Dr Kim Anastasiou

Lecturer, Nutrition and Food Sciences

School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science

College of Health


Dr Kim Anastasiou is a Lecturer in Nutrition within the Clinical and Health Sciences Unit at UniSA and a member of ARENA (Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity). Her work is focused on understanding and improving the health, environmental and equity of food systems. 
Kim holds expertise in sustainable food systems, public health nutrition and food systems advocacy and governance. When not lecturing at UniSA, she is conducting research with the team at Stretton Health Equity, within the University of Adelaide.
Kims holds a variety of past experiences which have enabled her to analyse, critique and influence the food system in Australia and globally. Her PhD research (Deakin University, 2023) investigated the environmental impacts of ultra-processed foods, looking at impacts within the context of the broader food system. This work has informed key global reports such as ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022’ (FAO, 2022), ‘Red and processed meat in the context of health and the environment’ (WHO, 2023) and ‘Nutrition and the environment – Nurturing people, protecting the planet’ (UN Nutrition, 2023). Additionally, her work has been cited in an internationally acclaimed book (Chris van Tulleken’s ‘Ultra-Processed People’, 2023), discussed by politicians in the UK, used as evidence for advocacy group position statements in Australia and the USA and resulted in various accolades and awards.
She formerly worked at the CSIRO as a Research Dietitian on public health nutrition research projects, including the Australian Health Star Rating and Healthy Food Partnership. In this role, she also collaborated research projects which were among the first to measure the environmental impacts of Australian diets.
Kim is also an advocate for the transformative changes needed to create healthier, more equitable and more sustainable food systems. She is currently an executive board member of Healthy Food Systems Australia, working towards holistic food policy changes. She is also involved in the Global Food Sovereignty Movement, working towards the 2025 Nyéléni Global Forum - arguably the largest gathering of indepedent (conflict of interest-free) NGOs and grass-roots activist groups working on improve the health, sustainability and equitability of food systems across the world. Previously, Kim has held the roles of ‘Young Scientist’ for the UN FAO’s World Food Forum (2022-23) and ‘Youth Liaison’ for the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit (2021).  Kim is based in South Australia, but frequently collaborates with researchers and food system advocates across the world.

Date Position Institution name
2018 - 2023 Research Dietitian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Date Institution name Country Title
2013 - 2017 Flinders University Australia Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hons)

Year Citation
2025 Wood, B., Garton, K., Milsom, P., Baker, P., Anastasiou, K., Clark, J., . . . Sacks, G. (2025). Using a systems thinking approach to map the global rise of ultra-processed foods in population diets. Obesity Reviews, 26(4), e13877-1-e13877-13.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC7
2025 Anastasiou, K., Hadjikakou, M., Geyik, O., Hendrie, G. A., Baker, P., Pinter, R., & Lawrence, M. (2025). A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios.. Public health nutrition, 28(1, article no. e51), 1-19.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2025 Karpouzis, F., Anastasiou, K., Lindberg, R., Walsh, A., Shah, S., & Ball, K. (2025). Effectiveness of School-based Nutrition Education Programs that Include Environmental Sustainability Components, on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption of 5–12YearOld Children: A Systematic Review. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 57(7), 627-642.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3 Europe PMC4
2025 Anastasiou, K., Hadjikakou, M., Geyik, O., Hendrie, G. A., Baker, P., Pinter, R., & Lawrence, M. (2025). Erratum: A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios - ERRATUM (Public health nutrition (2025) 28 1 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980025000187.). Public Health Nutrition, 28(1), e72.
DOI
2025 Turner, M., Ashtree, D. N., Lane, M. M., Anastasiou, K., Hadjikakou, M., Dawson, S. L., . . . O’Neil, A. (2025). Environmental co-benefits of a Mediterranean-style dietary intervention for reducing depressive symptoms in adults: results from the Curbing Anxiety and Depression using Lifestyle Medicine randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition, 134(2), 115-123.
DOI
2024 Hendrie, G. A., Anastasiou, K., Brindal, E., Wiggins, B., Baird, D. L., Johnson, B. J., . . . Golley, R. K. (2024). Increasing Children's Vegetable Consumption: Translating a Review of the Evidence Base to Develop Best Practice Guidelines. Ajpm Focus, 3(4), 11 pages.
DOI Scopus3
2023 Brooker, P. G., Hendrie, G. A., Anastasiou, K., & Colgrave, M. L. (2023). The range and nutrient composition of alternative protein products sold in Australian supermarkets between 2014 and 2021. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 82(OCE2).
DOI
2023 Anastasiou, K., De Melo, P. R., Slater, S., Hendrie, G. A., Hadjikakou, M., Baker, P. K., & Lawrence, M. A. (2023). From harmful nutrients to ultra-processed foods: Exploring shifts in 'foods to limit' terminology used in national food-based dietary guidelines. Public Health Nutrition, 26(11), 2539-2550.
DOI Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC12
2023 Anastasiou, K., Baker, P., Hendrie, G. A., Hadjikakou, M., Boylan, S., Chaudhary, A., . . . Lawrence, M. (2023). Conceptualising the drivers of ultra-processed food production and consumption and their environmental impacts: a group model-building exercise. Global Food Security, 37(100688), 1-15.
DOI Scopus18 WoS16
2023 Anastasiou, K., Brooker, P. G., Cleanthous, X., Tan, R., Smith, B. P. C., & Riley, M. (2023). Oh so sweet: a comparative investigation of retail market composition of sweetened and flavoured beverages in Singapore and Australia. Nutrients, 15(1, article no. 247), 1-14.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3 Europe PMC1
2023 Brooker, P. G., Anastasiou, K., Smith, B. P. C., Tan, R., Cleanthous, X., & Riley, M. D. (2023). Nutrient composition of milk and plant-based milk alternatives: A cross-sectional study of products sold in Australia and Singapore. Food Research International, 173(Pt 2), 8 pages.
DOI Scopus18 WoS13 Europe PMC6
2022 James-Martin, G., Baird, D. L., Hendrie, G. A., Bogard, J., Anastasiou, K., Brooker, P. G., . . . Riley, M. D. (2022). Environmental sustainability in national food-based dietary guidelines: a global review. The Lancet Planetary Health, 6(12), e977-e986.
DOI Scopus96 WoS93 Europe PMC58
2022 Hawkes, C., Ambikapathi, R., Anastasiou, K., Brock, J., Castronuovo, L., Fallon, N., . . . Zorbas, C. (2022). From food price crisis to an equitable food system. The Lancet, 400(10350), 413-416.
DOI Scopus18 WoS15 Europe PMC7
2022 Tan, R., Chew, S., Cleanthous, X., Anastasiou, K., Brooker, P. G., Pham, T., & Smith, B. P. C. (2022). Correction to: Assessment of artificial and natural sweeteners present in packaged non-alcoholic beverages (NABs) sold on the Singapore market (BMC Public Health, (2021), 21, 1, (1866), 10.1186/s12889-021-11924-0). BMC Public Health, 22(1), 972.
DOI
2022 Leite, F. H. M., Khandpur, N., Andrade, G. C., Anastasiou, K., Baker, P., Lawrence, M., & Monteiro, C. A. (2022). Ultra-processed foods should be central to global food systems dialogue and action on biodiversity. BMJ Global Health, 7(1), 4 pages.
DOI Scopus64 WoS61
2022 Anastasiou, K., Baker, P., Hadjikakou, M., Hendrie, G. A., & Lawrence, M. (2022). A conceptual framework for understanding the environmental impacts of ultra-processed foods and implications for sustainable food systems. Journal of Cleaner Production, 368(133155), 1-16.
DOI Scopus115 WoS102
2022 Brooker, P. G., Hendrie, G. A., Anastasiou, K., & Colgrave, M. L. (2022). The range and nutrient profile of alternative protein products sold in Australian supermarkets between 2014 and 2021. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 73(8), 1067-1079.
DOI Scopus13 WoS14 Europe PMC9
2022 Brooker, P. G., Hendrie, G. A., Anastasiou, K., Woodhouse, R., Pham, T., & Colgrave, M. L. (2022). Marketing strategies used for alternative protein products sold in Australian supermarkets in 2014, 2017, and 2021. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9(1087194), 19 pages.
DOI Scopus12 WoS13 Europe PMC6
2022 Ryan, J. C., Alchin, C., Anastasiou, K., Hendrie, G., Mellish, S., & Litchfield, C. (2022). Exploring the Intersection Between Diet and Self-Identity: A Cross-Sectional Study With Australian Adults. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 54(1), 20-27.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC4
2021 Tan, R., Chew, S., Cleanthous, X., Anastasiou, K., Brooker, P. G., Pham, T., & Smith, B. P. C. (2021). Assessment of artificial and natural sweeteners present in packaged non-alcoholic beverages (NABs) sold on the Singapore market. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1-12.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2021 Ridoutt, B. G., Baird, D., Anastasiou, K., & Hendrie, G. A. (2021). An assessment of the water use associated with Australian diets using a planetary boundary framework. Public Health Nutrition, 24(6), 1570-1575.
DOI Scopus16 WoS19 Europe PMC3
2021 Wiggins, B., Anastasiou, K., & Cox, D. N. (2021). A Systematic Review of Key Factors in the Effectiveness of Multisector Alliances in the Public Health Domain. American Journal of Health Promotion, 35(1), 93-105.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC8
2020 Ridoutt, B., Anastasiou, K., Baird, D., Garcia, J. N., & Hendrie, G. (2020). Cropland footprints of Australian dietary choices. Nutrients, 12(5, article no. 1212), 1-16.
DOI Scopus31 WoS33 Europe PMC17
2020 Ridoutt, B., Baird, D., Anastasiou, K., & Hendrie, G. (2020). The water-scarcity footprint of Australian adult diets – evidence from a large population health survey. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 79(OCE2).
DOI
2019 Anastasiou, K., Miller, M., & Dickinson, K. (2019). The relationship between food label use and dietary intake in adults: A systematic review. Appetite, 138, 280-291.
DOI Scopus105 WoS84 Europe PMC51
2019 Ridoutt, B. G., Baird, D., Anastasiou, K., & Hendrie, G. A. (2019). Diet quality and water scarcity: Evidence from a large Australian population health survey. Nutrients, 11(8), 15 pages.
DOI Scopus40 WoS42 Europe PMC21

Year Citation
2025 Bogueva, D., Marinova, D., Anastasiou, K., & Baum, F. (2025). Food policies and sustainability: European lessons for transforming Australia's food systems. In Selected Papers of the VIІ International Conference on European Dimensions of Sustainable Development May 5-7 2025 – Kyiv NUFT (pp. 8-23). National University of Food Technologies.
DOI
2023 Anastasiou, K., Baker, P., Hadjikakou, M., Hendrie, G., & Lawrence, M. (2023). Understanding the environmental impacts of ultra-processed foods: insights from group model building with food system experts. In ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM Vol. 79 (pp. 839). KARGER.

Year Citation
2023 Opportunities and barriers for advancing agrifood systems (2023). . FAO.
DOI

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 External Supervisor Towards influencing policy: A systems science approach to food policy advocacy to improve health, health equity and environmental outcomes in Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Gina Maree Absalom
2025 External Supervisor To what extent do South Australian food-related policies help or hinder the development of a healthy, sustainable and equitable food system and what accounts for this situation? Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Amanda Louise Hayes

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