Early influences of Obesity and fat patterning in children:critical periods, environmental determinants, and socio-cultu

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/465437

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Childhood obesity is an escalating public health problem both internationally and within Australia. Rates of childhood obesity in Australia are at one of the highest amongst developed nations. 25% of Australian children are currently overweight or obese. Obesity is a strong risk factor for chronic disease. In children, obesity is of concern because it is highly likely to persist and, during childhood, contributes to serious physical and mental health problems. A quarter of Australian children are now carrying excess body fat. Because of these factors, prevention of obesity is paramount because success of current treatment options is limited and does not last. Especially harmful forms of fatness may originate in early life - the tendency to store fat in the abdominal region and the tendency to accrete fat rather than muscle (at any body size). For this reason, the early life determinants of obesity deserve special attention, even in the presence of society-wide factors conducive to obesity. Professor Moore and a group of researchers from the University of Adelaide will test the proposition that pre-birth and infancy is a ‘critical period’ for the development of obesity. The group aims to investigate whether there is a distinct period in early life for acquiring the predisposition to harmful forms of fatness. The project also aims to identify practical opportunities for prevention, focusing on mothers and their infants.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2007

End Date: 01-01-2011

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Strategic Awards

Funding Amount: $1,152,711.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Ophthalmology and optometry not elsewhere classified

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

body composition | fat patterning | maternal and child health | obesity | social determinants of health

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