Study Finds Food Security Resources for Refugees Resettling in Australia Are Accurate but Too Difficult to Read

A new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), published by Elsevier, found that refugees resettling in Australia face high rates of food insecurity, but this new research reveals that most informational materials designed to support them are written at reading levels far too advanced for effective use to address their needs.

The study assessed 184 government and community-developed materials meant to help refugees navigate food access and nutrition in their new environment. Researchers found that while nearly all resources were accurate, suitable, and current, 96% were written above the recommended readability level for refugee audiences.

Nearly 70% of the materials were created by Australian government agencies, but topic coverage was narrow, and many failed to consider cultural and linguistic diversity. The research team used established evaluation tools—the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM), the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) test, and the American Library Association’s currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose (CRAAP) framework—to assess readability, relevance, and authority.

“Access to clear, understandable information about how to find and prepare food in the Australian food environment, including finding cultural foods, is vital during resettlement. People living as refugees bring many food skills and strengths with them, but the new food environment may be very different from their original food environment,” said lead author Julie M. Wood, MHumNut, Graduate Researcher, Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition. “Our findings show that even when resources exist, they may not be accessible to the very people they’re designed to support.”

The authors emphasize the importance of using plain language and cultural tailoring when developing future resources. The study underscores the need for collaboration between government agencies, settlement service providers, and refugee communities to ensure materials are linguistically and culturally appropriate, visually engaging, and relevant to refugees’ lived experiences.

Notes for editors

The article is "The Suitability, Readability, and Accuracy of Food Security Resources for Refugees Resettling in Australia," by Julie M. Wood, MHumNut; Emily Denniss, PhD; Rebecca Lindberg, PhD; Alison O. Booth, PhD; and Claire Margerison, PhD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.06.005). It appears in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, volume 57, issue 11 (November 2025), published by Elsevier.

The article is openly available at https://www.jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(25)00342-2/fulltext.

Full text of the article is also available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Eileen Leahy at +1 732 406 1313 or [email protected] to obtain a copy or additional information. To schedule an interview with the author(s), please contact Julie M. Wood, MHumNut, at [email protected].

An audio podcast featuring an interview Julie M. Wood, MHumNut, and other information for journalists are available at https://www.jneb.org/content/media. Excerpts from the podcast may be reproduced by the media with permission from Eileen Leahy.

About the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB)

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB), is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education and dietary/physical activity behaviors. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research, emerging issues, and practices relevant to nutrition education and behavior worldwide and to promote healthy, sustainable food choices. It supports the society’s efforts to disseminate innovative nutrition education strategies and communicate information on food, nutrition, and health issues to students, professionals, policy makers, targeted audiences, and the public.

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior features articles that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice, and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests of health, nutrition, education, Cooperative Extension, and other professionals working in areas related to nutrition education and behavior. As the Society's official journal, JNEB also includes occasional policy statements, issue perspectives, and member communications. www.jneb.org

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