Scalability Of The Transform-Us! Program To Promote Children's Physical Activity And Reduce Prolonged Sitting In Victorian Primary Schools
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$549,823.00
Summary
Transform-Us! is an innovative primary school program that has been found to substantially increase children’s physical activity levels, reduce sitting time and benefit health. With simple changes to the school and classroom environments and teaching practices (eg, standing lessons) we will work with partners in the education and health systems to translate this program across Victorian primary schools to determine the real-world implementation and impact of this program over 5 years.
Determinants of children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour: a follow-up study from early childhood. This project investigates changes in preschool children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and influences on these changes, during the important period of transition to school. It will provide important information on how we might assist children to be more active, thereby avoiding the detrimental health and social outcomes of inactivity.
Development of a comprehensive model and programmed intervention for emotion processing deficits in childhood-onset mental health problems. This research is in the National Research Priority, promoting and maintaining good health. Mental health problems cost Australia millions of dollars every year as well as creating immeasurable social adversity for individuals and families. The proposed research represents a significant step towards reducing these costs and improving the effectiveness of earl ....Development of a comprehensive model and programmed intervention for emotion processing deficits in childhood-onset mental health problems. This research is in the National Research Priority, promoting and maintaining good health. Mental health problems cost Australia millions of dollars every year as well as creating immeasurable social adversity for individuals and families. The proposed research represents a significant step towards reducing these costs and improving the effectiveness of early intervention and prevention. The research will lead to improvements in methods for early detection of child psychopathology with potential for implementation in both community health and educational services nation-wide. The research partnership will build Australia's capacity for innovative research in the development, early intervention and treatment of mental health problems.Read moreRead less
A study of contemporary family, social and cultural influences on first-time mothers' decisions about infant feeding and early parenting practices. Children who are never breastfed are more likely to experience respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, diabetes and as adults, high blood pressure, obesity and type-2 diabetes. This study of infant feeding decision-making in first-time mothers will inform strategies, grounded in the daily lives of women and families to assist mothers to breastfeed f ....A study of contemporary family, social and cultural influences on first-time mothers' decisions about infant feeding and early parenting practices. Children who are never breastfed are more likely to experience respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, diabetes and as adults, high blood pressure, obesity and type-2 diabetes. This study of infant feeding decision-making in first-time mothers will inform strategies, grounded in the daily lives of women and families to assist mothers to breastfeed for longer particularly in communities where breastfeeding is not the norm. Increased support for breastfeeding women from family, community and health professionals is likely to reduce the distress reported by many new mothers. Strategic application of findings will lead to health gains from increased breastfeeding and translate into significant cost savings for the Australian health system. Read moreRead less
Moving from policy to practice: a randomised trial of an implementation intervention to facilitate the adoption of a statewide healthy canteen policy. This project will test the effectiveness of an intervention in supporting schools to implement a healthy canteen policy mandated by the New South Wales Government. The trial could provide a model for supporting schools to implement school health or education policies which seek to improve the wellbeing of students.
Popping the Bubblewrap, Unleashing the Power of Play. The long-term costs of childhood obesity, bullying and poor mental health are staggering. Despite the investment of billions of dollars for prevention and intervention, the statistics continue to worsen. We offer a simple, sustainable, cost-effective programme of prevention aimed at important national priorities within health and research. We expect to demonstrate a significant effect on children's activity levels, coping and social skills th ....Popping the Bubblewrap, Unleashing the Power of Play. The long-term costs of childhood obesity, bullying and poor mental health are staggering. Despite the investment of billions of dollars for prevention and intervention, the statistics continue to worsen. We offer a simple, sustainable, cost-effective programme of prevention aimed at important national priorities within health and research. We expect to demonstrate a significant effect on children's activity levels, coping and social skills through strategies that are replicable in every school playground in the nation and to contribute to policy regarding play, health, and education.Read moreRead less
Model of care: A family focussed approach to promote child protection. Childhood neglect and abuse is an issue for all Australians. Models of best practice for child protection services are essential to protect the well-being of these children. This project will draw upon information from consumers and workers to provide a framework for a sustainable model of best practice for child protection that is transferable to other settings. A further benefit of this study is that it will provide insight ....Model of care: A family focussed approach to promote child protection. Childhood neglect and abuse is an issue for all Australians. Models of best practice for child protection services are essential to protect the well-being of these children. This project will draw upon information from consumers and workers to provide a framework for a sustainable model of best practice for child protection that is transferable to other settings. A further benefit of this study is that it will provide insight into occupation health and safety issues associated with working in long term relationships with vulnerable families. Read moreRead less
An MRI Study Of Emotional Processing Deficits In Childhood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,985.00
Summary
The ability to recognise and process emotions in other people is fundamental to healthy social interactions. Conduct disordered children with callous and unemotional traits have difficulty recognizing fearful expressions, possibly due to lack of attention to cues such as facial expressions that healthy people naturally attend to. This study will use neuroimaging to determine if brain activity changes to look more like typically developing children if their gaze is redirected to facial cues of em ....The ability to recognise and process emotions in other people is fundamental to healthy social interactions. Conduct disordered children with callous and unemotional traits have difficulty recognizing fearful expressions, possibly due to lack of attention to cues such as facial expressions that healthy people naturally attend to. This study will use neuroimaging to determine if brain activity changes to look more like typically developing children if their gaze is redirected to facial cues of emotion.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101921
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$357,000.00
Summary
Effects of reducing sitting on toddlers’ executive functions: Cluster RCT. The levels of sedentary behaviour are now alarmingly high in toddlers, yet little is known about the effect of this behaviour on cognitive development and executive functions during early childhood. This 15 month cluster randomised controlled trial will examine the effects of reduced sitting time on cognitive development and executive functions in Australian toddlers from low socio-economic families. This project aims to ....Effects of reducing sitting on toddlers’ executive functions: Cluster RCT. The levels of sedentary behaviour are now alarmingly high in toddlers, yet little is known about the effect of this behaviour on cognitive development and executive functions during early childhood. This 15 month cluster randomised controlled trial will examine the effects of reduced sitting time on cognitive development and executive functions in Australian toddlers from low socio-economic families. This project aims to develop and implement evidence-based strategies and policies designed to optimise developmental and health outcomes in young children, specifically in those from a low socio-economic status, thus giving young children the best start in life.Read moreRead less
Women's concepts, beliefs and practices related to the health of their infants and young children: a sociological study. It has been frequently argued that parents should take responsibility for promoting optimal health and development in their children. Little is known, however, about how parents of infants and young children conceptualise 'good health' in relation to their children, what steps they take to promote optimal health and development, how they make decisions about these steps, what ....Women's concepts, beliefs and practices related to the health of their infants and young children: a sociological study. It has been frequently argued that parents should take responsibility for promoting optimal health and development in their children. Little is known, however, about how parents of infants and young children conceptualise 'good health' in relation to their children, what steps they take to promote optimal health and development, how they make decisions about these steps, what sources of information they use, what difficulties they may encounter and what help they need. Insights into these phenomena derived from the proposed project have the potential to inform policy and programs directed at promoting and maintaining good health in the early years of life.Read moreRead less