Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Short-Term Effects Of Fish And Fish Oil Consumption On Total And High Molecular Weight Adiponectin Levels In Overweight And Obese Adults, Elizabeth P. Neale, Beverly Muhlhausler, Yasmine C. Probst, Marijka J. Batterham, Francesca Fernandez, Linda C. Tapsell

Dr Marijka Batterham

Objective: Fish or fish oil consumption may increase levels of total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin, a hormone associated with anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitising effects, however it is not known if the effects of the food and supplement are the same. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of consuming fish and fish oil supplements on plasma total and HMW adiponectin concentrations in overweight human participants. Materials/Methods: 29 overweight and obese participants underwent a two week run-in period, followed by a four week isocaloric dietary intervention which provided 1.8g of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC …

Increases In Peptide Y-Y Levels Following Oat Β-Glucan Ingestion Are Dose-Dependent In Overweight Adults, Eleanor J. Beck, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka J. Batterham, Susan M. Tosh, Xu-Feng Huang

Dr Marijka Batterham

Peptide Y-Y (PYY) is an anorexigenic hormone implicated in appetite control, and β-glucan is a fiber known to affect appetite. We hypothesized that plasma PYY levels would increase in overweight human adults consuming increasing doses of β-glucan. The objective was to test whether the effect could be seen with β-glucan delivered through extruded cereals containing a high β-glucan oat bran with demonstrated high molecular weight and solubility. Fourteen subjects consumed a control meal and 3 cereals of varying β-glucan concentration (between 2.2 and 5.5 g), and blood samples were collected over 4 hours. Analysis of raw PYY data showed a …

Effect Of 6 Weeks' Consumption Of Β-Glucan-Rich Oat Products On Cholesterol Levels In Mildly Hypercholesterolaemic Overweight Adults, Karen E. Charlton, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka J. Batterham, Jane O'Shea, Rebecca Thorne, Eleanor Beck, Susan M. Tosh

Dr Marijka Batterham

Several regulatory bodies have approved a health claim on the cholesterol-lowering effects of oat β-glucan at levels of 3·0 g/d. The present study aimed to test whether 1·5 g/d β-glucan provided as ready-to-eat oat flakes was as effective in lowering cholesterol as 3·0 g/d from oats porridge. A 6-week randomised controlled trial was conducted in eighty-seven mildly hypercholesterolaemic ( ≥ 5 mmol/l and < 7·5 mmol/l) men and women assigned to one of three diet arms (25 % energy (E%) protein; 45 E% carbohydrate; 30 E% fat, at energy requirements for weight maintenance): (1) minimal β-glucan (control); (2) low-dose oat β-glucan …

Lean Body Mass Associated With Upper Body Strength In Healthy Older Adults While Higher Body Fat Limits Lower Extremity Performance And Endurance, Karen E. Charlton, Marijka Batterham, Kelly Langford, Jenna Lateo, Erin Brock, Karen L. Walton, Philippa M. Lyons-Wall, Katie Eisenhauer, Nick Green, Cameron Mclean

Dr Marijka Batterham

Impaired strength adversely influences an older person's ability to perform activities of daily living. A cross-sectional study of 117 independently living men and women (age = 73.4 9.4 year; body mass index (BMI) = 27.6 4.8 kg/m2) aimed to assess the association between body composition and: (1) upper body strength (handgrip strength, HGS); (2) lower extremity performance (timed up and go (TUG) and sit to stand test (STS)); and (3) endurance (6-minute walk (SMWT). Body composition (% fat; lean body mass (LBM)) was assessed using bioelectrical impedance. Habitual physical activity was measured using the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire …

Effect Of 6 Weeks Consumption Of B-Glucan Rich Oat Products On Cholesterol Levels In Mildly Hypercholesterolaemic Overweight Adults, Karen Charlton, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Jane E. O'Shea, Rebecca L. Thorne, Eleanor Beck, Susan Tosh

Dr Marijka Batterham

Abstract presented at the Dietitians Association of Australia 16th International Congress of Dietetics, 5-8 September 2012, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Sydney, Australia

Usability Testing Of Asthmawise With Older Adults, Pippa Burns, Sandra C. Jones, Don Iverson, Peter Caputi

Sandra Jones

There are many reasons why online self-management education is attractive to both patients and providers. AsthmaWise, an online self-management program, was developed using a Moodle platform, to enable older adults to learn asthma self-management skills. This study aimed to improve AsthmaWise through conducting: usability testing with a sample of end users; a cognitive walk-through undertaken by an independent health researcher; and assessment of content readability. A Perceived Health Web Site Usability Questionnaire score of 67% was achieved, indicating that there were usability issues that needed to be addressed. The cognitive walk-through and readability assessment identified unique issues that were not …

Asthmawise - A Field Of Dreams? The Results Of An Online Education Program Targeting Older Adults With Asthma, Pippa Burns, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson, Peter Caputi

Sandra Jones

Objectives: The aim of this study was to establish the feasibility and acceptability of an online asthma self-management program developed for older Australians with asthma. Methods: AsthmaWise, an internet education self-management program, was piloted for a 3-month period at the beginning of 2012. Participants were recruited using both online and offline strategies and were required to complete surveys, both pre- and post-intervention, in a repeated measures design. Results: Matched data were collected from 51 participants; the results showed AsthmaWise to be a feasible and acceptable method of delivering asthma education to the target population. Self-reported measures showed an increase in …

'Get Your Life Back': Process And Impact Evaluation Of An Asthma Social Marketing Campaign Targeting Older Adults, Uwana Evers, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson, Peter Caputi

Sandra Jones

Background: Asthma in older adults is underdiagnosed and poorly self-managed. This population has little knowledge about the key symptoms, the prevalence among older adults, and the serious consequences of untreated asthma. The purpose of this study was to undertake a multifaceted evaluation of a social marketing campaign to increase asthma awareness among older adults in a regional Australian community. Methods: A cohort of older adults in an intervention region (n = 316) and a control region (n = 394) were surveyed immediately prior to and following the social marketing campaign. Campaign awareness, message recall, materials recognition, and actions taken as …

Promoting Asthma Awareness To Older Adults: Formative Research For A Social Marketing Campaign, Uwana Evers, Sandra C. Jones, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Sandra Jones

The limited existing research on the asthma perceptions of older adults suggests that this population perceives asthma to be a childhood disease and, therefore, believe that they are not susceptible to developing the condition as an adult. The asthma mortality rate is much higher for older adults than for children, and there is considerable negative impact on health-related quality of life. However, health promotion regarding asthma is rarely aimed at this population. To address this issue, social marketing campaign messages and materials about asthma were developed for an older adult population based on quantitative survey data. Through a series of …

The Devil Is In The Detail: Determining The Content Of An Internet Intervention For Older Adults With Asthma, Pippa Burns, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson, Peter Caputi

Sandra Jones

Introduction: The Internet can support people to self-manage their asthma, while overcoming barriers frequently found in primary care. A user-centred design process was utilised to explore the types of asthma information older adults perceived to be beneficial in helping them manage their asthma and the website features they felt were desirable for an asthma education website. Methods: A survey package was mailed to 9,000 adults aged 55 years and over, whose contact details had been obtained from the Australian Electoral Commission. Four focus groups were also conducted covering: asthma management; asthma Internet information; and website features. The Technology Acceptance Model …

Asthma In Older Adults: The Need For Asthma Health Promotion Interventions, Uwana Evers, Sandra C. Jones, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Sandra Jones

Asthma is a serious health issue for older adults. Among Australians aged 55 years and older, asthma prevalence, morbidity, and mortality are relatively high by international comparison and compared to other age groups. As people age, the diagnosis of asthma becomes more complicated, primarily due to comorbid conditions. Treatment and self-management are also more difficult in this age group due to the different medications prescribed for multiple conditions. At the same time, older adults do not perceive that they are susceptible to developing asthma, and they do not consider asthma to be a particularly serious disease, especially compared to other …

Stigma: Still An Important Issue For Adults With Asthma, Kelly L. Andrews, Sandra C. Jones, Judy Mullan

Sandra Jones

Psychosocial issues are recognized as important in the management and care of people with chronic illness, including asthma. There is limited research specifically examining the impact of stigma on people living with asthma, but the few studies that do exist have found that stigma is associated with higher morbidity. Our hypothesis is that the stigma felt by people with asthma creates a barrier to effective self-management practices (which work toward improving asthma control). A cycle of interrelated psychological and physical health factors may emerge, making asthma self-management harder to address. The objective of this study was to determine whether adults …

The Asthma Knowledge And Perceptions Of Older Australian Adults: Implications For Social Marketing Campaigns, Uwana Evers, Sandra C. Jones, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Sandra Jones

Objective: The purpose of this research is to gain an understanding of the asthma perceptions of older adults and identify gaps in their asthma knowledge. Methods: In regional New South Wales, Australia, a stratified, random sample of 4066 adults, aged 55 years and over, both with and without an asthma diagnosis, completed a survey based on the Health Belief Model about asthma knowledge and perceptions. Results: Almost half of the sample had experienced symptoms of breathlessness in the past four weeks. Breathlessness was a predictor of lower health ratings and poorer mood. Older adults reported low susceptibility to developing asthma. …

Perceptions And Practices Of Adults With Asthma: A Social Cognitive Analysis, Kelly L. Andrews, Sandra C. Jones, Judy Mullan

Judy Mullan

This article describes a qualitative study that investigated the experiences, attitudes, and opinions of adults with asthma regarding self-managing their disease. Focus groups were conducted with 22 adults living in metropolitan and regional New South Wales, Australia. Key findings were that the perceived stigma of asthma, the need for social support, and the need for "asthma-friendly general practitioners" concerned participants more than formal self-management procedures such as written Asthma Action Plans and medication regimes. Social cognitive theory was used to explain the fluid relationship between persons with asthma, their environment, and their behavior in relation to self-management strategies and in …

Combining The Health Belief Model And Social Marketing To Develop A Community-Level Campaign About Asthma For Older Adults, Uwana Evers, Sandra C. Jones, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Sandra Jones

This conceptual paper provides a rationale for combining health behaviour theory with a social marketing framework in order to develop a community-level asthma campaign for adults aged 55 years and older. The prevalence of asthma in older adults in Australia is approximately 10%, higher than in many other countries, and asthma mortality increases with age. In addition, older adults' perceptions of asthma causes and treatments are often inaccurate. Many older adults believe that asthma is a childhood disease and that the effects of the condition are relatively minor and would not impact on daily life. In order to address these …

Assessing Alcohol Consumption In Older Adults: Looking For A Solution To Inform Evaluation Of Social Marketing Campaigns, Sandra C. Jones, Lance Barrie, Laura Robinson

Sandra Jones

Alcohol consumption in older people presents unique challenges due to changes in body composition, co-morbid conditions and associated mediations, as well as a reduction in metabolic capacity. As such, this generation has been identified as an at-risk group by the NHRMC (NHRMC, 2011). For the purpose of this paper "older" adults are individuals aged 65 years and over. The NHMRC produced guidelines for minimising the risks associated with alcohol consumption in 2001 (NHMRC, 2001). While the 2001 NHMRC guidelines did not provide specific recommendations regarding levels of consumption for older people the revised 2009 guidelines recommend, 'Older people are advised …

Perceptions And Practices Of Adults With Asthma: A Social Cognitive Analysis, Kelly L. Andrews, Sandra C. Jones, Judy Mullan

Sandra Jones

This article describes a qualitative study that investigated the experiences, attitudes, and opinions of adults with asthma regarding self-managing their disease. Focus groups were conducted with 22 adults living in metropolitan and regional New South Wales, Australia. Key findings were that the perceived stigma of asthma, the need for social support, and the need for "asthma-friendly general practitioners" concerned participants more than formal self-management procedures such as written Asthma Action Plans and medication regimes. Social cognitive theory was used to explain the fluid relationship between persons with asthma, their environment, and their behavior in relation to self-management strategies and in …

Dementia, Stigma And Intentions To Help-Seek: A Pilot Study Of Australian Adults 40 To 65 Years, Lyn Phillipson, C Magee, Sandra C. Jones, S Reis, E Skladzien

Sandra Jones

Stigma (prejudice or negative stereotypes associated with personal attributes such the presence of ill health or disease) is an important concept as it has the potential to adversely impact on social exclusion, help seeking behaviours and the utilisation of health and social services. Whilst limited international research suggests that there may be stigma associated with dementia, this paper presents results from the first comprehensive study to explore stigma towards dementia in Australia. Results from an online survey of Australian adults (45-60 years) outline the nature and presence of negative attitudes or stereotypes towards dementia and people living with dementia, and …

Effect Of 6 Weeks' Consumption Of Β-Glucan-Rich Oat Products On Cholesterol Levels In Mildly Hypercholesterolaemic Overweight Adults, Karen E. Charlton, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka J. Batterham, Jane O'Shea, Rebecca Thorne, Eleanor Beck, Susan M. Tosh

Karen E. Charlton

Several regulatory bodies have approved a health claim on the cholesterol-lowering effects of oat β-glucan at levels of 3·0 g/d. The present study aimed to test whether 1·5 g/d β-glucan provided as ready-to-eat oat flakes was as effective in lowering cholesterol as 3·0 g/d from oats porridge. A 6-week randomised controlled trial was conducted in eighty-seven mildly hypercholesterolaemic ( ≥ 5 mmol/l and < 7·5 mmol/l) men and women assigned to one of three diet arms (25 % energy (E%) protein; 45 E% carbohydrate; 30 E% fat, at energy requirements for weight maintenance): (1) minimal β-glucan (control); (2) low-dose oat β-glucan …

Increases In Peptide Y-Y Levels Following Oat Β-Glucan Ingestion Are Dose-Dependent In Overweight Adults, Eleanor J. Beck, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka J. Batterham, Susan M. Tosh, Xu-Feng Huang

Xu-Feng Huang

Peptide Y-Y (PYY) is an anorexigenic hormone implicated in appetite control, and β-glucan is a fiber known to affect appetite. We hypothesized that plasma PYY levels would increase in overweight human adults consuming increasing doses of β-glucan. The objective was to test whether the effect could be seen with β-glucan delivered through extruded cereals containing a high β-glucan oat bran with demonstrated high molecular weight and solubility. Fourteen subjects consumed a control meal and 3 cereals of varying β-glucan concentration (between 2.2 and 5.5 g), and blood samples were collected over 4 hours. Analysis of raw PYY data showed a …

Profiles Of Underreporting In Healthy Adults And Adults With Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus Participating In A Dietary Intervention Trial, Gina Martin, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka Batterham

Dr Marijka Batterham

Abstract from The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia, 2002.

Increased Intake Of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fat Does Not Promote Whole Body Or Preferential Abdominal Fat Mass Loss In Overweight Adults, Sze-Yen Tan, Marijka Batterham, Linda Tapsell

Dr Marijka Batterham

Objective: There is evidence that increasing the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in a diet can enhance the rate of fat oxidation acutely. Higher PUFA in a diet has also been associated with greater abdominal fat loss in longer term studies. This study aimed to investigate if higher PUFA intake would result in greater fat mass loss over a 12-week period, mainly from the abdominal region. Methods: Data at the 12-week time point from two weight loss studies, both comparing high PUFA versus low PUFA diets was, accessed for 141 overweight subjects from the same area. Specifically, data on …

Profiles Of Underreporting In Healthy Adults And Adults With Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus Participating In A Dietary Intervention Trial, Gina Martin, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka Batterham

L. C. Tapsell

Abstract from The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia, 2002.

Increased Intake Of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fat Does Not Promote Whole Body Or Preferential Abdominal Fat Mass Loss In Overweight Adults, Sze-Yen Tan, Marijka Batterham, Linda Tapsell

L. C. Tapsell

Objective: There is evidence that increasing the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in a diet can enhance the rate of fat oxidation acutely. Higher PUFA in a diet has also been associated with greater abdominal fat loss in longer term studies. This study aimed to investigate if higher PUFA intake would result in greater fat mass loss over a 12-week period, mainly from the abdominal region.

Methods: Data at the 12-week time point from two weight loss studies, both comparing high PUFA versus low PUFA diets was, accessed for 141 overweight subjects from the same area. Specifically, data on …

Is Sleep Duration Associated With Obesity In Older Australian Adults?, Christopher A. Magee, Peter Caputi, Don C. Iverson

Don C. Iverson

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between sleep duration and obesity in older Australian adults. Method: Self-reported health data were collected through the 45 and Up Study. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to test the relationship between sleep duration and body mass index, controlling for a range of demographic and health-related variables. Results: The sample included 45,325 Australian adults aged 55 to 95 years. The regression models demonstrated that short and long sleep were associated with obesity in 55- to 64-year-olds but not in those aged 65 years and above. Discussion: The present results suggest that the relationships between sleep …

Sleep Duration And Obesity In Middle-Aged Australian Adults, Christopher A. Magee, Donald C. Iverson, Peter Caputi

Don C. Iverson

The present study examined the association between sleep duration and obesity in 40,834 middle-aged Australian adults. Multinomial logistic regression was used to test the relationship between sleep duration and obesity while controlling for important demographic and health covariates; separate models were tested for males and females. Short sleep (i.e., <7 h a night) was found to be independently associated with obesity in males and females. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report an association between short sleep and obesity in Australian adults. Although more research is required, interventions targeting short sleep could aid obesity treatment and prevention.

The Use Of Female Sexuality In Australian Alcohol Advertising: Public Policy Implications Of Young Adults' Reactions To Stereotypes, Sandra C. Jones, Amanda Reid

Sandra Jones

Coinciding with the rise of raunch culture, a new female stereotype has emerged in advertising - the lusty, busty exhibitionist who exudes sexual power and confidence. Previous research has generally found that women react less positively to female sexual images in alcohol advertising than males, but different sexual stereotypes have not been explicitly examined. The present study utilizes different types of sexual appeals in three televised advertisements for alcohol brands and investigates the relationship between types of sexual imagery and attitude to the advertisement, stated reasons for (dis)liking the advertisement and purchase intention (PI) among 268 Australian university students. Surprisingly, …

A Childhood Disorder Grows Up, Lee A. Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

Despite the large number of research and clinical studies related to children and adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome, psychologists have only recently begun to appreciate the complex challenges faced by adults who were not identified in childhood. This article aims to increase the knowledge base of psychologists in the mainstream mental health community, who may have limited or no experience working with adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Developing Character Identity: A New Framework For Counseling Adults In Transition, Scott E. Hall

Scott E. Hall, Ph.D., LPCC-S