Developing Innovative, Effective And Evidence-based Dietary Interventions For Prevention And Treatment Of Child Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$288,650.00
Summary
Obesity rates for Australian children continue to rise. Reversing this trend remains a key challenge in establishing a strong foundation early in childhood for a long and healthy life. How to help children and families balance food intake with activity levels in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight remains unclear. This research program aims to inform best practice about which food patterns and dietary advice are more best in helping families eat well and reverse the obesity epidemic.
Population-based Approaches To Physical Activity Promotion: Improving The Evidence For Website-delivered Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$292,639.00
Summary
As most Australians do not engage in sufficient physical activity to achieve health benefits, effective low-cost programs are needed. Computerised programs delivered via the Internet can provide unique personally-relevant activity information for individuals, can effectively reach large numbers of people and can help them to increase activity levels. This research will evaluate website-delivered physical activity programs and will find ways of improving their reach, appeal and effectiveness.
A Multilevel Study Of Socioeconomic Position And Physical Activity: Environmental And Individual-level Determinants
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$429,000.00
Summary
Regular physical activity offers many health benefits, whereas inadequate activity is a leading cause of premature death and disability and a major contributor to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity. Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are least likely to be physically active, and they experience higher rates of death and morbidity for conditions directly linked to inactivity. Currently, our understanding of why socioeconomic groups differ in their physical activity is limited ....Regular physical activity offers many health benefits, whereas inadequate activity is a leading cause of premature death and disability and a major contributor to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity. Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are least likely to be physically active, and they experience higher rates of death and morbidity for conditions directly linked to inactivity. Currently, our understanding of why socioeconomic groups differ in their physical activity is limited, and very little research has investigated this issue. This study will investigate why socioeconomic groups differ in their physical activity, by examining the influence of neighbourhood and individual-level factors. Neighbourhood factors include people's access to recreational facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, golf clubs, gyms, local parks, walking and bicycle paths; prices for entry to recreational facilities and opening hours; physical characteristics of the neighbourhood including public transport, presence of footpaths and street lighting, speed limits on local streets, availability of local services such as shops and schools, and; aesthetic characteristics, such as the presence and size of parks and green spaces, and traffic density. Individual factors include personal enjoyment, knowledge, confidence, type of occupation and hours worked, family responsibilities, age, health status, and whether other family member or friends engage in physical activity. A major aim of the study is to determine whether environmental or individual factors are more important in influencing participation in physical activity. The study will produce new knowledge to inform future public health strategies directed at increasing physical activity among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, and these will have the potential to reduce socioeconomic health inequalities, as well as contribute to an overall reduction of the disease burden attributable to chronic conditions.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100099
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$154,000.00
Summary
Online dietary assessment for research: The Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall System for Australia (ASA24-Aus). Online dietary assessment for research: the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall System for Australia: This project brings together key researchers nationally in the field of nutrition and dietetics to develop a standardised, high quality, online system to assess food intake among adults across a variety of research settings and study designs. The propose ....Online dietary assessment for research: The Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall System for Australia (ASA24-Aus). Online dietary assessment for research: the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall System for Australia: This project brings together key researchers nationally in the field of nutrition and dietetics to develop a standardised, high quality, online system to assess food intake among adults across a variety of research settings and study designs. The proposed infrastructure is an Australian version of the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall (ASA24) in collaboration with the United States National Cancer Institute. The infrastructure is internationally renowned and will underpin research that builds the evidence-base for policies and programs in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Read moreRead less
Cash Transfers And Behaviour Change Communications To Reduce Child Undernutrition In Rural Bangladesh: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial To Determine The Most Effective Combination Of Interventions.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,415,801.00
Summary
Under-nutrition of children remains a major global public health problem. Tackling this problem will require more evidence about what combination of nutrition-specific and nutrition sensitive interventions is most effective in reducing child undernutrition. We plan a large scale trial in rural Bangladesh to compare the effects of communications about nutrition with mobile phones and cash transfers in preventing child malnutrition.
Many dietary recommendations are inconsistent and based on inadequate research based on 1970s technologies. As a result, the current recommendations are almost impossible to meet from foods, without nutritional supplements. Using state-of-the-art technology, this research aims to redefine the nutritional requirements omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, iron and iodine, as well as the correct balance of energy producing macronutrients in the diet of mothers and their children.
PEACH: Patient Engagement And Coaching For Health: An Intensive Treatment Intervention For Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$304,300.00
Summary
Diabetes care is a partnership between health professionals and patients, but each faces difficulties in optimising medical care. The PEACH study exoplores how practice nurses can work with patients to empower them to manage their own condition and medicines better and be more active in working with their doctor to improve their diabetes control. The study could have important implications for patients and the way Governments fund primary care.
Understanding meal patterns: developing the evidence-base for nutrition messages. Little is known about the format, structure or context of meal patterns despite their importance for health. This project will examine the predictors of meal patterns of Australians. This will provide new information which will facilitate the design of more effective ways to communicate with consumers about healthy eating.