Associate Professor Katherine Cullerton
Associate Professor
School of Public Health
+61 7 334 64619
Researcher biography
Katherine Cullerton is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health. She joined the School in 2018 following postdoctoral research at the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, UK, where her work explored the question of whether, and under what circumstances, it is appropriate for nutrition researchers to engage with the food industry. Katherine's current research focuses on understanding why evidence does not consistently inform public policy. In particular, she examines the strategies employed by the corporate sector to influence policy and investigates how public health advocates can more effectively shape policy outcomes in Australia, with a special emphasis on the roles of framing and public opinion.
A/Prof Cullerton is also the academic lead for external engagement for the School of Public Health.
Publications
Book Chapters
Gill, Kerri-Anne and Cullerton, Katherine (2024). Food and farming. Political determinants of health in Australia: a planetary perspective. (pp. 129-147) edited by Marguerite C. Sendall, Allyson Mutch and Lisa Fitzgerald. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003315490-11
Cullerton, Katherine and White, Martin (2023). Understanding and managing corporate conflicts of interest. The commercial determinants of health. (pp. 307-318) edited by Nason Maani, Mark Petticrew and Sandro Galea. New York, United States: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/oso/9780197578742.003.0030
Journal Articles
LACY‐NICHOLS, JENNIFER, BARADAR, HEDEEYEH, CROSBIE, ERIC and CULLERTON, KATHERINE (2025). Lobbying in the Shadows: A Comparative Analysis of Government Lobbyist Registers. The Milbank Quarterly. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.70033
Senior, Helen Jane, Teimouri, Navid, Waller, Michael, Capewell, Simon and Cullerton, Katherine (2025). How governments influence public health research: a scoping review. Health Promotion International, 40 (4) daaf097, 1-12. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daaf097
Gill, Kerri-Anne, Teimouri, Navid, Bogard, Jessica and Cullerton, Katherine (2025). What policy support do smallholders in high-income countries need to contribute to healthy, sustainable food systems? A scoping review. Global Food Security, 44 100839, 100839-44. doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100839
Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer, Jones, Alexandra and Cullerton, Katherine (2024). Political considerations when monitoring the commercial determinants of health; comment on "National public health surveillance of corporations in key unhealthy commodity industries – a scoping review and framework synthesis". International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 13 8777, 1-4. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.8777
Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer, Baradar, Hedeeyeh, Crosbie, Eric and Cullerton, Katherine (2024). Lobbying in the sunlight: a scoping review of frameworks to measure the accessibility of lobbying disclosures. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 13 8497. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.8497
Clifford Astbury, Chloe, Demeshko, Anastassia, Gallo-Cajiao, Eduardo, McLeod, Ryan, Wiktorowicz, Mary, Aenishaenslin, Cécile, Cullerton, Katherine, Lee, Kirsten M., Ruckert, Arne, Viens, A. M., Tsasis, Peter and Penney, Tarra L. (2024). Governance of the wildlife trade and the prevention of emerging zoonoses: a mixed methods network analysis of transnational organisations, silos, and power dynamics. Globalization and Health, 20 (1) 49, 49. doi: 10.1186/s12992-024-01055-7
Demeshko, Anastassia, Clifford Astbury, Chloe, Lee, Kirsten M., Clarke, Janielle, Cullerton, Katherine and Penney, Tarra L. (2024). The role of corruption in global food systems: a systematic scoping review. Globalization and Health, 20 (1) 48, 1-18. doi: 10.1186/s12992-024-01054-8
Cullerton, Katherine and Patay, Dori (2024). Inside a corporate affairs conference: the race for a social license. Frontiers in Communication, 9 1419959, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2024.1419959
Delaine, Adam, Ferguson, Megan, Bacon, Rachel and Cullerton, Katherine (2024). An analysis of the features of successful written submissions to government inquiries. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 48 (2) 100133, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100133
Chung, Holly, Cullerton, Katherine and Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer (2024). Mapping the lobbying footprint of harmful industries: 23 years of data from OpenSecrets. The Milbank Quarterly, 102 (1), 212-232. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12686
Heenan, Maddie, Hart, Ashleigh Chanel, Cullerton, Katherine, Jan, Stephen and Shanthosh, Janani (2024). Legal and regulatory instruments for NCD prevention: a scoping review and descriptive analysis of evaluations in OECD countries. BMC Public Health, 24 (1) 641, 1-17. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-18053-4
Cullerton, Katherine, Demeshko, Anastassia and Waller, Michael (2024). Effect of message framing on support for a sugar-sweetened beverage tax in Australia: a cross-sectional survey analysis. Health Promotion International, 39 (1) daad193, 1-12. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daad193
Cullerton, Katherine, Adams, Jean, Forouhi, Nita G, Francis, Oliver and White, Martin (2024). Avoiding conflicts of interest and reputational risks associated with population research on food and nutrition: the Food Research risK (FoRK) guidance and toolkit for researchers. BMJ, 384 e077908, e077908. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077908
Ralston, Rob, Townsend, Belinda, Arnanz, Liz, Baum, Fran, Cullerton, Katherine, Holmes, Rodney, Martin, Jane, Collin, Jeff and Friel, Sharon (2024). NGOs and global business regulation of transnational alcohol and ultra-processed food industries. Policy and Society, 43 (1), 54-69. doi: 10.1093/polsoc/puae002
Voisin, Rebecca, Horwitz, Pierre, Godrich, Stephanie, Sambell, Ros, Cullerton, Katherine and Devine, Amanda (2024). What goes in and what comes out: a scoping review of regenerative agricultural practices. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 48 (1), 124-158. doi: 10.1080/21683565.2023.2270441
Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer and Cullerton, Katherine B. (2023). Baby steps in lobbying reform: opportunities and challenges in Queensland. Medical Journal of Australia, 220 (2), 60-64. doi: 10.5694/mja2.52187
Townsend, Belinda, Johnson, Timothy D., Ralston, Rob, Cullerton, Katherine, Martin, Jane, Collin, Jeff, Baum, Fran, Arnanz, Liz, Holmes, Rodney and Friel, Sharon (2023). A framework of NGO inside and outside strategies in the commercial determinants of health: findings from a narrative review. Globalization and Health, 19 (1) 74, 1-17. doi: 10.1186/s12992-023-00978-x
Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer, Christie, Shirae and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). Lobbying by omission: what is known and unknown about harmful industry lobbyists in Australia. Health Promotion International, 38 (5) daad134, 1-14. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daad134
Buckley, Lisa, Morphett, Kylie, Rychetnik, Lucie, Land, Mary‐Anne and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). Spokespeople in public health: Important characteristics from the perspective of Australian public health professionals. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 35 (3), 829-834. doi: 10.1002/hpja.788
Shrestha, Anita, Cullerton, Katherine, White, Katherine M., Mays, Jenni and Sendall, Margo (2023). Impact of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in consumer understanding and use across socio-economic status: a systematic review. Appetite, 187 106587, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106587
Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer, Johnson, Maggie and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). Commercial lobbying and political contributions: an Australian scoping review. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47 (4) 100073, 100073. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100073
Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer, Quinn, Madalyn and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). Aiding empirical research on the commercial determinants of health: a scoping review of datasets and methods about lobbying. Health Research Policy and Systems, 21 (1) 56, 56. doi: 10.1186/s12961-023-01011-8
van Burgel, Emma, Holden, Stacey, Ferguson, Megan, Cullerton, Katherine, McCartan, Julia, Turner, Nicole, Cubillo, Beau, Day, Georgia and Brimblecombe, Julie (2023). Food security in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in remote Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of print news media and press releases. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47 (3) 100058, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100058
Atkinson, Nicole, Ferguson, Megan, Russell, Cherie and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). Are the impacts of food systems on climate change being reported by the media? An Australian media analysis. Public Health Nutrition, 26 (8) PII S1368980023000800, 1-9. doi: 10.1017/s1368980023000800
Ghatalia, Jaini, Russell, Cherie, Ferguson, Megan and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). Efficacy of submissions as an advocacy strategy: piloting the Public Health Association of Australia’s submission evaluation tool. Public Health Research and Practice, 33 (1) e3312307, 1-4. doi: 10.17061/phrp3312307
Russell, Cherie, Hussain, Nurul Amanina Binte, Sievert, Katherine and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). Who is donating to political parties in Queensland, Australia? An analysis of political donations from the food industry. Public Health Nutrition, 26 (7) PII S1368980023000435, 1501-1512. doi: 10.1017/s1368980023000435
Ferguson, Megan, Tonkin, Emma, Brimblecombe, Julie, Lee, Amanda, Fredericks, Bronwyn, Cullerton, Katherine, Mah, Catherine L., Brown, Clare, McMahon, Emma, Chatfield, Mark D., Miles, Eddie and Cadet-James, Yvonne (2023). Communities setting the direction for their right to nutritious, affordable food: Co-design of the remote food security project in Australian Indigenous communities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20 (4) 2936, 1-14. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20042936
Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer and Cullerton, Katherine (2023). A proposal for systematic monitoring of the commercial determinants of health: a pilot study assessing the feasibility of monitoring lobbying and political donations in Australia. Globalization and Health, 19 (1) 2, 1-16. doi: 10.1186/s12992-022-00900-x
Voisin, R.S., Horwitz, P., Godrich, S., Sambell, R., Cullerton, K. and Devine, A. (2023). The ins and outs—understanding input use in regenerative agriculture: a scoping review. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 82 (OCE2) E101. doi: 10.1017/s0029665123001106
Ilicic, Jasmina, Brennan, Stacey and Cullerton, Katherine (2022). Additional marketing responses to a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages comment on "Understanding Marketing Responses to a Tax on Sugary Drinks: A Qualitative Interview Study in the United Kingdom, 2019". International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 12 (1) 7638. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.7638
Demeshko, Anastassia, Buckley, Lisa, Morphett, Kylie, Adams, Jean, Meany, Roger and Cullerton, Katherine (2022). Characterising trusted spokespeople in noncommunicable disease prevention: a systematic scoping review. Preventive Medicine Reports, 29 101934, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101934
Heenan, Maddie, Jan, Stephen, Cullerton, Katherine and Shanthosh, Janani (2022). A political economy analysis protocol: case study implementing nutrition and sustainability policy into government food procurement. PLoS One, 17 (9 September) e0274246, 1-11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274246
Cicchini, S., Russell, C. and Cullerton, K. (2022). The relationship between volume of newspaper coverage and policy action for nutrition issues in Australia: a content analysis. Public Health, 210, 8-15. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2022.06.016
Cullerton, Katherine, Patay, Dori, Waller, Michael, Adsett, Eloise and Lee, Amanda (2022). Competing public narratives in nutrition policy: insights into the ideational barriers of public support for regulatory nutrition measures. Health Research Policy and Systems, 20 (1) 86, 1-15. doi: 10.1186/s12961-022-00891-6
Patay, Dori, Friel, Sharon, Townsend, Belinda, Baum, Fran, Collin, Jeff, Cullerton, Katherine, Dain, Katie, Holmes, Rodney, Martin, Jane, Ralston, Rob and Westerman, Lucy (2022). Governing ultra-processed food and alcohol industries: the presence and role of non-government organisations in Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 46 (4), 455-462. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13263
Assefa, Yibeltal, Woldeyohannes, Solomon, Cullerton, Katherine, Gilks, Charles F., Reid, Simon and Van Damme, Wim (2022). Attributes of national governance for an effective response to public health emergencies: Lessons from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Global Health, 12 05021, 05021. doi: 10.7189/jogh.12.05021
Gurnett, Tracy, Prokopovich, Kathleen, Ivers, Rebecca, Cullerton, Katherine, Stekelenburg, Naomi and Slevin, Terry (2022). Government support and commitment to university-level public health education, research and workforce development is critical. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 46 (3), 417-418. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13244
Mialon, Mélissa, Fooks, Gary, Cullerton, Katherine, Gómez-Donoso, Clara, Fidalgo, Hernando Salcedo, Nakkash, Rima and Lacy-Nichols, Jennifer (2022). Corporations and health: the need to combine forces to improve population health. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 11 (7), 871-873. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.6687
Ngqangashe, Y., Cullerton, K., Phulkerd, S., Huckel Schneider, C., Thow, A. M. and Friel, S. (2022). Discursive framing in policies for restricting the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages. Food Policy, 109 102270, 102270. doi: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2022.102270
Heenan, Maddie, Shanthosh, Janani, Cullerton, Katherine and Jan, Stephen (2022). Influencing and implementing mandatory alcohol pregnancy warning labels in Australia and New Zealand. Health Promotion International, 38 (3) daac022. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daac022
Selvey, Linda A., Carpenter, Morris, Lazarou, Mattea and Cullerton, Katherine (2022). Communicating about energy policy in a resource-rich jurisdiction during the climate crisis: lessons from the people of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (8) 4635, 4635. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19084635
Powell, Patricia, Lawler, Sheleigh, Durham, Jo and Cullerton, Katherine (2022). The rewards US university students associate with campus dining halls and food choices. Journal of American College Health, 72 (3), 1-11. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2022.2054279
Howse, Eloise, Cullerton, Katherine, Grunseit, Anne, Bohn-Goldbaum, Erika, Bauman, Adrian and Freeman, Becky (2022). Measuring public opinion and acceptability of prevention policies: an integrative review and narrative synthesis of methods. Health Research Policy and Systems, 20 (1) 26, 26. doi: 10.1186/s12961-022-00829-y
Puljevic, Cheneal, Morphett, Kylie, Hefler, Marita, Edwards, Richard, Walker, Natalie, Thomas, David, Khan, Arifuzzaman, Perusco, Andrew, Le Grande, Michael, Cullerton, Katherine, Ait Ouakrim, Driss, Carstensen, Georgia, Sellars, David, Hoek, Janet, Borland, Ron, Bonevski, Billie, Blakely, Tony, Brolan, Claire and Gartner, Coral (2022). Closing the Gaps in Tobacco Endgame Evidence: A Scoping Review. Tobacco Control, 31 (2), 365-375. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-056579
Wise, Kirstin and Cullerton, Katherine (2021). Framing of nutrition policy issues in the Australian news media, 2008-2018. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 45 (5), 491-496. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13152
Lee, Amanda, Stubbs, Christina, Leonard, Dympna, Vidgen, Helen, Minniecon, Deanne, Dick, Mathew, Cullerton, Katherine and Herron, Lisa (2021). Rise and demise: a case study of public health nutrition in Queensland, Australia, over three decades. Health Promotion International, 37 (2) daab117. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daab117
Clifford Astbury, Chloe, Aguirre, Emilie, Cullerton, Katherine, Monsivais, Pablo and Penney, Tarra L. (2021). How supportive is the global food supply of food-based dietary guidelines? A descriptive time series analysis of food supply alignment from 1961 to 2013. SSM - Population Health, 15 100866, 100866. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100866
Powell, Patricia K., Lawler, Sheleigh, Durham, Jo and Cullerton, Katherine (2021). The food choices of US university students during COVID-19. Appetite, 161 105130, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105130
Cullerton, Katherine, Debia, Sena, Ferguson, Megan and Johnston, Ingrid (2021). Towards an advocacy evaluation framework: measuring the impact of submission writing. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 45 (1), 4-5. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13071
Cicchini, Sophia, Lee, Amanda and Cullerton, Katherine (2020). Who votes for public health: an analysis of Australian politician's parliamentry voting behaviour. Public Health Research and Practice, 31 (3) e30342014. doi: 10.17061/phrp30342014
Lee, Amanda J., Cullerton, Katherine and Herron, Lisa-Maree (2020). Achieving food system transformation: insights from a retrospective review of nutrition policy (in)action in high-income countries. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 10 (12), 766-783. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.188
Cullerton, Katherine, Adams, Jean and White, Martin (2020). Should public health and policy communities interact with the food industry? It depends on context comment on "Towards preventing and managing conflict of interest in nutrition policy? An analysis of submissions to a consultation on a draft WHO tool". International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 11 (3), 383-385. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.176
Cullerton, Katherine, Baker, Phillip, Adsett, Eloise and Lee, Amanda (2020). What do the Australian public think of regulatory nutrition policies? A scoping review. Obesity Reviews, 22 (1) obr.13106, e13106. doi: 10.1111/obr.13106
Russell, Cherie, Lawrence, Mark, Cullerton, Katherine and Baker, Phillip (2020). The political construction of public health nutrition problems: a framing analysis of parliamentary debates on junk-food marketing to children in Australia. Public Health Nutrition, 23 (11), 1-12. doi: 10.1017/s1368980019003628
Cullerton, Katherine, Adams, Jean, Francis, Oliver, Forouhi, Nita and White, Martin (2019). Building consensus on interactions between population health researchers and the food industry: two-stage, online, international Delphi study and stakeholder survey. PLoS one, 14 (8) e0221250, e0221250. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221250
Cullerton, Katherine, White, Tom and Lee, Amanda (2019). Doctors Rule: An Analysis of Health Ministers’ Diaries in Australia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (13) 2440, 2440. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16132440
Baker, Phillip, Brown, Andrew D., Wingrove, Kate, Allender, Steve, Walls, Helen, Cullerton, Katherine, Lee, Amanda, Demaio, Alessandro and Lawrence, Mark (2019). Generating political commitment for ending malnutrition in all its forms: A system dynamics approach for strengthening nutrition actor networks. Obesity Reviews, 20 Suppl 2 (S2) obr.12871, 30-44. doi: 10.1111/obr.12871
Cullerton, Katherine, Adams, Jean, Francis, Oliver, Forouhi, Nita and White, Martin (2019). In reply to letter to the editor from V. Kraak and M. Mialon et al. Obesity Reviews, 20 (9) obr.12886, 1338-1339. doi: 10.1111/obr.12886
Cullerton, Katherine, Adams, Jean, Forouhi, Nita, Francis, Oliver and White, Martin (2019). What principles should guide interactions between population health researchers and the food industry?: systematic scoping review of peer‐reviewed and grey literature. Obesity Reviews, 20 (8) obr.12851, 1073-1084. doi: 10.1111/obr.12851
Hennessy, Marita, Cullerton, Katherine, Baker, Phil, Brown, Amy, Crawley, Helen, Hayes, Catherine, Kearney, Patricia M., Kelly, Colette, McKee, Martin, Mialon, Melissa, Petticrew, Mark, Rundall, Patti, Trickey, Heather, White, Martin and Redsell, Sarah (2019). Time for complete transparency about conflicts of interest in public health nutrition research. HRB Open Research, 2, 1. doi: 10.12688/hrbopenres.12894.1
Cullerton, Katherine, Donnet, Timothy, Lee, Amanda and Gallegos, Danielle (2018). Effective advocacy strategies for influencing government nutrition policy: a conceptual model. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15 (1) 83, 83. doi: 10.1186/s12966-018-0716-y
Cullerton, Katherine, Donnet, Timothy, Lee, Amanda and Gallegos, Danielle (2017). Joining the dots: the role of brokers in nutrition policy in Australia. BMC Public Health, 17 (1) 307, 307. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4217-8
Cullerton, K., Donnet, T., Lee, A. and Gallegos, D. (2016). Exploring power and influence in nutrition policy in Australia. Obesity Reviews, 17 (12), 1218-1225. doi: 10.1111/obr.12459
Cullerton, Katherine, Donnet, Timothy, Lee, Amanda and Gallegos, Danielle (2016). Playing the policy game: a review of the barriers to and enablers of nutrition policy change. Public Health Nutrition, 19 (14), 2643-2653. doi: 10.1017/S1368980016000677
Cullerton, Katherine, Donnet, Timothy, Lee, Amanda and Gallegos, Danielle (2016). Using political science to progress public health nutrition: a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition, 19 (11), 2070-2078. doi: 10.1017/S1368980015002712
Cullerton, Katherine, Gallegos, Danielle, Ashley, Ella, Do, Hong, Voloschenko, Anna, Fleming, MaryLou, Ramsey, Rebecca and Gould, Trish (2016). Cancer screening education: can it change knowledge and attitudes among culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland, Australia?. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 27 (2), 140-147. doi: 10.1071/HE15116
Conference Papers
Friel, Sharon, Townsend, Belinda, Ralston, Rob, Collin, Jeff, Baum, Fran, Cullerton, Katherine, Holmes, Rodney, Martin, Jane and Arnanz, Liz (2023). Governing the commercial determinants of health: the role of non-government organisations. 17th World Congress on Public Health, Rome, Italy, 2-6 May 2023. Heraklion, Greece: European Publishing. doi: 10.18332/popmed/165039
Browne, Jennifer, Cullerton, Katherine, Gallegos, Danielle, Lee, Amanda, Donnett, Timothy, De Leeuw, Evelyne, Hayes, Rick, Gleeson, Deborah and Adams, Karen (2016). Analysing networks in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nutrition policy: two approaches. Dietitians Association of Australia 33rd National Conference , Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 19 - 21 May 2016. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia.
Thesis
Cullerton, Katherine B. (2017). An Exploration of the Factors Influencing Public Health Nutrition Policymaking in Australia. PhD Thesis, School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Queensland University of Technology. doi: 10.5204/thesis.eprints.109095
Research Report
Cullerton, Katherine, Vidgen, Helen, A. and Gallegos, Danielle (2012). A review of food literacy interventions targeting disadvantaged young people. Brisbane QLD Australia: QUT.