Filters

Professor Simone Pettigrew

Profile

Professor Simone Pettigrew is the Head of Food Policy. She has qualifications in Economics, Marketing, and Consumer Psychology. Her broad areas of expertise include behavioural psychology, health promotion, health policy, communications, social marketing, and intervention research.

Along with nutrition, her substantive areas of research include obesity, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, active transport, and healthy ageing. Simone sits on numerous advisory committees and regularly performs research consultancies for NGO and government entities. To date, she has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers and produced more than 160 technical reports for NGOs and government departments.

See Professor Pettigrew's full CV here.

Anchal Rastogi

Profile

Anchal Rastogi is the Chief Data & Digital Officer at The George Institute for Global Health, leading the Institute’s global data and digital transformation strategy. Based in the Hyderabad office, Anchal is responsible for modernising systems, strengthening digital infrastructure, and unlocking the full value of one of the Institute’s most powerful assets – its data. He works closely with colleagues across research, operations, and corporate services to ensure platforms are secure, connected, and built to scale.

Anchal joined The George Institute in 2025 from GE Healthcare, bringing nearly two decades of experience shaping IT strategy and delivering complex transformational programs across the medical device, semiconductor, and financial services sectors. In his most recent role as Global Director of Data & Analytics, he led enterprise-wide initiatives in digital transformation, machine learning, generative AI, cloud data platforms, and CRM implementation.

He has successfully led global, cross-functional teams to develop and deploy data-driven solutions that improve both clinical and strategic business outcomes. Alongside his leadership credentials, Anchal is a recognised thought leader and a passionate advocate for the power of data, AI, and emerging technologies.

Anchal holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science & Engineering and post graduate leadership programme in Business Analytics and AI from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. He holds a deep personal interest in robotics and Internet of Things systems and is committed to building a digitally confident, agile Institute equipped to collaborate globally and act with clarity and precision.

Power in your hands: FoodSwitch, ecoSwitch and GlutenSwitch

The purpose of FoodSwitch is to bring transparency to the world’s food supply with a vision of an optimised food system for human health and the health of our planet. There are many studies highlighting the link between diet, ill-health and disease. Globally, 1 in 5 deaths are associated with poor diet, with cardiovascular disease being the biggest contributor, followed by cancers and type 2 diabetes. In addition, it is estimated that between 30% and 40% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) are attributable to the global food system. To achieve our purpose, we collect and analyse information from packaged food labels to generate data and insights that can influence government policy and industry practice toward improved food environments. Additionally, we have several apps that allow consumers to make better food choices: Our FoodSwitch App provides simple health and nutrition information on a scanned product and suggests healthier alternatives to 'switch' to, and

The FoodSwitch database

FoodSwitch Composition Database The FoodSwitch database holds detailed nutrition and attribute information on individual packaged food products. The data is used for research and advocacy to influence government policy and industry practice toward improved food environments. It is also used by the various apps to help consumers make healthier food choices by offering accessible and clear information about the nutritional content of packaged foods. The database is continually updated, reflecting changes in food formulations and the introduction of new products – it is estimated that there is around 25% - 30% of product churn every 12 months. The data is utilised in various tools and apps to guide users towards healthier eating patterns, supporting public health initiatives and research on dietary habits and nutrition. FoodSwitch: Tracking Food Data Across 17 Jurisdictions AustraliaNew ZealandUnited KingdomSwedenFranceUSAMexicoBrazilChile ChinaFijiHongkongIndiaKuwaitSouth

Added Sugar

Australians consume around 14 teaspoons of added sugar a day - two more than the 12 teaspoons limit recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Eating too many foods high in added sugars can lead to weight gain, an increased risk of obesity related diseases, and is a major risk factor in tooth decay. What is sugar? Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that occurs naturally in foods such as milk and fruit and can also be added to foods and drinks in various forms by the manufacturer or the consumer. Total sugars of a product refers to the combination of sugars that are naturally present and those that are added.Intrinsic and milk sugars occur in foods and drinks such as intact fruits and vegetables (i.e. fructose) and milk (i.e. lactose).Added sugars are all other sugars. It is these sugars that are associated with poor health outcomes and we should avoid. They are often added by manufacturers to give greater sweetness or other desired characteristics. What is added sugar

Commercial Determinants of Health Program

Program Overview Commercial determinants of health refer to the systems, structures, and strategies employed by commercial actors, such as corporations and industries, that influence health outcomes. The Commercial Determinants of Health team at The George Institute works across Australia and internationally to reduce the burden of death and disease linked to harmful commercial practices. Through rigorous, independent research, we provide governments, NGOs, and public health organisations with the evidence needed to develop and implement effective solutions. Our team employs multi-disciplinary and multi-method approaches across key areas, including nutrition, alcohol, tobacco and vaping, and transport. Nutrition: health and sustainabilityOur research examines food environments, focusing on unhealthy food marketing, ultra-processed foods, and the baby food market. We evaluate and support behaviour change tools like to help consumers make healthier choices. Planetary health is also a

Nutrition Science

Program overview The Australian health system spends billions of dollars each year treating preventable diet-related chronic diseases - including type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. These key killers affect millions of Australians and disproportionately affect more vulnerable communities, including those with food insecurity. The Nutrition Science research team is focused on reducing diet-related diseases through implementing innovative research techniques, with a commitment to reaching more vulnerable populations. Together with healthcare partners, The George Institute for Global Health has established ‘Food is Medicine’ programs to provide fresh produce and medically tailored meals to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians experiencing food insecurity and chronic diseases. The team is currently conducting a series of world-class clinical trials to assess their effectiveness, alongside comprehensive program evaluations to inform future scale-up. The N

How can nutrition labelling support large-scale food fortification?

What is the problem? Malnutrition in all its forms – including nutritional deficiencies – is a leading cause of death and disability globally. Food fortification is a proven and cost-effective intervention to address nutritional deficiencies. Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) is the practice of adding minerals or vitamins to commonly consumed foods i.e., staple foods such as salt, flours, oil, and rice during industrial processing to increase their nutritional value and deliver potential health benefits to populations.  Nutrition labelling has the potential to help achieve public health goals by improving the transparency around food product contents, including the contents of fortified foods. What did we do? The George Institute for Global Health was commissioned by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to study how nutrition labelling regulations act as a barrier or an enabler to fortification programs in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philipp

2025 FoodSwitch State of the Food Supply Report: Planetary Health Edition

Enter your details to download the State of the Food Supply Report.

Food governance

Program overview Law is a powerful tool to promote public health. Yet despite Australia’s leadership in areas like tobacco control and road safety, law remains underused as a tool to promote healthy and sustainable population diets. The Food Governance Program seeks to change this. Our aim is to improve dietary intake at scale by monitoring the global food supply, assessing food policy impacts, and strategically strengthening food policies and regulations to promote health and sustainability. Program objectives Monitor and evaluate the performance of existing food policies and regulations by leveraging the Institute’s FoodSwitch dataset Analyse regulatory innovation worldwide to develop recommendations on best-practice food regulation Work closely with UN agencies, national and state governments, public health and consumer organisations and academic collaborators to translate evidence into effective law and policy change. View projects

Food is Medicine Program

Program overview The Nutrition Science Team at The George Institute for Global Health are leading an innovative research initiative centred on food-based interventions, known as ‘Food is Medicine’. ‘Food is Medicine’ programs aim to treat diet-related diseases and reduce food insecurity by providing people with the nutritious foods they need – prescribed just like medicine. These programs often include nutrition education and are subsidised by healthcare systems as part of treatment. Depending on a person’s medical needs and preferences, they may receive: Medically tailored meals, or Produce prescriptions (e.g., fresh fruits and vegetables) Australians do not eat enough fruits and vegetables with only 5% eating the recommended amount. And access to nutritious foods is a challenge faced by up to one in four low income Australian households who experience food insecurity. These challenges are major contributors to Australia’s growing burden of

Using pregnancy to improve women’s lifelong health

By utilising a life-course approach to the prevention of non-communicable diseases, when women are screened during pregnancy. The physiological changes in a woman’s body during pregnancy to support fetal growth and wellbeing and prepare for labour and birth have been compared to a nine-month marathon that finishes with a sprint. For some women, this pregnancy “stress test” will result in medical complications of pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes (“GDM”, affecting approximately 1 in 7 pregnancies globally), high blood pressure disorders (affecting up to 1 in 10 pregnancies globally) and anaemia (10-40%). Existing mental and physical health conditions may also worsen. The course of a woman’s pregnancy also gives a window into a woman’s future health, as the effect of pregnancy complications on mother and child do not end with the pregnancy. For example, after hypertensive pregnancy there is at least doubled risk of cardiovascular disease (beginning within 5-10 years of