For over 30 years David Crawford has conducted innovative research focused on improving population health behaviours, with a focus on nutrition, physical activity and obesity. He and his team have conducted a number of intervention trials to improve health behaviours and prevent obesity, with some of these currently being rolled out as part of Victoria’s prevention agenda. He has played leadership roles in the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, the Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity, and as Director of Deakin University’s Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research where he has mentored many early career researchers who have gone on to build successful research careers.