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Research

Examining Changes in Implementation of Priority Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Practices, and Related Barriers, Over Time in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care Services

Promoting healthy eating and physical activity in early childhood education and care is recommended within guidelines and supported by health promotion programs; however, implementation is suboptimal. Evidence suggests implementation within the sector varies over time; however, this has not been empirically examined in relation to implementation barriers. 

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Impact of Micronutrient Status during Pregnancy on Early Nutrition Programming

Globally and even in high-income countries where a balanced diet is generally accessible, an inadequate maternal micronutrient status is common

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The Nature and Quality of Australian Supermarkets' Policies that can Impact Public Health Nutrition, and Evidence of their Practical Application: A Cross-Sectional Study

Findings suggest Australian supermarket CSR policies are not likely to adequately contribute to improving population diets or sustainability of food systems

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A cross-sectional audit of the Australian community food environment highlights the prominent role of chain food outlets

Food retail and food service outlets can be part of a chain, or independently operated. Chain food outlets are likely to have the most influence over community food environments but have not been routinely identified in studies which map and monitor access to food, highlighting an important knowledge gap. This study aimed to identify the food retail and food service outlets present within metropolitan Perth, including presence of chain and independent food outlets; and examine differences across local governments. 

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Children arriving hungry in the first year of school: population trends in Australia from 2009 to 2021

Access to adequate nutrition is a human right. In 2023, 23% of Australian households were severely food insecure, reducing food intake, skipping meals or days of eating. Food insecurity in early childhood is linked to poor health and development. Specifically, breakfast provides children with the necessary nutrients required for sustained attention, memory, and cognitive growth. Australian research has reported that one in three children aged 8–18 years regularly skip breakfast. However, there is little understanding of the prevalence of food insecurity among young children in Australia.

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Acceptability, feasibility, and program outcomes of an equity-focused, adapted community-based healthy lifestyle program for children, young people, and their families

International guidelines recommend multidisciplinary intervention programs for addressing childhood obesity. In Western Australia, community-based healthy lifestyle programs for children and young people are insufficient for demand, especially for those over-represented in obesity statistics relating to prevalence. This protocol outlines the implementation and evaluation of an adapted, evidenced, community-based program in Perth, Western Australia.

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Clustering of psychosocial symptoms in overweight children

The aims of the present study were to (i) examine the relationship between children's degree of adiposity and psychosocial functioning; and (ii) compare patterns of clustering of psychosocial measures between healthy weight and overweight/obese children.

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Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids and risk of depressive symptoms in adolescents

Previous randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are beneficial in reducing symptoms of depression.

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A western dietary pattern is associated with poor academic performance in Australian adolescents

The aim of this study was to investigate cross-sectional associations between dietary patterns and academic performance among 14-year-old adolescents.

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Disease prevention in the age of convergence - The need for a wider, long ranging and collaborative vision

Our global health crisis and the pandemic of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is clearly rooted in complex modern societal and environmental changes, many of...