University of Sydney Welcomes Commitment to Preventative Health

SYDNEY - The University of Sydney welcomed the Australian Government's commitment to a new partnership research centre which will address challenges of preventing the epidemic of chronic disease, a press release by the University stated.

Speaking at the Charles Perkins Centre building site at the University's Camperdown campus, Federal Minister for Health and Minister for Medical Research Tanya Plibersek announced $22.6million to identify the best ways to help people make lifestyle changes to prevent chronic disease.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University, Dr Michael Spence, said prevention of chronic disease was one of the great policy challenges facing Australia and many parts of the world today.

"Obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease are the leading causes of death, disability and reduced quality of life in Australia, and have become epidemics of global proportions," he said.

"The University of Sydney has several internationally recognised groups working on the prevention of chronic disease who will contribute to the work of the Partnership Centre. We are pleased to be working with the Sax Institute again on this important public health research initiative.

"The Charles Perkins Centre aims to ease the burden of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease by translating the work of the University of Sydney into real-world solutions. The location of a node of the Partnership Centre in the Charles Perkins Centre will place it in a unique research environment.

"We look forward to working with the governments at all levels to help support this work and bring together academics and practitioners from within the University and beyond to collaborate and help provide an answer to these important questions," he said.

University of Sydney Professor and Director of the new Centre Andrew Wilson welcomed the move.

"The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre will facilitate collaboration between researchers, policy makers and practitioners to achieve a more effective and efficient approach to prevention of chronic disease in Australia," Professor Wilson said.

"We are drawing on expertise from eight universities and a range of health, policy and non government agencies across Australia and I am excited to lead this unique opportunity," he said.

The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) with co-funding from the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (ANPHA), the NSW Ministry of Health, ACT Health and HCF and the HCF Research Foundation and will be managed by the Sax Institute.