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Research

Variation in Neonatal Nutrition Practice and Implications: A Survey of Australia and New Zealand Neonatal Units

Significant global variation exists in neonatal nutrition practice, including in assigned milk composition values, donor milk usage, fortification regimens, probiotic choice and in methods used to calculate and report nutrition and growth outcomes, making it difficult to synthesize data to inform evidence-based, standardized nutritional care that has potential to improve neonatal outcomes

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Allergen shedding in human milk: Could it be key for immune system education and allergy prevention?

In addition to being a source of nutrients for the developing newborn, human milk contains thousands of bioactive compounds, which influence infant health in the short-term as exemplified by its major benefits on infectious disease prevention. Many of the human milk compounds also have the required characteristics to instruct immune development and guide long-term health.

Research

Effects of diurnal exercise timing on appetite, energy intake and body composition: A parallel randomized trial

To determine the effect of diurnal exercise timing on appetite, energy intake and body composition in individuals with overweight or obesity.

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Prebiotic Supplementation During Pregnancy Modifies the Gut Microbiota and Increases Metabolites in Amniotic Fluid, Driving a Tolerogenic Environment In Utero

The gut microbiota is influenced by environmental factors such as food. Maternal diet during pregnancy modifies the gut microbiota composition and function, leading to the production of specific compounds that are transferred to the fetus and enhance the ontogeny and maturation of the immune system. Prebiotics are fermented by gut bacteria, leading to the release of short-chain fatty acids that can specifically interact with the immune system, inducing a switch toward tolerogenic populations and therefore conferring health benefits.

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Mitochondrial mistranslation modulated by metabolic stress causes cardiovascular disease and reduced lifespan

Changes in the rate and fidelity of mitochondrial protein synthesis impact the metabolic and physiological roles of mitochondria. Here we explored how environmental stress in the form of a high-fat diet modulates mitochondrial translation and affects lifespan in mutant mice with error-prone or hyper-accurate mitochondrial ribosomes. Intriguingly, although both mutations are metabolically beneficial in reducing body weight, decreasing circulating insulin and increasing glucose tolerance during a high-fat diet, they manifest divergent (either deleterious or beneficial) outcomes in a tissue-specific manner.

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Do Changes in the Local Food Environment Within New Residential Developments Influence the Diets of Residents? Longitudinal Results from RESIDE

There is limited longitudinal evidence supporting a link between food outlet locations and dietary outcomes to inform policy and urban planning. This study examined how longitudinal changes in the local food environment within new residential developments.

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Feasibility of conducting an early pregnancy diet and lifestyle e-health intervention: The Pregnancy Lifestyle Activity Nutrition (PLAN) project

A lifestyle intervention starting in the first-trimester pregnancy utilising e-health mode of delivery is feasible

Research

Modelling the effects of beverage substitution during adolescence on later obesity outcomes in early adulthood: Results from the raine study

Sugar-sweetened beverage intake during adolescence was associated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, and being overweight in early adulthood

Research

Folate Status and Neural Tube Defects in Aboriginal Australians: The Success of Mandatory Fortification in Reducing a Health Disparity

Mandatory flour fortification with folic acid in 2009, led to further reductions in overall neural tube defects