Home, Family And Socioeconomic Influences On Obesity-related Behaviours
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$304,874.00
Summary
Preventing obesity in children is a national health priority. Obesity promoting behaviours are established early in life, develop from childhood into adulthood, and are difficult to change. Parents play an important role in shaping the environments that either prevent or encourage obesity in children. This project aims to inform obesity prevention initiatives in Australian children and their families, and particularly among those at high risk due to their low socioeconomic position.
Predictors And Correlates Of Health-related Quality Of Life And Morbidity In Overweight/obese Adolescents: Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$512,525.00
Summary
There is now no doubting the size and long-term risks to health of the childhood obesity epidemic. However, very little research has examined at population level its immediate consequences for mental health and physical functioning, what pathways confer risk and protection for these consequences, and their likely healthcare consequences. This study will utilise an existing cohort of approximately 1500 Victorian adolescents followed since childhood to examine neglected aspects of the genesis and ....There is now no doubting the size and long-term risks to health of the childhood obesity epidemic. However, very little research has examined at population level its immediate consequences for mental health and physical functioning, what pathways confer risk and protection for these consequences, and their likely healthcare consequences. This study will utilise an existing cohort of approximately 1500 Victorian adolescents followed since childhood to examine neglected aspects of the genesis and impacts of overweight and obesity. The Health of Young Victorians Study was originally assembled in 1997 when the children were in Grades Prep-3. In addition to information on putative risk and protective factors for overweight-obesity and direct measures of height and weight, it is unique in having collected data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) since children were first recruited during the early primary school years. Eight years after the first wave, the children will be adolescents in Grades 8-11. This third wave will retain a focus on HRQoL. Innovations include study of potential emotional, behavioural and physical consequences of childhood obesity that may in turn affect the natural history of obesity. This large, population-based longitudinal study will redress neglected aspects of child and adolescent overweight-obesity specifically identified in 2003 by the NH and MRC. As well as establishing whether a range of common problems are related to overweight-obesity, it will be able to shed light on mechanisms of adverse outcomes associated with adolescent overweight-obesity, and study protective factors predicting remitting overweight from childhood to adolescence that may inform preventive activities. The study will make an international contribution to knowledge about pathways, prevalence and preventive opportunities for child and adolescent overweight-obesity.Read moreRead less
There’s recent evidence that children get leaner and fitter during the school term, but become fatter and less fit over the summer holidays. This may be because of differences in activity and diet: on holidays, children may eat more, be less active and have more screen time. We propose to track the time use, diet, fitness and fatness of 9-11 year old children across three school years. If the pattern is confirmed, we should focus more on the home environment, or perhaps encourage summer camps.
The Physical Activity Continuum In Relation To Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention And Mental Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$687,975.00
Summary
Although incidental physical activity and sleep occupy the large majority of people’s time, we know very little about their joint importance for a healthy heart and a healthy mind. This program of research will examine how physical activity of any intensity and sleep influence cardiovascular and mental health. This research will enable health professionals and public health authorities to develop sustainable and realistic evidence-based lifestyle programs to benefit the health of Australians.
An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Asthma In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$36,174.00
Summary
It is important to understand whether physical activity can prevent asthma, or whether asthma prevents children from being physically active, as this will influence the decisions we make with regard to the management of both childhood asthma and childhood activity. This work uses data from two studies of Australian children to tease out which path is the most important path to target when trying to increase physical activity levels and improve the respiratory health of children and adolescents.
The After-school Period: A Critical Window For Children's Health Behaviours
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$33,054.00
Summary
The after-school period is important for children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviours. This PhD by publication will build on the first two years of study. Progress-to-date includes defining the after-school period and examining the prevalence and contribution the period makes to daily behaviours over time. This thesis will now examine changes in patterns of after-school behaviours, determine the reliability of survey items assessing correlates of these behaviours and examine correlates.
Building Urban Planning And Health Evidence To Inform Policy And Practice That Creates Healthy, Liveable And Equitable Communities Designed To Prevent Non-communicable Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$851,980.00
Summary
City planning directly and indirectly affects the health of residents. For example, ‘affordable’ housing on the urban fringe typically has poor access to public transport, shops and services. This increases motor vehicle dependency and time spent driving which increases levels of physical inactivity, sedentariness, obesity, social isolation and air pollution. This research focuses on how to build communities that promote health and wellbeing in residents.
Fitness Versus Fatness: Disentangling Their Effects On Disease Outcomes And Estimating The Population Burden Of Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$188,537.00
Summary
Overweight and physical inactivity are two of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. With increasing population levels of overweight, governments are increasingly advocating public health measures aimed at increasing physical activity levels or otherwise decreasing weight. There has been much research concerning which of these factors is the key prognostic factor for adverse health outcomes, but an ongoing lack of clarity of research findings has led to uncertainty as to ....Overweight and physical inactivity are two of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. With increasing population levels of overweight, governments are increasingly advocating public health measures aimed at increasing physical activity levels or otherwise decreasing weight. There has been much research concerning which of these factors is the key prognostic factor for adverse health outcomes, but an ongoing lack of clarity of research findings has led to uncertainty as to the direction of recommendations for preventive health strategies and population lifestyle changes. In addition, the risks of overweight, in particular, have been accused of being exaggerated in both the scientific and lay literature. This is often due to the difficulty of dealing appropriately with time varying confounders which are also intermediate factors (such as hypertension). To date, no studies have performed careful longitudinal modelling of the joint effects of physical inactivity and overweight on cardiovascular events and diabetes while taking into account the effects of factors, such as hypertension or atherosclerosis, that influence both physical activity and overweight as well as disease, and simultaneously are consequences of these risk factors. Standard statistical methods are known to produce biased estimates in these situations but we will apply more recently developed statistical techniques to provide much improved estimation of these effects. After the statistical modelling stage, we will model the burden of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mortality associated with given levels of overweight and physical inactivity. These will be combined with population levels of overweight and inactivity to identify the fraction of the current and future burden of disease attributable to these risk factors.Read moreRead less