Advanced Non-invasive Cardiovascular Risk Screening In The Community: Practical And Cost Effective?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$287,321.00
Summary
This research focuses on the practicalities and cost of mobile, advanced, non-invasive cardiovascular assessments to determine the extent of CVD and clinical risk factors and its likely impact on patterns of treatment and care to “disadvantaged” individuals living in rural and remote regions and Indigenous Australians. The advantage of directly acquiring risk profile information has not been fully explored and its potential to address an “epidemic” of CVD world-wide cannot be overstated.
The effectiveness of pro-active telemarketing of a smoking cessation telephone counselling service. Despite the availability of services, such as telephone support lines to help people quit, only a small number of smokers seek help. One solution is to pro-actively contact and offer support with quitting to smokers in the community. This study will involve pro-actively contacting households by telephone and offering intensive, personalised telephone counselling to smokers to support them in the q ....The effectiveness of pro-active telemarketing of a smoking cessation telephone counselling service. Despite the availability of services, such as telephone support lines to help people quit, only a small number of smokers seek help. One solution is to pro-actively contact and offer support with quitting to smokers in the community. This study will involve pro-actively contacting households by telephone and offering intensive, personalised telephone counselling to smokers to support them in the quitting process. Such a service will provide treatment to smokers who might not otherwise seek assistance to quit, thereby greatly increasing the potential impact of quit smoking services at a community level.Read moreRead less
Do People's Environments Influence Their Habitual Physical Activity?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$196,650.00
Summary
People seem to prefer to drive to the corner shop rather than walking. Or, they will drive the car to work instead of walking to the bus or train. Or, they send off e-mails instead of walking down the corridor at work. The result is that people are not using up the energy that they should and they get fatter. The average weight of many groups of Australians has gone up by several kilograms in the past 10 years. Active people not only have healthier weights. They are less likely to get heart dise ....People seem to prefer to drive to the corner shop rather than walking. Or, they will drive the car to work instead of walking to the bus or train. Or, they send off e-mails instead of walking down the corridor at work. The result is that people are not using up the energy that they should and they get fatter. The average weight of many groups of Australians has gone up by several kilograms in the past 10 years. Active people not only have healthier weights. They are less likely to get heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. But too many people do no exercise at all. Only about 10% of Australians adults do fitness and sporting activities three or more times a week. More than half do not walk, cycle or do anything moderately active on any regular basis. To get people to be regularly active and to stay active, promoting deliberate 'exercise' is not the answer. Making it easier for people to choose to be more active as they go about their daily lives will be more effective. Road transport researchers and geographers have a lot to offer to health researchers. They have found that where there are footpaths and cycle ways, where shops and businesses are close by or where the roads make it easy and safe to get from place to place, people are much more likely to walk or ride bikes. We can now use large, complex computerised databases (called Geographic Information Systems) to put together this type of information on peoples' local environments. We will combine these 'geographic' data with other information from surveys on people's physical activity, exercise and transport habits. Starting our research in this way, we will be able to work out whether there are factors in people's local environments that really do make them less active. Governments, health planners and local councils will use this information to find ways to create communities that are more activity-friendly. This will have real health benefits.Read moreRead less
Embedding Sustainable Physical Activity Into The Everyday Life Of Adults With Intellectual Disability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,613.00
Summary
Adults with intellectual disability are much less physically active than the general community. In Australia, only around half the proportion of adults with intellectual disability compared with the general community meet national guidelines for physical activity. The overarching aim of the project is to sustainably increase physical activity in everyday life among adults with intellectual disability, at least to the level of the general community, to significantly improve their fitness and well ....Adults with intellectual disability are much less physically active than the general community. In Australia, only around half the proportion of adults with intellectual disability compared with the general community meet national guidelines for physical activity. The overarching aim of the project is to sustainably increase physical activity in everyday life among adults with intellectual disability, at least to the level of the general community, to significantly improve their fitness and well-being.Read moreRead less
An Intervention To Improve The Nutrition And Physical Activity Behaviours In Mothers With Young Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$474,780.00
Summary
The aim of the project is to develop, implement and evaluate a six-month community based intervention that will improve the nutrition and physical activity behaviours of mothers with young children. As mothers are a major influence among the family, an intervention that successfully improves physical activity and nutrition behaviours will also impact on behaviours of the whole family making it a 'whole family' approach.
Coping in the face of life adversity. A model of resilience for stroke survivors. Little is known about the resilience processes of adults, particularly following severe and chronic illnesses. The purpose of this study is to address this lack in knowledge by testing a model of resilience following stroke. Outcomes will be used to develop educative and preventative programs for adults and also to assist a higher percentage of stroke survivors to adapt better to their changed lives.
The Population-health Science Of Sedentary Behaviour: An Integrated Approach To Understanding Environments, Prolonged Sitting And Adverse Health Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,009,478.00
Summary
Australians are ‘sitters’ -- at home, at work and in the car. Most do not do exercise, nor participate in sports. This leads to weight gain and risk of disease: notably type 2 diabetes, heart disease, breast and colon cancer. Professor Owen will identify why prolonged sitting can be so unhealthy; how our neighbourhoods, homes, work and cars make us sit too much; why some people are more susceptible to ‘couch potato’ lifestyles; and, the associated social and environmental impacts
Physical Activity And Nutrition For Seniors (PANS)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$477,956.00
Summary
Research has shown that participation in physical activity and the consumption of a healthy diet for older people can produce significant health benefits. The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate a low cost, accessible, sustainable and replicable, home based physical activity and nutrition program for older people aged 55 to 70 that will ultimately reduce chronic disease (obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease), and improve mental health.
Impact Of The Extension Of The Sydney Light Rail System On The Prevalence Of Physical Activity Participation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$105,647.00
Summary
Regular participation in physical activity is associated with a range of physical and mental health benefits in adults, including reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, non-insulin dependent diabetes, overweight, hypertension, osteoporosis, some cancers and anxiety and depression. Regular participation in physical activity also improves the ability to meet the demands of work and to engage in leisure activities. Approximately half of all adult Australians are insufficiently active to gain the ....Regular participation in physical activity is associated with a range of physical and mental health benefits in adults, including reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, non-insulin dependent diabetes, overweight, hypertension, osteoporosis, some cancers and anxiety and depression. Regular participation in physical activity also improves the ability to meet the demands of work and to engage in leisure activities. Approximately half of all adult Australians are insufficiently active to gain the many health benefits associated with participation in regular physical activity. Modification of the physical environment is one avenue through which the prevalence of physcial activity participation might be increased. More specifically, there has been considerable speculation about the role of public transportation systems in increasing the proportion of adults who are adequately physically active, but no empirical evidence is available. This study will employ a quasi-experimental design to determine if the extension of the Sydney Light Rail System to Lilyfield results in an increase in the prevalence of physical activity (primarily walking) in the affected area, in comparison with a demographically similar area which is not affected by the light rail extension.Read moreRead less
The Development Of Overweight And Bone Density Among Adolescent Girls: A 3-year Prospective Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$280,351.00
Summary
Being overweight as an adolescent is associated with many health problems, both during adolescence and throughout the rest of the life span. The proportion of Australian adults who are overweight is increasing rapidly and it appears that overweight is also increasing among Australian adolescents. Unfortunately, little is known about the relative influences of physical activity, sedentary activity and dietary fat intake on the development of overweight among adolescents. Understanding this issue ....Being overweight as an adolescent is associated with many health problems, both during adolescence and throughout the rest of the life span. The proportion of Australian adults who are overweight is increasing rapidly and it appears that overweight is also increasing among Australian adolescents. Unfortunately, little is known about the relative influences of physical activity, sedentary activity and dietary fat intake on the development of overweight among adolescents. Understanding this issue will inform our efforts to prevent the development of overweight and to maintain healthy weight among Australian adolescents. Bone fractures among older adults have a major impact on their overall health, quality of life and capacity for independent and satisfying living. Peak bone strength is reached during adolescence and, although bone strength can be largely maintained though adult life with appropriate diet and physical activity, little can be done to further strengthen bones during adulthood. The goal of public health is to foster the development of maximum bone strength among adolescents in order to reduce the severity of osteoporosis among the older adults of the future. Our understanding of the factors which influence the development of maximum bone strength is inadequate to the task of designing programs and interventions intended maximise bone strength among the current generation of adolescents. This proposed study is intended to make a significant contribution to our understanding of the development of overweight and bone strength among adolescents. As our understanding of these health issues improves we will be able to make more effective contributions to the health of the Australian population, both during adolescence and across the lifespan.Read moreRead less