professionals. We utilised a comprehensive co-design approach involving 11 individuals with PCOS and 20 health professionals. The methodology utilised the LAUNCH (Linking and Amplifying User-Centred Networks through Connected Health) framework incorporating seven key phases: problem identification, contextual discovery, problem defining, solution ideation, prototype refining, implementation and testing(2). Specific techniques included facilitated workshops, design-thinking sessions, prototyping and iterative user testing. Throughout the process, we actively managed power sharing, balancing different perspectives, ensure all opinion and values were equally represented and respected, particularly amplifying the perspectives of those with lived PCOS experience. Across four online workshops, participants engaged in a range of verbal and written activities. A critical barrier to lifestyle management for all was the lack of explanation regarding the rationale behind lifestyle recommendations specific to PCOS pathophysiology. Co-design sessions revealed that participants prioritised visual communication strategies and contextualised explanations that clearly linked lifestyle recommendation to PCOS-specific metabolic and hormonal mechanisms. Those with PCOS had a preference for more in-depth explanations of ‘why’ than health professionals thought was necessary. The iterative design process resulted in resources that emphasised visual elements and provided clear explanations of ‘why’ specific lifestyle modifications are recommended in the context of PCOS management, to the detail level desire by those with PCOS. This research demonstrates the practical application of co-design principles. The methodology successfully allowed participants to share their experience and have equal opportunity to contribute to the resource development. The combination of co-design framework and guiding principles presented provides health professionals with concrete strategies for applying co-design methodologies for resource development across population-level health contexts for the impactful implementation of patient centred care. Co-design methodologies offer a valuable tool for developing lifestyle resource that better align with stakeholder needs and preferences. This PCOS project provides a replicable model and example for nutrition professionals seeking to implement evidence-based co-design approaches in their research or clinical outcomes, potentially improving intervention effectiveness and user engagement across various contexts.

Change is slow and elusive. Well-meaning cross-cultural collaborations still reproduce colonial patterns. For the WILD approach to be transformative, it must move beyond a mindset and toward procedural changes that promote equitable and respectful conditions. The WILD approach must resist creating a false dichotomy with WEIRD and acknowledge that culture is alive and globalized.

Sustainable healthy diets meet nutrient requirements and are environmentally sustainable, and socioeconomically and culturally appropriate(1). The UK Livewell Diet was developed using optimisation modelling to meet national nutritional recommendations, be socially acceptable and minimise environmental impacts related to carbon footprint, land and water use, acidification, eutrophication and biodiversity loss(2). Versions of the Livewell diet have been developed for other countries, but not currently Australia(3). This study aimed to adapt the UK Livewell diet(2) for the Australian context and assess the potential dietary and nutritional implications of adoption by Australian adults. To adapt the UK Livewell diet to Australia, we calculated recommended percentage changes in intake across 29 food groups between the average UK diet (ages 19–64 years) and the Livewell diet. These changes were then applied to the average dietary intake for Australian adults (19–70 years, n = 14,944) from the Australian 2011–2 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey(4). Due to the modelled 18% reduction in total energy intake, compensatory adjustments were made by increasing cereals (+59 g), potatoes (+71 g) and fat/oils (+16 g). This resulted in the Adjusted Australian Livewell Diet (AALD)—estimated energy content 8,456 kJ (5% lower than 2011–2 adult mean). We compared the AALD with the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines recommendations(5) and modelled its likely impact on key nutrient intakes using substitution dietary modelling. Compared with 2011/12 Australian diets, the AALD was substantially lower in animal-source foods—red and processed meat, shellfish and cheese were decreased by 67%, poultry by 61%, eggs by 33% and milk/milk products by 13%. Intakes of other foods were also reduced: milk alternatives (−59%), snacks/desserts (−53%), sugar/confectionery (−47%), and fruit juice and miscellaneous foods (−46%). In contrast, intake of fish increased by 102%, meat alternatives by 114%, cereals/cereal products by 68%, fruit by 48%, potatoes by 59% and other vegetables by 44%. To adopt the AALD, Australian adults would need to increase their daily intake by an average of 0.4 serves of fruit, 1.6 serves of vegetables and 2.2 serves of grains, and reduce their intake of both the meat/alternatives and the dairy/alternatives food groups by 0.3 serves. Replacement of the Australian diet with the AADL would likely increase intakes of dietary fibre (+26%), long chain omega-3 fatty acids (+31%), vitamin A (+14%) and folate (+23%), while reducing intakes of sodium (−15%) and saturated fat (−11%)—changes considered beneficial. However, protein (−18%), riboflavin (−15%), vitamin B12 (−27%), calcium (−11%), phosphorus (−12%) and zinc (−18%) intakes would likely decrease, potentially exacerbating existing inadequacies in Australian adults. Adoption of the AALD may both positively and negatively impact adult nutrient intakes. Further research evaluating potential effects on usual dietary intakes of all population groups and achievement of nutritional recommendations is recommended.

In Australia, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contribute to 42% of total energy intake(1) and have been associated with excessive intakes of nutrients of concern for non-communicable diseases and increased odds of obesity(1,2). Evidence from systematic reviews have shown associations between UPF consumption and the risk of type-2 diabetes(3). Such prospective evidence is lacking in Australia. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the association between UPF consumption and risk of type-2 diabetes in Australian adults. Participants from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS) aged 40–69 years, without diabetes at baseline (1990–1994), and who provided dietary and follow-up data were included. Dietary assessment was conducted at baseline using a 121-item food frequency questionnaire developed for the MCCS, and UPFs were categorised using the Nova system. Incidence of type-2 diabetes was assessed at follow-up 1 (1995–2002; self-report) and follow-up 2 (2003–2007; self-report, elevated plasma glucose (≥ 7.0 mmol/l fasting or ≥ 11.1 mmol/l non-fasting), or medication use). Poisson regression models were used to estimate Incidence Rate Ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of type-2 diabetes per 10% increase and by quartiles of UPF consumption (as a percentage of total energy intake per day), using age as the time metric. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic (i.e., sex, age, marital status, country of birth, number of people occupying the household, education and Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) and behavioural (i.e., smoking, physical activity and alcohol intake) variables. A total of 25,214 participants were included in the analysis (mean ± SD age = 54.3 ± 8.4 years at baseline, 61% female). In average, UPFs contributed to 40.4% of total energy intake, ranging from 25.6% in the first quartile to 55.8% in the fourth quartile. The proportion of males, individuals living in households with ≤ 2 people, those born in Australia, with lower education levels, greater socioeconomic disadvantage, and physically inactive increased with higher UPF consumption. During the follow-up period, 1,734 cases of type-2 diabetes occurred. Each 10% increase in UPF consumption was associated with an estimated 5% increase in risk of type-2 diabetes (IRR 1.05; 95% CI: 1.004–1.09; p-value = 0.031). Participants in the highest quartile of UPF consumption had a 14% higher risk of type-2 diabetes (IRRhigh (quartile 4) vs. low (quartile 1) category = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01–1.34, p-value = 0.037). In this large cohort of Australian adults, higher UPF consumption was associated with an increased risk of type-2 diabetes. Limiting UPF consumption may reduce type-2 diabetes risk. These findings contribute to the body of research on the impacts of UPFs on chronic diseases, supporting recommendations to limit UPF consumption as part of a healthy diet.

Leptin, an appetite-suppressing hormone, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of energy homeostasis(1). Obesity is characterised by elevated circulating leptin levels but paradoxically impaired anorexigenic leptin signalling(2,3). This systematic review aimed to provide comprehensive insights into the association between redox imbalance induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and the neuronal leptin signalling dysfunction. Five electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Emcare and Web of Science) were systematically searched to identify studies reporting the effect of HFD interventions on redox balance in the nervous system, focusing on leptin-driven neural mechanisms of energy homeostasis. Twenty-nine articles were identified for the systematic review, with 14 eligible for meta-analysis. The review demonstrated that HFD interventions led to increased oxidative stress, even after short-term exposure, and/or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in neural tissues. Meta-analysis revealed that HFD significantly increased circulating leptin levels and oxidative damage, as indicated by elevated malondialdehyde (MDA), and impaired antioxidant defences, reflected by decreased glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), compared to controls. In addition, elevated leptin following HFD was associated with upregulation of the negative regulators of leptin signalling, including suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3), protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B), as well as decreased phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), and elevated phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), collectively indicating disrupted leptin signalling pathways. Additionally, HFD-induced peroxisome proliferation in hypothalamic neurons suggest moderate levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may fine-tune leptin sensitivity, while excessive ROS generation contributes to leptin resistance(4,5). These findings highlight the crucial interplay between redox homeostasis and leptin signalling in diet-induced obesity. However, the role of redox imbalance in modulating leptin signalling within the peripheral nervous system remains poorly understood and requires further investigation.

We fully endorse the authors’ aim and conclusions that we must move toward a deeper and more representative developmental science. We disagree with the authors’ interpretation of the evidence to support their claim. We propose a more inclusive approach to science with a focus on development in action.

This study explores the potential of mycelium as a biofabricated coating for textiles through an interdisciplinary collaboration between designers and scientists. The research begins with exploratory biotinkering, investigating mycelium as a textile coating to understand how textile substrates can function as bioreceptive surfaces for living organisms. Building on these initial observations, interdisciplinary collaborations were activated to further refine the experimental process and to test selected properties of the mycelium-based bio-coating, including abrasion resistance and wetting behaviour. The results demonstrate that mycelium can act as a transformative agent as textile coating, influencing both material performance and enabling new aesthetic expressions grounded in biological growth processes, opening

Voters of government parties are systematically more satisfied with democracy than supporters of opposition parties. The dynamics of this winner-loser gap are typically studied in the context of elections. However, it is not clear how changes in government composition that occur without elections midway through an electoral cycle, and that change voters’ winner/loser status, influence satisfaction with democracy. We address this question by examining an unexpected government change in Estonia in 2016, which interrupted the European Social Survey data collection (Round 8). The largest party in a three-party coalition government was replaced by the largest opposition party midway through the 2015–2019 electoral cycle while all other parties retained their government or opposition status. These circumstances enabled us to examine the effect of winning and losing without elections using fixed effects models, including a difference-in-differences design. The results provide suggestive but fragile evidence that losing government status might reduce satisfaction with democracy, whereas the effect of winning is modest at best and statistically inconclusive. Where effects emerge, they do so with a lag of approximately six weeks, coinciding with the implementation of a major tax reform – consistent with policy-based considerations rather than by immediate affective responses.

Food insecurity, defined as inadequate or uncertain access to food due to financial or social constraints, is increasingly recognised as a key social determinant of health(1). While some estimates suggest around 30% of Australians experience food insecurity(2), regional prevalence statistics are less well documented. International studies have consistently linked food insecurity with poor mental health outcomes, but Australian data, particularly at the local level, remain limited. This study examined associations between food insecurity, self-reported mental health, and social isolation in a regional Australian population. Data were drawn from the Let’s Talk About Food survey, a cross-sectional online survey of adults (≥ 18 years) living in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions of New South Wales, conducted in April–May 2024. Food insecurity was assessed using the 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module and classified into four categories (food secure, marginal, moderate, severe) using USDA/Health Canada thresholds(3). Mental health was measured via self-rated mental health, diagnosed mental health conditions, and six social isolation indicators. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for age, income, education, household structure, and disability. Among 666 respondents (79.8% female, 57.1% with university education), 38.3% were food insecure compromising 7.8% experiencing marginal food insecurity, 18.8% moderate food insecurity, and 11.7% severe food insecurity. Food insecurity was significantly associated with poor mental health outcomes. Respondents with fair or poor self-rated mental health (n = 107, 22.0%) had more than double the odds of food insecurity (AOR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.47–3.96), as did those with a diagnosed mental health condition (n = 157, 27.7%; AOR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.46–3.71). Strong associations were also observed with social isolation indicators. Feeling alone and friendless at least half the time (AOR = 3.13, 95% CI: 1.81–5.43), often feeling separate (AOR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.65–4.52), isolated (AOR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.81–4.67), or struggling to reach out (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.31–3.03) all increased the odds of food insecurity. A lack of emotional support similarly doubled the odds (AOR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.37–4.24). This is the first Australian study to demonstrate consistent associations between food insecurity, mental health, and social isolation in a regional context. Findings highlight that food insecurity should be treated as both a nutritional and mental health issue. Integrated responses that embed mental health support within food programs, alongside broader policies addressing income, housing, and social connection, are urgently needed.

This review essay considers the history of free and unfree Chinese labor through books on the Yunnan-Indochina Railway, Chinese indentured labor in the Dutch East Indies, Chinese American migration and community formation in the U.S. heartland, and the global politics of the gold rushes.