I am a public health academic leading a multi-disciplinary research team and working with multi-sector partners, studying the impact of the BE on physical and mental health outcomes. My research helps build the evidence required to change policy and pract
A Population-based Study Of Progression And Risk Factors For Age-related Maculopathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$776,022.00
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease, commencing with the less severe age-related maculopathy (ARM), that ultimately can lead to the loss of fine central vision and personal independence. People with advanced AMD generally retain some mobility if their peripheral vision is maintained, but they are unable to perform tasks such as reading, hobbies or recognising people's faces. Unfortunately, the available treatment for AMD, macular laser photocoagulation, benefits only ....Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease, commencing with the less severe age-related maculopathy (ARM), that ultimately can lead to the loss of fine central vision and personal independence. People with advanced AMD generally retain some mobility if their peripheral vision is maintained, but they are unable to perform tasks such as reading, hobbies or recognising people's faces. Unfortunately, the available treatment for AMD, macular laser photocoagulation, benefits only a minority of people with this disease. Until safe and effective treatments for AMD can be developed, identification of major risk factors for the development and progression of AMD is essential to determine if interventions aimed at primary prevention can be initiated. This project will expand on the initial findings of the Visual Impairment Project (VIP), a population-based study of age-related eye disease in a cohort of more than 5000 Victorians aged 40 years and older. Data from the VIP have shown that AMD is the most important ophthalmologic public health problem, particularly since AMD is the major cause of vision impairment in Australia and has the least available treatment options. This study will follow individuals who were identified in the VIP with ARM-AMD to determine the natural history and risk factors associated with the longer term progression of AMD. Particular emphasis will be on determining the role of cardiovascular disease risk factors in AMD progression.Read moreRead less
Inter-relationships Between Life-stage Transitions, Depression And Cardio-metabolic Health In Young Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,325.00
Summary
This study will investigate how social transitions and depression in young Australian adults affect the development of obesity and the adoption or persistence of behaviours that are associated with the risk of heart disease and diabetes. These behaviours include smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity and alcohol consumption. A better understanding of how psychosocial factors influence risk factors for heart disease and diabetes is needed to improve prevention strategies.
Early Predictors And Body Composition Changes Associated With Adiposity Rebound
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,650.00
Summary
Overweight and obesity rates are increasing in children, and overweight children have higher risk of adult obesity and therefore diseases including heart attack, stroke and diabetes. The preschool years may offer opportunities to divert children from the path to obesity, before poor physical activity and nutritional habits become firmly established. Adiposity rebound is the time in a child's life (usually around 5 to 6 years of age) when body mass index (BMI) begins to increase after a steady de ....Overweight and obesity rates are increasing in children, and overweight children have higher risk of adult obesity and therefore diseases including heart attack, stroke and diabetes. The preschool years may offer opportunities to divert children from the path to obesity, before poor physical activity and nutritional habits become firmly established. Adiposity rebound is the time in a child's life (usually around 5 to 6 years of age) when body mass index (BMI) begins to increase after a steady decline in BMI in the preschool years. Early adiposity rebound is associated with increased BMI in later life. We don't yet know whether the early adiposity rebound causes the higher BMI, or whether it is simply an early sign of an already-established pathway of behavioural and environmental risk. We need a much better understanding of predictors of early adiposity rebound and the changes that occur to determine if age at adiposity rebound is a modifiable risk factor for adult obesity. This study will document the process and timing of adiposity rebound and the changes in percent body fat and lean body mass that occur during that time. We will also determine whether risk and protective factors for early adiposity rebound and overweight at age 6 years are the same or different. We will study over 400 children on whom extensive data have been collected since birth, including period of gestation, birth weight and length. At various stages during their first two years of life, height, weight, feeding patterns and development were recorded. We will measure BMI and perform bioimpedance analysis (BIA) on these children six times between 4 and 6 years of age. BIA provides a measure of body fat and lean mass that is well accepted by children. This will help determine the relationship between changing BMI at different ages and the fat-to-lean mass ratios associated with those changes. This study is the first to consider body composition changes during adiposity rebound.Read moreRead less
The Real And Changing Atherothrombotic Disease Burden And Secondary Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$507,387.00
Summary
Absolute numbers of Australians with diseased narrowed blood vessels in the heart, brain or leg are increasing, dominating health priorities and expenditure. By linking Department of Health datasets, without identifying individual's, trends in hospital admissions, prescription of chronic protective medications and the cost consequences to the health system among and across conditions will be determined. The findings will provide quality measures of hospital care and inform quality improvement
Assessing Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk In Aboriginal People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$73,550.00
Summary
Aboriginal Australians have higher death rates from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than other Australians, with rates in young and middle aged people increased 15-fold or more. A multi-factor approach, which considers all the risk factors, is the best strategy to identify and reduce CVD risk. The first step for selection of risk-reduction therapy in an individual is to assess his-her risk status and the benefit of intervention. Several risk assessment tools, incorporating traditional risk factors, ....Aboriginal Australians have higher death rates from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than other Australians, with rates in young and middle aged people increased 15-fold or more. A multi-factor approach, which considers all the risk factors, is the best strategy to identify and reduce CVD risk. The first step for selection of risk-reduction therapy in an individual is to assess his-her risk status and the benefit of intervention. Several risk assessment tools, incorporating traditional risk factors, have been developed from Western populations. They would be most appropriately applied to individuals who resemble the study sample; their validity in Aboriginal Australians has not been evaluated and no risk prediction formulae have been developed specifically for Aboriginal people. Recent reports suggest that a variety of other non-traditional risk factors also influence CVD risk, including markers of central fat deposition, inflammation, nutrition, alcohol use and early growth. Given the disadvantaged circumstances of many Aboriginal people, it is likely that some of the factors are influencing their CVD risk. The applicants have collected baseline risk factor data on volunteers in one Aboriginal community and followed their course, including CVD deaths and CVD hospitalisations, for more than a decade. From this baseline information, which goes beyond traditional risk markers, and from additional measures like birthweight, and markers of inflammation and nutrition assayed in retrieved serum, we will develop a variety of models for predicting a CVD risk in this group. We will also lay plans to evaluate these tools in other Aboriginal groups. A better understanding of the causes of CVD in this population is important to influence public health policy for CVD prevention. The models will be helpful health education tools at the community level and will allow therapeutic or lifestyle intervention in individuals to be targeted at their individual risk profile.Read moreRead less
Metabolic Syndrome, Inflammation And Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Busselton
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$351,300.00
Summary
The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of obesity, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It could affect up to 30% of the population and often leads to diabetes and heart disease. Fatty liver disease is a chronic liver condition that often has no symptoms but can lead to serious liver damage. It could affect up to 25% of the population and is common even in people who drink very little alcohol. The rising prevalence of obesity in Australia suggests that the metabolic synd ....The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of obesity, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It could affect up to 30% of the population and often leads to diabetes and heart disease. Fatty liver disease is a chronic liver condition that often has no symptoms but can lead to serious liver damage. It could affect up to 25% of the population and is common even in people who drink very little alcohol. The rising prevalence of obesity in Australia suggests that the metabolic syndrome and fatty liver disease may be on the increase and therefore so too could diabetes and heart disease which already consume significant health resources. Using the unique health data collection of the Busselton Health Study in Western Australia, this project will help to determine how common these conditions are in Australia and lead to a better understanding of the nature and causes of these conditions including the possible role of chronic inflammation. This important information will be used to provide opportunities for better risk assessment, disease prevention, and earlier intervention.Read moreRead less
Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness And Equity Of Strategies To Reduce The Burden Of Obesity-related Conditions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$46,900.00
Summary
Decision-makers need a systematic, coordinated approach to the targeting and prioritisation of preventive strategies. But the evidence base for obesity interventions is for the most part small, narrow in approach, limited in impact, and lacking in cost-effectiveness and equity information. This thesis will add to the evidence base regarding the nature of the obesity epidemic in Australia and internationally and the relative cost-effectiveness of strategies to reduce the obesity burden.