Megan Ferguson

Research fellow and nutrition program leader

Qualifications:

Master of Public Health, University of Queensland, 2007; Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Melbourne, 2004; Graduate Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics, Queensland University of Technology, 1995; Bachelor of Science, University of Queensland, 1993.

Location:

Brisbane

Biography:

Megan Ferguson has over 20 years' experience in the field of nutrition, predominantly in public health in remote Indigenous communities of the Northern Territory. This experience has been across food security, food supply and maternal and child health initiatives, working in the government, retail industry and research sector. Megan has also worked for international humanitarian agencies, implementing and evaluating nutrition and public health initiatives.

In 2012, Megan was awarded a National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship. Her research interests are in the use of evidence and civic participation in policy development with a focus on food security. 

Megan Ferguson
Email
Research Themes
  1. Holden, S., Ferguson, M., Brimblecombe, J., & Palermo, C. (2015). Can a community of practice equip public health nutritionists to work with remote retail to improve the food supply? Rural and Remote Health, 15, 3464. (Online) 
  2. Magnus, A., Moodie, M.L., Ferguson, M., Cobiac, L.J., Liberato, S., & Brimblecombe, J. (2016). The economic feasibility of price discounts to improve diet in Australian Aboriginal remote communities. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 40(S1), S36-S41; doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12391
  3. Ferguson M, O’Dea K, Chatfield M, Moodie M, Altman J, Brimblecombe J. (2016). The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 40(S1), S21-26; doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12370.
  4. Brimblecombe, J., Ferguson, M., Liberato, S.C., O’Dea, K., & Riley, M. (2013). Optimisation Modelling to Assess Cost of Dietary Improvement in Remote Aboriginal Australia. PLoS ONE, 8(12).
  5. Brimblecombe, J., Ferguson, M., Liberato, S., & O'Dea, K. (2013). Characteristics of the community-level diet of Aboriginal people in remote northern Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 198(7), 380-4.
  6. Thomas, D.P., Ferguson, M., Johnston, V., & Brimblecombe, J. (2013). Impact and Perceptions of Tobacco Tax Increase in Remote Australian Aboriginal Communities. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 15(6), 1099–106.
  7. Liberato, S.C., Brimblecombe, J., Ritchie, J., Ferguson, M., & Coveney, J. (2011). Measuring capacity building in communities: a review of the literature. BioMed Central Public Health, 11(850).
  8. Brimblecombe J, Ferguson M, Liberato S, Ball K, Moodie M, Magnus A, et al. (2013). Stores Healthy Options Project in Remote Indigenous Communities (SHOP@RIC): a protocol of a randomised trial promoting healthy food and beverage purchases through price  discounts and in-store nutrition education. BMC Public Health, 13.
  9. Ferguson M. Food Supply in remote Indigenous Communities. In: Hampton R, Toombs M, editors. Indigenous Australians and Health, The Wombat in the Room. Melbourne: Oxford University Press; 2013.
Click here to view more Megan Ferguson publications in PubMed.
  1. CAAMA Radio | Traditional food trends

    CAAMA Radio | Traditional food trends

    Date

    Menzies researcher and lead author Megan Ferguson speaks to CAAMA's Paul Wiles about the publication of Traditional food availability and consumption in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory in the prestigious Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.

  2. Traditional food trends in remote Northern Territory communities

    Traditional food trends in remote Northern Territory communities

    Date

    The majority of Aboriginal people living in remote Northern Territory communities are regularly using traditional foods in their diets according to research from Menzies School of Health Research published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health today

  3. Food price gap shows need for subsidies and promo deals for remote areas

    Food price gap shows need for subsidies and promo deals for remote areas

    Date

    Every year in the Northern Territory, government and non-government public health nutritionists gather data on the cost of a standardised basket of food.