RMIT University has given a solution to solve considered issues relating to food security and nutrition assurance in Melbourne, Australia. This action has received support from RMIT's staff and students. Additionally, RMIT University is expected to become a leading model that other universities and colleges can follow.

 

Melbourne is recognized as one of the most crowded areas in Australia. Walking around this city, especially the central business district, it is not difficult to find fast food stores or luxury restaurants with variety of prices. Different food from different countries, customers have many choices for a meal. They must be glad while working and studying in this area because it is a real paradise, which pleasures their passion for food. There is a truth that everything has its dark sides. The more food are sold, the more risk you take. You are eating food with unknown origin and sometimes, it contains unhealthy ingredients. Nobody can ensure food you eat from those restaurants and fast food stores is suitable to your body or not. Food insecurity and nutrition shortage are reasons explaining why being careful in food selection is necessary.

 

Our diet is created by a wide range of individual and environmental elements (Burns & Inglis 2007). A healthful diet does not mean a meal full of food, but it is the one with balanced nutrition. Nutrition is considered as the main factor determining chronic diseases people have. With many scientific evidences, alteration in diet can negatively and positively change our health status throughout life (World Health Organization 2002). People are getting busier nowadays. They do not have much time to think about food’s origin and ingredients, thus, they easily pay for a meal if it looks delicious and the price is affordable. The unhealthy diet leads to food poisoning and chronic diseases such as obesity and other health problems (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc) that gradually become common in developed and developing countries (World Health Organization, 2002). To reduce potential risks of illness, dietary adjustment is the priority. An unhealthy diet not only impacts present health but also influences our development process in the future.

 

Understanding this issue, the New Academic Street project of RMIT University has created innovative transformation inside its City campus. By upgrading facilities, more functional areas have been expanded and one of highlight points is an appearance of food retail space. Many food retail stores have been opened inside the campus with a purpose of providing healthful meals to RMIT’s staff and students. Food in those stores will be checked its origin and ingredients everyday to ensure people can enjoy their meals without worry about potential risks to their health. Nutritions in those food are adjusted and balanced to create healthful diets.

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One more benefit of the New Academic Street project is that food retail inside university campus can bring comfort and convenience to RMIT staff and students. They do not have to spend time walking outside the campus to enjoy breakfast and lunch. Food retail is available and it gradually becomes the first choice of most students and staff. It is true to say the university has almost necessary factors to make them work and study productively.

 

Kate is working at RMIT University. She also agrees that food retail inside campus brings more benefits than she expected.

“Nothing is more amazing than having meals at my workplace. It saves my time and after finishing lunch, I still have about thirty minutes to take a nap. Then, I go back to work and being more productive.”

 

People should be more responsible to what they eat. Food security and nutrition assurance must be prioritized because health is the most important thing in life. Having chronic diseases and other health problems can stop us from working, studying and enjoying this wonderful life. Realizing this issue, RMIT University is trying their best to protect their students and staff from potential risks of unhealthful food. The university also hopes to receive more support to spread the message “be responsible to yourself by healthful diets” to Melbourne residents.

 

References:

• Burns, C and Inglis, A 2007, Measuring food access in Melbourne: Access to healthy and fast foods by car, bus and foot in an urban municipality in Melbourne. Health & Place, vol. 13, no.4, pp.877-885.

• World Health Organization 2002, Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, WHO technical report series, Switzerland, World Health Organization, pp.1-3.