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Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
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Is Sedentary Behaviour (too Much Sitting) A Distinct Risk For Cardiovascular Disease?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$342,666.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are significant and prevalent public health problems. Physical activity can decrease the risk for these conditions. However, reducing prolonged sitting may also be important. This research will add crucial new evidence on the role of sitting time in type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and will help with future decisions about whether reducing prolonged sitting at home and at work should be taken as seriously as promoting exercise for good health.
IDENTIFYING AND MODIFYING LIFESTYLE RISK FACTORS TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder affecting ~25000 Australians. Promising evidence is emerging that modifying lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, exercise, stress and vitamin D can affect the disease and health outcomes. I propose to study the effects of these factors over time, and to design an online intervention targeting these risk factors. The intervention, if found effective, can be incorporated into MS management to help people with MS live healthier for longer.
Catalytic Questions: Facilitating Evidence-based Partnerships Between Health Professionals And Health Consumers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$199,117.00
Summary
This research program will address the key issues of encouraging consumers to be more actively involved in their healthcare by testing the effectiveness of a set of questions to prompt doctors to discuss evidence. The program will go on to investigate ways to encourage patients to ask those questions when consulting with their healthcare practitioner and will develop an education program for consumers to learn more about how make smart health choices.
Developing Innovative, Effective And Evidence-based Dietary Interventions For Prevention And Treatment Of Child Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$288,650.00
Summary
Obesity rates for Australian children continue to rise. Reversing this trend remains a key challenge in establishing a strong foundation early in childhood for a long and healthy life. How to help children and families balance food intake with activity levels in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight remains unclear. This research program aims to inform best practice about which food patterns and dietary advice are more best in helping families eat well and reverse the obesity epidemic.
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a common complication of pregnancy with significant consequences. Early identification and lifestyle intervention can prevent GDM, but the best early screening test is unknown. Our primary aim is to validate our first trimester screening test for GDM in a large multi-ethnic cohort to accurately predict high-risk women and intervene early, preventing GDM onset and improving pregnancy outcomes, including long-term risk of obesity in the offspring.
Targeting Depression For The Primary Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD): The Role Of Diet In Risk Reduction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$311,860.00
Summary
Traditionally, efforts to prevent people from developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) like heart disease have focused on reducing smoking and alcohol intake and improving physical activity and diet. There is now evidence that having depression might also lead to CVD and that unhealthy eating might contribute to this relationship. This research will determine whether targeting people with depression and improving their mood through healthy eating ultimately reduces their CVD risk.
Improving Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Of Preterm Infants
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$312,085.00
Summary
In Australia over 20,000 babies are born preterm each year. Preterm babies are at risk of long term developmental problems including movement, learning and behavioural impairments. This research will examine both neurodevelopment and brain development of very preterm (born <30 weeksÍ gestation) and late preterm (32-36 weeksÍ gestation) babies from birth to into early childhood so that we can understand how gestational age at birth relates to development, brain growth and interventions.