Metabolically Healthy Obesity: An Investigation Of Its Predictors And Outcomes Across The Lifecourse
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$337,031.00
Summary
Obesity is a major health problem with 30% of Australian adults being obese. Despite attention on the health impact of obesity and programs to reduce weight, maintaining weight loss is difficult. However, not all obese individuals are at higher risk of disease. This research will examine the behavioural and genetic factors of these individuals and their risk of disease. The findings may inform new treatments for obesity that focus less on weight loss and more on health.
Dietary Patterns, Cognitive Performance And Cardiovascular Risk Factors In Australia, The United States And Luxembourg: An International Comparison And Dietary Intervention Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$347,227.00
Summary
Ageing and the growing obesity epidemic are two contributing factors to cognitive decline. This research will identify dietary patterns that are associated with better cognitive function using data from individuals in Australia, the United States and Europe, and be used to guide dietary strategies to prevent or slow cognitive decline in at-risk individuals. Delaying or preventing the onset of dementia will save the Australian health care system billions of dollars.
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.
Mediterranean Diet And Mortality: Analysis Of Longitudinal Dietary Patterns Using Newly Developed Statistical Methods
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,547.00
Summary
Assessment of the effect of changes in diet of health has not undergone rigourous analytical assessment in the scientific literature. This proposal focusses on patterns of change over time in a Mediterranean diet in 41,000 persons in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. It will assess the benefits of adoption and maintenance of this diet over an extended period, as well as determining how the benefits of the diet depend on a person's age at its adoption, and how the benefits of the diet int ....Assessment of the effect of changes in diet of health has not undergone rigourous analytical assessment in the scientific literature. This proposal focusses on patterns of change over time in a Mediterranean diet in 41,000 persons in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. It will assess the benefits of adoption and maintenance of this diet over an extended period, as well as determining how the benefits of the diet depend on a person's age at its adoption, and how the benefits of the diet interplay with other potential lifestyle changes.Read moreRead less
A National Case-Control Study Of The Causes Of Childhood Brain Tumours
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,159,259.00
Summary
Childhood brain tumours are the second most common childhood cancer (~20%) after leukaemia (~35%) and are the leading cause of cancer death among children. Children who survive a brain tumour are often left with physical and mental problems as a result of treatment. This can have a significant impact on the child, family and community. Greater understanding of the causes of childhood brain tumours may lead to preventative measures. Most children with brain tumours are very young, suggesting that ....Childhood brain tumours are the second most common childhood cancer (~20%) after leukaemia (~35%) and are the leading cause of cancer death among children. Children who survive a brain tumour are often left with physical and mental problems as a result of treatment. This can have a significant impact on the child, family and community. Greater understanding of the causes of childhood brain tumours may lead to preventative measures. Most children with brain tumours are very young, suggesting that factors to which parents are exposed may affect future children. For this reason, it is important to study the parents as well as the child. This study will investigate environmental exposures known to be harmful, such as parental cigarette smoking and exposure to pesticides and other chemicals. Such exposures are also thought to increase the risk of other childhood cancers like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. We will also investigate whether dietary factors - including vitamin supplements - in the parents or the child can reduce the risk of a child developing a brain tumour. This study also examines genetic factors which can influence the body's ability to deal with toxins. Some genetic variations, combined with diet and lifestyle factors, may alter the risk of developing some cancers. These interactions need to be examined in greater detail for childhood brain tumours. This national study will examine specific genes and analyse them in conjunction with rigorous assessment of exposures throught to be related to the development of childhood brain tumours. Results obtained from children with brain tumours and their parents will be compared with those from healthy 'control' children and their parents. This is the first study to assess gene-environment interactions in relation to the risk of childhood brain tumours.Read moreRead less
Case-Control Study Of Genetic And Environmental Risk Factors For Pancreatic Carcinoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,003,411.00
Summary
Pancreatic carcinoma is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in developed countries, and is approximately sixty percent more common in men than in women. In Australia approximately 1800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and there are a similar number of deaths. The five-year survival is less than five percent, and the majority of patients die within the first year. Surgery is frequently not possible due to the advanced stage of disease at diagnosis, and chemotherapy i ....Pancreatic carcinoma is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in developed countries, and is approximately sixty percent more common in men than in women. In Australia approximately 1800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and there are a similar number of deaths. The five-year survival is less than five percent, and the majority of patients die within the first year. Surgery is frequently not possible due to the advanced stage of disease at diagnosis, and chemotherapy is largely ineffective. A better understanding of the causes of pancreatic cancer is essential in order to develop strategies to prevent this lethal cancer. Currently the causes of pancreatic cancer are poorly understood. Family history and smoking probably account for approximately 30% of cases, but for the remainder the cause is unknown. This study will assess a new hypothesis, namely that too much acid in the stomach possibly caused by infection with a bacterial organism, could increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. We will include people who are diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas (cases), and match these to people selected from the electoral roll who have not ever been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (controls). Participants will be asked a series of detailed questions about their diet, smoking, occupation and medical history. We will collect blood to look for antibodies to the bacteria and to examine specific genes, and we will compare all these factors in cases and controls. This is one of the first large studies of pancreatic cancer in Australia and we will take an integrated approach to examining interactions between genetics and exposure to environmental factors.Read moreRead less