Life Sciences Commons^™

Development Of A Scoring Tool For Australian Rural Food Retail Environments, Tracy L. Schumacher, Carissa A. Alderton, Leanne J. Brown, Susan Heaney, Laura Alston, Katherine Kent, Stephanie L. Godrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Current tools scoring the healthiness of food retail outlets do not reflect outlets found in rural locations. This study aimed to adapt pre-existing Australian scoring tools to represent non-metropolitan areas. Rural nutrition experts were identified, and a modified Delphi technique was used to adapt two pre-existing, food-scoring tools in five iterative stages. Stages included identifying all relevant outlets, providing a description and score for each, ensuring consistency between outlet scores and pre-existing, metro-centric tools, and providing instructions for correct use. Six rural nutrition experts were identified and engaged in the modified Delphi technique. The final tool consisted of 12 categories …

Metals In Commonly Eaten Groceries In Western Australia: A Market Basket Survey And Dietary Assessment, Anna Callan, Andrea Hinwood, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Children’s dietary exposure to metals has received limited attention in Australia. This study undertook a market basket survey and analysed 253 food and beverages for metals. These data were used in conjunction with recent average diet data for children in Western Australia to model dietary metals exposure, with mean metals intakes calculated for boys and girls aged 8, 12, 13 and 16 years. Results show that for some metals, including cadmium, nickel and manganese, dietary intake guidelines have been exceeded in younger children. The mean modelled cadmium intake in children aged 8 years was almost 60% of the World Health …

Impact Of Nutrition On Cognition And Its Association With Blood And Brain Alzheimer Disease Related Biomarkers, Samantha Gardener

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of senile dementia, currently affects over 35 million people worldwide. While there is no cure or effective treatment, early intervention programs hold considerable promise. Following particular dietary patterns represents one potential intervention strategy accessible to all.

Results from previous studies investigating the association of diet, cognition and biomarkers of AD are inconsistent: Positive results have been reported (1-7), whilst others have shown no associations. Prior to this thesis, no study has assessed the relationship of four dietary patterns to cognition, blood-based and neuroimaging biomarkers of AD in a large highly-characterised ageing cohort. Participants …

Self-Efficacy And Nutrition Knowledge Of Parents In Western Australia, Karen Lombardi

Theses : Honours

Background: Poor dietary choices and increasingly sedentary lifestyles mean childhood obesity is an increasing problem. Parents have the capacity to significantly affect the food choice of children; therefore by improving their self-efficacy, their nutrition knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, and by providing access to sound nutritional information, the health of children may be improved.

Purpose: This research sought to gather preliminary information required to inform the development of nutrition education materials for parents, which will parallel those currently under development for teaching children in schools as part of the Australian curriculum. Research has demonstrated that while educating children about healthy eating …

The Effect Of Canteen Menu On Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes And Behaviour Of Year Five Students, Sharon Mcbride

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Eating habits are learned during childhood, and patterns of behaviour established in childhood have important health ramifications throughout life. Over half of all deaths in Australia are linked to diet with over-consumption of saturated fat, sugar and salt, and lack of fibre being identified as particular problem areas. Nutrition education is an important component of primary health education curricula, and yet school canteens, and integral part of the school environment, do not necessarily offer healthy food choices that support nutrition instruction in the classroom. This study investigated the effect of canteen menu on student knowledge and attitudes toward nutrition and …

The Use And Acceptability Of Lupin Seed And Sprout As A Food Ingredient, Suzanne Dagnia

Theses : Honours

The purpose of the research was to assess the use and acceptability of the lupin seed and sprout as a human food. Two studies were designed. 1. The first study involved the biochemical analysis and nutritional evaluation of the lupin sprout. Protein Efficiency Ratio, and Apparent Biological Value, Net Protein Utilization, and Digestibility tests measure protein quality. Biochemical assays included nitrogen and hexane extracts, amino acid profile, and selected minerals and anti-nutritive factors. 2. The second quality study investigated the changes that occur as a result of in the eating partial substitution of lupin flour into a wheat flour-based, standard …