title: Joining the dots: the role of brokers in nutrition policy in Australia.
abstract: Poor diet is the leading preventable risk factor contributing to the burden of disease in Australia. A range of cost-effective, comprehensive population-focussed strategies are available to address these dietary-related diseases. However, despite evidence of their effectiveness, minimal federal resources are directed to this area. To better understand the limited public health nutrition policy action in Australia, we sought to identify the key policy brokers in the Australian nutrition policy network and consider their level of influence over nutrition policymaking.
  
  
  
  A social network analysis involving four rounds of data collection was undertaken using a modified reputational snowball method to identify the nutrition policy network of individuals in direct contact with each other. Centrality measures, in particular betweenness centrality, and a visualisation of the network were used to identify key policy brokers.
  
  
  
  Three hundred and ninety (390) individual actors with 1917 direct ties were identified within the Australian nutrition policy network. The network revealed two key brokers; a Nutrition Academic and a General Health professional from a non-government organisation (NGO), with the latter being in the greatest strategic position for influencing policymakers.
  
  
  
  The results of this social network analysis illustrate there are two dominant brokers within the nutrition policy network in Australia. However their structural position in the network means their brokerage roles have different purposes and different levels of influence on policymaking. The results suggest that brokerage in isolation may not adequately represent influence in nutrition policy in Australia. Other factors, such as direct access to decision-makers and the saliency of the solution, must also be considered.
authors.affiliation: School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia. k.cullerton@connect.qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9517-6380
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cullerton
authors.affiliation: School of Management, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Donnet
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gallegos
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003657:Decision Making; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011050:Policy Making
keywords: Advocacy; Food industry; Influence; Nutrition policy; Policy making; Social network analysis