IMPROVING THE FOOD SUPPLY TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF NUTRITION-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$338,945.00
Summary
My project will examine the healthiness of the Australian food supply with the goal of identifying where reformulation activities will have the greatest impact on the health of Australians. The results will be used to inform policies designed to enhance the healthiness of the food supply, and will make a significant contribution to the understanding of dietary intake and the food supply in Australia, and will help reduce the ever-increasing burden of nutrition-related chronic disease.
Improving The Healthiness Of The Foods In Australian Supermarkets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
This project proposes to better understand the role of supermarkets on influencing the healthiness of the food supply. Three studies are planned which evaluate the evidence for the effect of supermarket standards on the food supply, determine whether providing nutritional data to a supermarket can change the healthiness of their food products, and identify factors that influence the development and use of supermarket standards to improve their foods.
Supporting Research Underpinning Evidence Based Practice: Dietary Assessment In Clinical Trials
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$244,674.00
Summary
Dietary change is a significant lifestyle factor in managing the epidemics of obesity and diabetes. Uncovering the details of effective dietary change requires accurate user friendly dietary assessment and advice tools. This research will develop state of the art tools for use in research and practice.
Investigating Molecular Mechanisms To Better Understand The Recent Rise In Food Allergy Prevalence In Australian Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,449.00
Summary
The prevalence of food allergies in Australia and abroad has risen drastically posing a major preventable public health burden. Further basic research is required and this program aims to make a substantial contribution towards understanding the underlying mechanisms of pediatric food allergy.
The Role Of Gastric Vagal Afferents In The Food Intake Reducing Effect Of Oestradiol
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$317,739.00
Summary
Regulation of food intake is paramount for maintaining health. Nerves from the stomach serve as important regulators of food intake. These nerves can be modulated by chemical substances; however the importance of this modulation is not well defined. The sex steroid, oestradiol, has potent food intake reducing effects, but the mechanism for this is poorly understood. Thus, this fellowship will examine the role that oestradiol has in regulating food intake by acting on nerves within the stomach.
Understanding The Influence Of Agricultural Trade Policy On Food Consumption Patterns, Malnutrition, And Chronic Disease In Thailand And Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,963.00
Summary
Trade policy is often developed without consideration of its effects on health. The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and New Zealand are key trading partners of Australia. Thus the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) was established in 2009. This project aims to analyse the effect of the agricultural trade component of the AANZFTA on food consumption patterns, malnutrition, obesity and chronic disease in Thailand and Australia.
Mapping The Neural Circuits Involved In Appetite And Feeding Behaviour
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$404,892.00
Summary
My research project involves deconstructing the neural circuitry underlying feeding behaviour using innovative genetically-based methods. I aim to identify and characterise the major projections of the oxytocin-expressing neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, which have recently been identified as critical in the feeding neurocircuitry. This emerging field of research is predicted to transform our understanding and treatment of disorders such as obesity and anorexia nervosa.
Novel Methods To Diagnose Clinical Egg Allergy And Predict Prognostic Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Australia has the highest rate of food allergy in the world. Despite ongoing research into the area, there is currently no cure, with patient avoidance the most effective way to prevent food reactions. A food challenge is the gold standard for food allergy diagnosis. Although definitive, it is associated with a risk of anaphylaxis. My research aims to identify the biological differences between having food allergy and not having food allergy to develop novel diagnostic methods.