Improving Metabolic Fitness In Aboriginal And Torres Straight Islander Women: A Pragmatic Controlled Trial Of Waist Loss
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$556,193.00
Summary
Torres Strait Islanders have the highest prevalence of diabetes in Australia and weight gain in young women can increase further the risk of diabetes for themselves and their babies. Waist loss can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. A pilot study in the Torres Strait in 2007, has demonstrated that this is achievable and acceptable in young Indigenous women. This proposal aims to conduct a larger trial, to look at effectiveness and sustainability of waist loss in young women.
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Of An Innovative Intervention To Increase Childrens Physical Activity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$505,530.00
Summary
Rates of childhood obesity are increasing and outdoor free play is decreasing. Research suggests that these patterns are inter-related, and that adults perceive outdoor free play to be risky for children. In this study we will reprioritise play, reframe teachers' perceptions of risk and modify the playground environment to increase children's physical activity. We will assess the effectiveness of this simple, cost-effective intervention in a randomised controlled trial.
Central Neural Mechanisms Underlying The Effect Of Endocannabinoids On Body Weight
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$377,793.00
Summary
Obesity and its associated pathologies of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, stroke, predisposition to some cancers and infertility in women no longer needs to be justified as a major health issue in modern societies. In fact it is quickly becoming recognised as the major threat to world health. Recently, the anecdotal evidence for increased food intake, particularly the craving of high carbohydrate, high sugar foods, associated with the use of marijuana has been put into a therapeutic cont ....Obesity and its associated pathologies of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, stroke, predisposition to some cancers and infertility in women no longer needs to be justified as a major health issue in modern societies. In fact it is quickly becoming recognised as the major threat to world health. Recently, the anecdotal evidence for increased food intake, particularly the craving of high carbohydrate, high sugar foods, associated with the use of marijuana has been put into a therapeutic context. Specifically a cannabinoid receptor antagonist, rimonabant (currently undergoing trials as Accomplia) has become a central player in the race for an obesity therapy because of its effects in blocking the brain receptors that would normally respond to cannabinoid like compounds in the brain that tend to increase food intake. Despite the trials that are underway in Europe and the USA many of the central actions of the naturally occurring cannabinoids in the brain, the so-called endocannabinoids are very poorly understood. This series of experiments utilizing the best technologies available will address basic questions relating to the brain pathways involved and even the extent to which weight loss associated with the administration of these drugs to rats and presumably humans is dependent on the reduction of food intake or the burning of energy in a process called thermogenesis. These are essential pieces of information if this type of compound is to be considered as a serious contender in the search for an obesity therapyRead moreRead less
Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Brief GP Intervention To Reduce Overweight In Victorian Primary School Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$662,600.00
Summary
Childhood overweight and obesity is one of the most pressing public health problems of our time. The aim of this study is to lower the levels of overweight and mild obesity in children aged 5-9 years, through sustainable family and child nutritional and-or physical activity behavioural choices that can be implemented by general practitioners (GPs). This trial addresses the urgent need identified in the 2003 NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Childr ....Childhood overweight and obesity is one of the most pressing public health problems of our time. The aim of this study is to lower the levels of overweight and mild obesity in children aged 5-9 years, through sustainable family and child nutritional and-or physical activity behavioural choices that can be implemented by general practitioners (GPs). This trial addresses the urgent need identified in the 2003 NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents for simple, well-designed intervention studies which can be translated into usual clinical practice. Effective and coordinated universal prevention, secondary prevention and management services will all be needed to reduce the problem, and a great deal of research is needed in all of these. This proposal addresses the most neglected area of research - secondary prevention in the primary care sector. Through our previous research, we have already showed that this approach is feasible and acceptable to families and GPs. Our multidisciplinary research team is well-established, and we are not aware of any other research team in Australia that has the capacity and expertise to conduct this research at this point in time. In this randomised controlled trial, we expect a halving in the rate of gain in BMI over 6 and 12 months. This would equate to the average participant achieving a BMI of 25 (verging on overweight) rather than 30 (obese) by adulthood. If effective, we expect the following outcomes: 1) The adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle behaviours in that segment of the population which has most to gain over a lifetime - overweight and obese children 2) Documentation that general practitioners can make a significant contribution to combating the childhood obesity epidemic 3) A replicable, feasible, cost-effective primary care approach to childhood overweight-obesity tailored to the Australian health care system.Read moreRead less
This proposal is designed to test the protein leverage hypothesis (PLH) in humans: the idea that the level of food consumption in humans, like other animals, is adjusted to maintain a target protein intake. As the prevalence of overweight and obesity increases, with its attendant health problems, the need to identify which dietary components limit rather than exacerbate energy intake is imperative. According to the PLH, the consumption of a diet low in % protein and high in % fat and carbohydrat ....This proposal is designed to test the protein leverage hypothesis (PLH) in humans: the idea that the level of food consumption in humans, like other animals, is adjusted to maintain a target protein intake. As the prevalence of overweight and obesity increases, with its attendant health problems, the need to identify which dietary components limit rather than exacerbate energy intake is imperative. According to the PLH, the consumption of a diet low in % protein and high in % fat and carbohydrate, typical of many Western countries, inevitably requires the ingestion of additional energy to maintain protein intake constant, thus driving weight gain. Conversely, the consumption of a diet that is relatively high in % protein requires the ingestion of lower levels of energy, creating the potential for weight loss. Preliminary experimental and population-level nutritional survey data support the PLH, as does the finding that protein is more satiating than other macronutrients. If, as predicted, small changes in the proportion of protein in diets described in the current study are found to impact on total energy intake there will be significant implications for weight control strategies. Thus, if the PLH is confirmed, public health dietary recommendations and government policy settings for the food industry will need to change. Large-scale intervention studies aimed at demonstrating the longer term impact on body weight will also be required.Read moreRead less
CNS Peptides Involved In The Control Of Thermogenesis And Body Weight
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,750.00
Summary
There is currently an obesity epidemic in all industrialised countries which has an associated impact on cardiovascular disease and associated pathologies such as type 2 diabetes. Current therapeutic strategies have focussed on reducing food intake but, as evidenced by the continuation of this epidemic, these have had limited success. An alternative approach, which is the subject of this project, is to determine and modify the central mediators controlling energy expenditure. We will bring a raf ....There is currently an obesity epidemic in all industrialised countries which has an associated impact on cardiovascular disease and associated pathologies such as type 2 diabetes. Current therapeutic strategies have focussed on reducing food intake but, as evidenced by the continuation of this epidemic, these have had limited success. An alternative approach, which is the subject of this project, is to determine and modify the central mediators controlling energy expenditure. We will bring a raft of new technologies to examine this question and potentially identify new avenues for therapeutic intervention in obesity.Read moreRead less
Effect Of Lifestyle Factors On Knee Cartilage Volume And Rate Of Cartilage Loss In A Normal Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$236,500.00
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) has been described by the WHO as a potential epidemic and a major health and care services cost driver in an aging society. OA has the largest impact on burden of disease borne in later life. This has been acknowledged by its listing as the 7th health priority in Australia. To date, most research has focused on treating the resulting pain and disability. However, in order to reduce the burden of OA, identifying modifiable risk factors in the normal population is important. Th ....Osteoarthritis (OA) has been described by the WHO as a potential epidemic and a major health and care services cost driver in an aging society. OA has the largest impact on burden of disease borne in later life. This has been acknowledged by its listing as the 7th health priority in Australia. To date, most research has focused on treating the resulting pain and disability. However, in order to reduce the burden of OA, identifying modifiable risk factors in the normal population is important. This proposal aims to identify life-style factors, such as diet, physical activity and obesity that effect knee cartilage health in healthy subjects, thereby identifying potential targets for future prevention of OA. This will provide us with the opportunity to promote a better quality of life as people age and reduce the economic burden on the community.Read moreRead less
Positive Feeding Practices And Food Preferences In Very Early Childhood - A Primary Care Obesity Prevention Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,459,238.00
Summary
The more than 1:5 and rapidly increasing number of overweight Australian children are at a substantially increased risk of becoming fat adults resulting in increased illness, mortality, health care burden and costs. Adult eating habits are influenced and formed by food preferences and capacity to self-regulate in response to behaviours developed in childhood. Thus parent feeding practices in very early childhood are critical. This study aims to show that a program of parent education and peer su ....The more than 1:5 and rapidly increasing number of overweight Australian children are at a substantially increased risk of becoming fat adults resulting in increased illness, mortality, health care burden and costs. Adult eating habits are influenced and formed by food preferences and capacity to self-regulate in response to behaviours developed in childhood. Thus parent feeding practices in very early childhood are critical. This study aims to show that a program of parent education and peer support to initiate and maintain positive feeding practices in very young children (6-10 months) will (1) promote healthy eating behaviours and (2) prevent excess weight gain and overweight in children. A successsful intervention will provide evidence for policies and programs that can be implemented within a large primary care service to equip and support mothers-carers in developing the confidence and skills to introduce positive feeding practices in very early childhood. This is consistent with current community interest in early childhood as the foundation for health and well-being.Read moreRead less
An obesity epidemic is evident in first world countries including Australia. Twenty seven percent of men aged 55-64 in this country are obese. Obesity results in increased mortality and morbidity from type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal disease and endometrial cancer, among others. Given our flaccid lifestyles, it is imperative that the metabolic processes underlying obesity be fully understood, to allow development of suitable treatment modalities. This proposal seeks to establish an ....An obesity epidemic is evident in first world countries including Australia. Twenty seven percent of men aged 55-64 in this country are obese. Obesity results in increased mortality and morbidity from type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal disease and endometrial cancer, among others. Given our flaccid lifestyles, it is imperative that the metabolic processes underlying obesity be fully understood, to allow development of suitable treatment modalities. This proposal seeks to establish an important new element in our understanding of the development of obesity, the transcription factor STAT5. With previous NHMRC support, we developed sophisticated genetically modified mice which lack defined signalling processes initiated by growth hormone, an anti-obesity agent. These studies showed a strong correlation between ability to activate STAT5 and resistance to obesity. There is fragmentary literature evidence to support our hypothesis, which could also explain some of leptins anti-obesity actions. Using mice which lack STAT5, we shall establish a role for STAT5 as an antiobesity agent. The actions of STAT5 are normally blocked by feedback inhibitors referred to as SOCS, discovered by Australians. We shall define which SOCS is the feedback regulator for obesity control, allowing us to develop specific anti-SOCS agents which will act as novel anti-obesity agents.Read moreRead less
An RCT To Promote Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours From Infancy: An Intervention To Prevent Childhood Overweight
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,631.00
Summary
In Australia, one in four school-aged children is currently overweight and childhood obesity rates are continuing to rise. In the last five years it has become clear that rates of overweight and obesity are also rapidly increasing in pre-school age children. These are issues that are of concern to health officials as well as to parents. We understand that these rising rates in fatness relate to children's diet and activity patterns, and that these patterns, once established are likely to be patt ....In Australia, one in four school-aged children is currently overweight and childhood obesity rates are continuing to rise. In the last five years it has become clear that rates of overweight and obesity are also rapidly increasing in pre-school age children. These are issues that are of concern to health officials as well as to parents. We understand that these rising rates in fatness relate to children's diet and activity patterns, and that these patterns, once established are likely to be patterns for life. To date, there has been relatively little research regarding the chance to support parents to establish the eating and activity patterns that will protect their children from the very beginning of life. This project seeks to support first-time parents to establish healthy eating and activity behaviours in their children using the highly utilised Maternal and Child Health Centres first time parents' groups. We believe that these groups will provide a strongly supportive environment in which to provide parents with strategies and knowledge for promoting healthy eating and activity patterns for their children, and in turn, promote healthy weight gain. This project will assess the effectiveness of this intervention.Read moreRead less