What Can We(e) Reveal? Uncovering Population Food Consumption Trends Using Urinary Biomarkers

There is much we can reveal about population exposure trends (e.g. drugs, diseases) by analysing wastewater through wastewater-based epidemiology. However, when it comes to food consumption, a different approach is needed. We now have greater access to high‑quality food than ever before, yet the availability of ultra‑processed products is vast. These foods are high in energy, low in nutritional value and easy to overconsume. Such eating patterns can negatively affect health, but we still know surprisingly little about how much of these foods is consumed. Most existing estimates rely on small studies, self‑reports or food labels, which are often incomplete or biased.

My research takes a complementary approach. Instead of asking people what they eat or controlling what they are given to eat, we look for chemical clues in urine. These clues, known as food‑intake‑related biomarkers, reveal exposure to specific food groups. By analysing stratified pooled urine samples from the Australian population, we aim to understand not only how much is consumed (population‑level trends), but also which factors may influence consumption patterns, such as policies, demographics, socioeconomic status and time.

Please note, this is a PhD Candidate Progress Review presentation by Nicole Schroeter.