Determinants Of Inequality In Child Oral Health At School Age–A Prospective Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,229,853.00
Summary
This study aims to examine effects of socioeconomic circumstances as determinants of child oral health conditions, which can be mediated by dietary patterns, use of fluoride and dental service.
The DietAdvice Website A New Innovation For Dietitians In Clinical Practice.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$140,975.00
Summary
Due to the growing incidence of obesity within Australia, use of computer technology may be a method of targeting these people by increasing access to dietary services. Currently available dietary software in the Australian context only allows analysis of nutrient information. Thus when a dietitian sees a patient they must manually translate food intake to nutrient information, a largely time consuming exercise. DietAdvice is a website that was developed for people to enter in their own food int ....Due to the growing incidence of obesity within Australia, use of computer technology may be a method of targeting these people by increasing access to dietary services. Currently available dietary software in the Australian context only allows analysis of nutrient information. Thus when a dietitian sees a patient they must manually translate food intake to nutrient information, a largely time consuming exercise. DietAdvice is a website that was developed for people to enter in their own food intakes. The food information is sent to a dietitian who develops individualised dietary advice for them. A pilot study of the website has already found it to be feasible in the primary healthcare setting. Tested for 12 months the website was used by 224 patients from GP practices in the Illawarra region of NSW. Approximately 73% of patients were overweight and patients with a high BMI were 1.88 times more likely to use the website in the comfort of their home. Further research about the website however was needed. The research to follow on from the pilot study will aim to refine the DietAdvice website, leading towards its commercialisation for dietitians in clinical practice. The research will be broken into 3 phases. Phase 1 will involve a usability test of the website, assessing the underlying algorithms and testing it with dietitians in private practice. Phase 2 will see volunteers using the website on multiple occasions after being given pre-weighed amounts of food to eat. This will determine how reliable and accurate the information is; and phase 3 will evaluate whether the website is cost effective and if it increases accessibility of health services especially in rural areas. By confirming these attributes there will be a sound basis to commercialise the product.Read moreRead less
Interactions Between Protein Leverage, Variety, And Dietary Carbohydrate And Fat Content In The Control Of Energy Intake In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,950.00
Summary
Most attempts to understand human vulnerability to obesity have focussed on fat and carbohydrate, yet recent studies have shown a powerful role for protein: we eat more calories when dietary protein concentration is low. But how does protein interact with other aspects of the diet, notably the prodigious variety of foods available in modern environments and the balance of fat to carbohydrate? We will use controlled trials to investigate how these factors contribute to excess energy intake.
Central Neural Circuits Subserving Nutrient–activated Thermogenesis - The Basis Of Post Prandial Energy Expenditure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$766,207.00
Summary
Studies of “energy burning” brown fat, including its importance in the determination of obesity in humans and the potential to increase its capacity by turning white fat into brown-like fat are currently foremost in obesity research. Here we study the detail of brain pathways that dictate brown fat activity after a meal resulting in the burning of ingested calories and reduction of body weight. The results will give us a better idea of how we can harness brown fat to combat obesity.
Effects Of The Fatty Acid, Lauric Acid, On Energy Intake And Gut Motor And Hormonal Function In Health And Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$744,645.00
Summary
Obesity is largely due to energy intake exceeding energy expenditure, thus, strategies that reduce energy intake will result in weight loss. We discovered recently that the fatty acid, lauric acid, markedly reduces energy intake. Our studies will determine the effects of lauric acid on energy intake and body weight reduction in obese subjects. The research is a new initiative and explores the potential of lauric acid as a novel, nutrient-based and side-effect free approach to obesity management.
Salt (sodium) is an essential electrolyte. Our convincing and complementary findings provide compelling evidence for a link between evolutionarily ancient “instincts” and substance abuse. This proposal is translational, including studies in opiate dependent humans. Our studies will establish how and where in the brain endogenous opioids are implicated in the gratification of salt appetite, how salt appetite is altered in opiate dependency and if salt appetite recovers following opiate withdrawal
Good nutrition is a vital element in a healthy start to life. Determining the correct foods to ensure that pregnant women meet both their needs as well as those of their new baby can be very confusing. Do I need to take iron supplements? How can I ensure I get enough iodine? This project will develop new methods for evaluating the effects of nutrients and to pass that information on to health practitioners so that Australian mothers will be in no doubt about the best diet for them and their chil ....Good nutrition is a vital element in a healthy start to life. Determining the correct foods to ensure that pregnant women meet both their needs as well as those of their new baby can be very confusing. Do I need to take iron supplements? How can I ensure I get enough iodine? This project will develop new methods for evaluating the effects of nutrients and to pass that information on to health practitioners so that Australian mothers will be in no doubt about the best diet for them and their children.Read moreRead less
Salt And Cardiovascular Disease: Does Acute Salt-Sensitivity Convey Greater Cardiovascular Risk?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$597,578.00
Summary
Salt intake of Australian adults is 10X more than required. Further, salt intake in very young children is alarmingly high secondary to high consumption of salty snacks and processed food. High dietary salt intake has been associated with increased cardiovascular disease and death. We will examine the cardiovascular risks for adults and children on a high salt diet and examine whether switching to a low salt diet ameliorates the high blood pressure and heart disease caused by high salt diets
The prevalence of asthma in Australia is amongst the highest in the world yet no trials of primary prevention have been conducted which address the most common known causative agent (housedust mite allergens) and the most common known protective factor (dietary omega-3 fatty acids). Until the effectiveness of interventions which address these factors is certain, the value of the wide array of advice given to asthmatics by various health institutions will not be known. We are applying to continue ....The prevalence of asthma in Australia is amongst the highest in the world yet no trials of primary prevention have been conducted which address the most common known causative agent (housedust mite allergens) and the most common known protective factor (dietary omega-3 fatty acids). Until the effectiveness of interventions which address these factors is certain, the value of the wide array of advice given to asthmatics by various health institutions will not be known. We are applying to continue the Childhood Asthma Prevention Study (CAPS) which has been underway since mid-1997. CAPS is a randomised controlled trial in which 616 infants at high risk of developing asthma because of a family history have been enrolled. The interventions include allergen reduction and dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids. The interventions are designed to have maximum effect but be simple to implement by parents. Several measures of compliance are being collected and regular contact is maintained though telephone calls and frequent home visits. Objective and subjective measurements of exposures, atopy, diet and asthmatic symptoms are being collected at 3 month intervals and at medical assessments when the children are 18 months, 3 and 5 years old. It is essential that we continue the study until all children are aged 5 and we will be able to test conclusively whether the interventions have had a positive effect. If so, CAPS will form the basis for a nationwide public health campaign which will have the potential to reduce the incidence of childhood asthma in Australia.Read moreRead less