Discovering Optimal Weight Loss Interventions To Prevent Osteoarthritis In Obesity Through The Lens Of Early Biomarkers: The TANGO Diet Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, and an obese population increases the disease burden of OA. Weight-loss is the first line management for symptom relief but is unclear whether weight loss can prevent OA changes in the joint. Biological OA markers can pick up early disease changes long before any signs on routine X-ray. My research will look at the effect of weight loss by very low energy diet on early OA biomarker in patients with overweight or obesity.
GENETIC PREDICTION OF FRACTURE IN A RISK-STRATIFIED POPULATION
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$363,000.00
Summary
Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by excessive bone loss and impaired bone quality, which ultimately results in fracture with minimal trauma. Osteoporosis affects 27% of women and 11% of men aged 60 years or above in the community, and costs Australia around $7 billion each year. Individuals with low bone mineral density (BMD) have a significantly higher risk of fracture than those with normal BMD. In the long-term (14-year) Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study, more than half of indivi ....Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by excessive bone loss and impaired bone quality, which ultimately results in fracture with minimal trauma. Osteoporosis affects 27% of women and 11% of men aged 60 years or above in the community, and costs Australia around $7 billion each year. Individuals with low bone mineral density (BMD) have a significantly higher risk of fracture than those with normal BMD. In the long-term (14-year) Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study, more than half of individuals with osteoporosis (e.g., low BMD) did not sustain a fracture, while approximately 60% of fracture cases had BMD above the high risk levels. Thus, BMD alone is not a good discriminant of fracture versus non-fracture cases. It is widely known that the liability to fracture is determined in part by genes. Previous studies, including from our group, have suggested a number of candidate genes that are associated with fracture risk. The fundamental issue that this study is concerned is that how and whether genetic markers could be used to facilitate case finding. It is proposed that common variations of certain genes are associated with fracture risk independent of BMD. That is, they can identify individuals at relatively high and low fracture risk after stratification for BMD. Hence, some markers may identify those individuals likely (and unlikely) to fracture even with low (osteoporotic) BMD. Similarly, some, possibly the same, markers may identify individuals at high risk of fracture despite relatively good (ie non-osteoporotic) BMD. It is further proposed that no single gene will achieve this outcome, but rather a small set of such gene polymorphisms will provide clinically useful risk information. This effect is entirely analogous to the use of clinical risk indicators (eg, age, weight, sex, family history, etc) to assess the risk of future fracture.Read moreRead less
THE CYCLE OF OBESITY: Two Generations Of A Pregnancy Cohort To Investigate Obesity Epigenetics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,117,795.00
Summary
Obesity has increased 3-5 fold in the last fifty years, overtaking smoking as the greatest killer. In recent history, each generation has experienced greater amounts of obesity and at younger ages. Being exposed in the womb to mother’s obesity transmits the risk to the child, possibly by changing our epigenetic profile and how our DNA code is read. We need to break this vicious cycle. This study is a world first, investigating 2 generations with respect to obesity and epigenetic profiles.
High Protein, Low Glycemic Load Weight Loss Diets In Type 2 Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$906,928.00
Summary
High protein, low glycemic load weight loss diets have the potential to be of value in long term weight control but there is little long term data available. There is also some uncertainty about the long term safety of high protein diets and this needs clarification in long term trials. As compliance to the diet is the major issue in long term trials we will explore new ways of getting people to stay in long term studies and maintain a calorie reduced diet.
Monitoring Bone Loss And Response To Therapy Through Bone Material And Structural Composition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$696,111.00
Summary
Millions of scripts are filled for treatment of osteoporosis. However, there is no way of knowing if these drugs are right for these individuals, if it improves bone strength or are actually doing harm. Bone density measurement is of limited value. We have developed a new analysis method that measures changes in bone structure that tell us if the treatment is or is not working so alternative treatment can be used. The aim of this study is to test this new method.
Obesity And Its Metabolic Associations In Relation To Bariatric Surgery And Maternal-fetal Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$140,949.00
Summary
My research will examine the effects of maternal obesity, diabetes and smoking on outcomes evidence at birth in the offspring. Bariatric surgery is the most effective means to achieve sustained weight loss in obese patients and may improve metabolic abnormalities and complications. My research will explore the benefits of bariatric surgery in obese patients with type 2 diabetes with or without the addition of a glucose-like peptite-1 (GLP-1) agonist, liraglutide.