Rachael Thurecht
Dr Rachael Thurecht is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Sports Dietitian, and a Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia. Her research and practice sit at the intersection of sports nutrition and public health, with a focus on food choice as a unifying concept across diverse populations and settings. Rachael’s PhD research led to the development and validation of the Athlete Food Choice Questionnaire (AFCQ), a tool designed to explore the multifactorial influences on food decisions among high-performance athletes. She has collected data at major international sporting events including the 2017 Universiade and 2018 Commonwealth Games, where she also supported athletes through direct nutrition services. Her passion for health promotion and equity drives her broader research agenda, which has expanded into collaborations on maternal nutrition in Vanuatu. Through this work, Rachael seeks to better understand cultural nuances and food choice determinants in Pacific Island contexts. Rachael is committed to bridging the gap between elite sport and grassroots health promotion. As Secretary of PINES (Professionals in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport), she contributes to global efforts to build nutrition capacity and foster collaboration across disciplines and borders. Whether supporting athletes or community members, her work is grounded in the belief that understanding food choice is key to improving health outcomes and empowering individuals.
Abstracts this author is presenting: