Dr Alexandra Jones
Conjoint Senior Lecturer

Dr Alexandra Jones

  • PhD (Medicine and Health), University of Sydney, NSW, Australia (2019)
  • LL.M. (Global Health Law)(Dist), Georgetown Law, Washington D.C. USA (2011)
  • BA/LLB (Hons I), University of Sydney, NSW, Australia (2006)
Medicine & Health
School of Population Health

Alexandra Jones is a public health lawyer and researcher leading a program of work on regulatory strategies to promote healthier, more sustainable diets. Her work uses an innovative mix of law and science to generate evidence that supports policymakers to design and implement policies with maximum public health impact. She works closely with UN agencies, national and state governments, public health and consumer organizations, and academic collaborators to translate evidence into effective action.

Ali’s current research interests include food labelling, composition, pricing and marketing policies. She also supports the Institute’s growing work on the commercial determinants of health. Her PhD explored Australia’s Health Star Rating system and similar front-of-pack nutrition labels used worldwide. Its impact can be seen in important reforms to the Health Star Rating system, and in the terms of international food standards being developed in this area.

Ali has previously worked on global tobacco control, and in health and human rights. She holds a PhD in Medicine and Health from the University of Sydney, a Master of Laws in Global Health Law from Georgetown Law (Washington, D.C.), and a Bachelor of Arts/Law from the University of Sydney. Ali is currently supported by an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellowship.

  • Books | 2014
    2014, Regulating Tobacco, Alcohol and Unhealthy Foods, Voon T; Mitchell A; Liberman J, (eds.), Routledge, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315849768
  • Book Chapters | 2014
    2014, 'Australia', in Regulating Tobacco, Alcohol and Unhealthy Foods: The Legal Issues, pp. 315 - 336, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315849768
  • Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'An 18-country analysis of the effectiveness of five front-of-pack nutrition labels', Food Quality and Preference, 104, pp. 104691 - 104691, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104691
    Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'Conceptualising commercial entities in public health: beyond unhealthy commodities and transnational corporations', The Lancet, 401, pp. 1214 - 1228, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00012-0
    Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'E-cigarette-related beliefs, behaviors, and policy support among young people in China', Tobacco Induced Diseases, 21, pp. 09, http://dx.doi.org/10.18332/tid/156836
    Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'E-cigarettes: A continuing public health challenge in India despite comprehensive bans', Preventive Medicine Reports, 31, pp. 102108 - 102108, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102108
    Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'Sodium Content and Labelling of Packaged Foods and Beverages in Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study', Nutrients, 15, pp. 27, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu15010027
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'A Global Review of National Strategies to Reduce Sodium Concentrations in Packaged Foods', Advances in Nutrition, 13, pp. 1820 - 1833, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac048
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Changes in the Presence of Nonnutritive Sweeteners, Sugar Alcohols, and Free Sugars in Australian Foods', Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 122, pp. 991 - 999.e7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2021.11.018
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Comment on Muzzioli et al. Are Front-of-Pack Labels a Health Policy Tool? Nutrients 2022, 14, 771', Nutrients, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14102165
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Digital Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes: a Systematic Scoping Review', Current Nutrition Reports, 11, pp. 416 - 430, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13668-022-00414-3
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Key Stakeholder Perspectives on Introducing a Front-of-Pack Labelling Scheme on Packaged Foods in China: A Qualitative Study', Nutrients, 14, pp. 516 - 516, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14030516
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Rapid review of the front‐of‐pack labelling schemes in Thailand', World Food Policy, 8, pp. 166 - 184, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wfp2.12044
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Review of national nutrition standards with salt-related criteria for publicly funded institutions around the world', NUTRITION REVIEWS, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac080
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Stakeholder Network Analysis for Front-of-Pack Labeling in China', Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, pp. 871062, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.871062
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Thinking Politically About UN Political Declarations: A Recipe for Healthier Commitments—Free of Commercial Interests', International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 11, pp. 1208 - 1211, http://dx.doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.2021.92
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Young people's support for various forms of e-cigarette regulation in Australia and the UK', International Journal of Drug Policy, 110, pp. 103858, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103858
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'An Evaluation of the Victorian Salt Reduction Partnership’s Advocacy and Policy Strengthening Strategy', , http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-148658/v1
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'Association of lactation with maternal risk of type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies', Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 23, pp. 1902 - 1916, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dom.14417
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'Association of lactation with maternal risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies', The Lancet, 398, pp. S70 - S70, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02613-1
    Journal articles | 2021
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'Information Printed on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Labels: A Comparative Analysis of Australian and Sri Lankan Legal Framework', OUSL Journal, 16, pp. 9 - 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/ouslj.v16i2.7496
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'Projected effects on salt purchases following implementation of a national salt reduction policy in South Africa', Public Health Nutrition, 24, pp. 4614 - 4621, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020005273
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'Prospective associations of the original Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system and three variants with weight gain, overweight and obesity risk: Results from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort', British Journal of Nutrition, 125, pp. 902 - 914, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007114520003384
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'UK's sugar tax hits the sweet spot', The BMJ, 372, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n463
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Assessing the healthy food partnership’s proposed nutrient reformulation targets for foods and beverages in Australia', Nutrients, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12051346
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Front-of-pack nutrition labelling to promote healthier diets: current practice and opportunities to strengthen regulation worldwide', European Journal of Public Health, 30, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.001
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Increasing the public health voice in global decision-making on nutrition labelling', Globalization and Health, 16, pp. 3, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12992-019-0533-3
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Presence of trans fatty acids containing ingredients in pre-packaged foods in Australia in 2018', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44, pp. 419 - 420, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13014
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Prospective associations of four nutrient profiles with weigh gain, overweight and obesity risk', European Journal of Public Health, 30, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1285
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Public support for alcohol control initiatives across seven countries', International Journal of Drug Policy, 82, pp. 102807 - 102807, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102807
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Uptake of australia’s health star rating system 2014–2019', Nutrients, 12, pp. 1 - 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12061791
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'WFPHA: World federation of public health associations : Balanced influence is needed for front-of-pack labelling to protect the health of the public.', J Public Health Policy, 41, pp. 102 - 106, http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/s41271-019-00188-z
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Add health stars to reduce kilojoules? Effects of health star labelling on the kilojoule content of adults’ fast food meal selections', Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 13, pp. 98 - 98, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2016.10.258
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Development of Australia's front-of-pack interpretative nutrition labelling Health Star Rating system: lessons for public health advocates', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 43, pp. 352 - 354, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12906
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Effects of health star labelling on the healthiness of adults’ fast food meal selections: An experimental study', Appetite, 136, pp. 146 - 153, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.01.018
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Front-of-pack nutrition labelling to promote healthier diets: Current practice and opportunities to strengthen regulation worldwide', BMJ Global Health, 4, pp. e001882 - e001882, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001882
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Global governance of front-of-pack nutrition labelling: A qualitative analysis', Nutrients, 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu11020268
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Packages of sodium (Salt) sold for consumption and salt dispensers should be required to have a front of package health warning label: A position statement of the World Hypertension League, national and international health and scientific organizations', Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 21, pp. 1623 - 1625, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jch.13698
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'The performance and potential of the Australasian Health Star Rating system: a four-year review using the RE-AIM framework', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 43, pp. 355 - 365, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12908
    Journal articles | 2018
    Jones A; RÃ¥dholm K; Neal B, 2018, 'Defining ‘unhealthy’: A systematic analysis of alignment between the australian dietary guidelines and the health star rating system', Nutrients, 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu10040501
    Journal articles | 2018
    Jones A; Shahid M; Neal B, 2018, 'Uptake of australia’s health star rating system', Nutrients, 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu10080997
    Journal articles | 2018
    2018, 'Accelerating the worldwide adoption of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes: Strengthening commitment and capacity: Comment on “The untapped power of soda taxes: Incentivizing consumers, generating revenue, and altering corporate behavior”', International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 7, pp. 474 - 478, http://dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2017.127
    Journal articles | 2018
    2018, 'Nutrition labelling is a trade policy issue: lessons from an analysis of specific trade concerns at the World Trade Organization', Health promotion international, 33, pp. 561 - 571, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daw109
    Journal articles | 2018
    2018, 'Pizza, burgers and booze: online marketing and promotion of food and drink to university students', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 42, pp. 110 - 111, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12746
    Journal articles | 2018
    2018, 'The how: a message for the UN high-level meeting on NCDs', The Lancet, 392, pp. e4 - e5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31475-2
    Journal articles | 2017
    Jones A; Dunford E; Crossley R; Thout SR; Rayner M; Neal B, 2017, 'An evaluation of the healthiness of the Indian packaged food and beverage supply', Nutrients, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu9101103
    Journal articles | 2017
    Peters SA E; Dunford E; Jones A; Mhurchu CN; Crino M; Taylor F; Woodward M; Neal B, 2017, 'Incorporating added sugar improves the performance of the health star rating front-of-pack labelling system in Australia', Nutrients, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu9070701
    Journal articles | 2016
    Jones A; Magnusson R; Swinburn B; Webster J; Wood A; Sacks G; Neal B, 2016, 'Designing a Healthy Food Partnership: Lessons from the Australian Food and Health Dialogue', BMC Public Health, 16, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3302-8
    Journal articles | 2014
    2014, 'Transformation of HIV from pandemic to low-endemic levels: A public health approach to combination prevention', The Lancet, 384, pp. 272 - 279, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62230-8
    Journal articles | 2013
    2013, 'Tobacco control and beyond: The broader implications of United States-clove cigarettes for non-communicable diseases', American Journal of Law and Medicine, 39, pp. 265 - 289, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009885881303900204
  • Preprints |
    Key Stakeholder Perspectives on Introducing a Front-of-Package Labelling Scheme on Package Foods in China: A Qualitative Study, , http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3884935

Category 1

  • NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellowship 2021-2025 'Regulatory strategies to promote healthier Australian diets' (CIA)
  • NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence 'Healthy Food, Healthy People, Healthy Planet' 2021-2015 (CIG)
  • NIH (US) ' Evaluating the implementation and scale-up of Nigeria's national sodium reduction program' 2020-2025 (Co-Investigator)

Recent Commissioned research

  • VicHealth 'Integrating wellbeing into the business of government: a wellbeing economy approach' 2020-2021 (CIA)
  • WHO SEARO 'Development of monitoring methodologies for diet-related regulatory interventions' 2021 (CIA)
  • WHO 'A scoping review of the impact of digital marketing of breastmilk substitutes' 2021 (CIA)
  • WHO 'Implementation of the Health Star Rating in Fiji' 2019 (CIA)

  • Finalist, Emerging Health Researcher of the Year, BUPA Foundation (2020) (see video)
  • Winner, John Chalmers Award for Doctoral Research, The George Institute for Global Health (2019)
  • Finalist, Rising Stars in Cardiovascular Disease Research, NSW Cardiovascular Disease Research Network (2018)
  • Winner, 3 minute thesis competition, The George Institute for Global Health (2017)

My Teaching

LAWS3216/JURD7716 Food Law