Biomedical subjects

K Ball

Publications and source records attributed to K Ball.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Is availability of public open space equitable across areas?

This study examined whether availability of public open spaces that can be used for recreation varies according to neighbourhood socio-economic disadvantage. Density and area of public open spaces were examined using a geographic information system and postal boundaries were used to define neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) was stratified into quintiles. Once neighbourhood population and geographic area were considered there were no differences in the number or total area of free-access, restricted access or sporting/recreation open spaces across quintiles of neighbourhood SES. Future research should examine whether the quality of public open spaces differ by neighbourhood SES.

Humans↗

PubMed2006

Family food environment and dietary behaviors likely to promote fatness in 5-6 year-old children.

BACKGROUND: The family food environment (FFE) is likely to exert important influences on young children's eating. Examination of multiple aspects of the FFE may provide useful insights regarding which of these might most effectively be targeted to prevent childhood obesity. OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations between the FFE and a range of obesity-promoting dietary behaviors in 5-6-year-old children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Five hundred and sixty families sampled from three socio-economically distinct areas. MEASUREMENTS: Predictors included parental perceptions of their child's diet, food availability, child feeding practices, parental modeling of eating and food preparation and television (TV) exposure. Dietary outcomes included energy intake, vegetable, sweet snack, savory snack and high-energy (non-dairy) fluid consumption. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analyses, adjusted for all other predictor variables and maternal education, showed that several aspects of the FFE were associated with dietary outcomes likely to promote fatness in 5-6-year-old children. For example, increased TV viewing time was associated with increased index of energy intake, increased sweet snack and high-energy drink consumption, and deceased vegetable intake. In addition, parent's increased confidence in the adequacy of their child's diet was associated with increased consumption of sweet and savory snacks and decreased vegetable consumption. CONCLUSION: This study substantially extends previous research in the area, providing important insights with which to guide family-based obesity prevention strategies.

Beverages↗

PubMed2006

An investigation of psychological, social and environmental correlates of obesity and weight gain in young women.

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the biological, psychological, social and environmental correlates of young women's current weight and retrospective 2-year weight change. METHODS: A total of 790 young women (mean age 26.8 years), sampled from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, provided self-reported data on their height and weight, sociodemographics and a range of biological, psychological, social and environmental variables. RESULTS: Several variables from all domains (biological, psychological, social support and environmental) were correlated with higher body mass index, and less strongly greater 2-year weight change. Key correlates included the tendency to never put on weight, no matter what; self-efficacy for avoiding weight gain, and for healthy eating; attention paid to weight; family support and friends' support/sabotage of physical activity/healthy eating; and perceived difficulty of taking the stairs rather than the elevator as part of the daily routine. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention strategies aimed at reducing weight gain and obesity may need to focus on social and environmental, as well as psychological factors; however, further research is necessary to confirm these findings given that a number of hypothesized associations were not observed.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Radiotherapy treatment verification in the UK: an audit of practice in 2004.

AIMS: To audit current practice related to treatment verification undertaken in radiotherapy departments throughout the UK. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was circulated to the radiotherapy service managers of 62 radiotherapy centres in the UK. This looked in detail at the department demographics, imaging equipment, site-specific verification protocols, and training and competency assessment of staff responsible for verification. RESULTS: The response rate was 48% (30/62). All departments were using megavoltage imaging equipment in routine clinical practice. Twenty-four out of 29 (83%) departments that had electronic portal imaging capability were using image analysis software for verification. Twenty-nine out of 30 (97%) departments had site-specific written verification protocols. Twenty out of 30 (67%) treatment centres audited set-up errors within their department. Forty-three per cent of centres were using simulator image as the reference image of choice across all sites. Electronic portal imaging, alone or in combination with portal film, was being used for verification in 75% of the centres. Fifty-three per cent of centres used off-line correction strategies for measuring set-up errors across all sites. Radiographer-led interventions were primarily in the pelvis. CONCLUSION: Presently in the UK, verification strategies vary widely at individual treatment sites and between departments. Dedicated departmental verification teams, with input from radiographers, physicists and clinicians, may assist in the effective implementation of evidence-based verification. The inclusion of comprehensive verification protocols within multicentre radiotherapy trials encourages standardisation across treatment centres.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Why do women of low socioeconomic status have poorer dietary behaviours than women of higher socioeconomic status? A qualitative exploration.

In developed countries, persons of low socioeconomic status (SES) are generally less likely to consume diets consistent with dietary guidelines. Little is known about the mechanisms that underlie SES differences in eating behaviours. Since women are often responsible for dietary choices within households, this qualitative study investigated factors that may contribute to socioeconomic inequalities in dietary behaviour among women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 high-, 19 mid- and 18 low- SES women, recruited from Melbourne, Australia, using an area-level indicator of SES. An ecological framework, in which individual, social and environmental level influences on diet were considered, was used to guide the development of interview questions and interpretation of the data. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify the main themes emerging from the data. Several key influences varied by SES. These included food-related values such as health consciousness, and a lack of time due to family commitments (more salient among higher SES women), as well as perceived high cost of healthy eating and lack of time due to work commitments (more important for low SES women). Reported availability of and access to good quality healthy foods did not differ strikingly across SES groups. Public health strategies aimed at reducing SES inequalities in diet might focus on promoting healthy diets that are low cost, as well as promoting time-efficient food preparation strategies for all women.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Piloting the feasibility and effectiveness of print- and telephone-mediated interventions for promoting the adoption of physical activity in Australian adults.

This study examined the feasibility and effectiveness for increasing physical activity of a print-based intervention, and a print- plus telephone-mediated intervention among mid-life and older Australian adults. A randomised controlled trial study design was used. In mid-2002, 66 adults (18 men, 48 women) aged 45-78 years, who identified themselves as underactive, were recruited through advertisements and word-of-mouth at two sites (Melbourne and Brisbane), and randomised to either the print or print-plus-telephone mediated intervention group. Participants in both groups attended an initial briefing session, and over the 12-week intervention period received an instructional newsletter and use of a pedometer (both groups), and individualised telephone calls (print-plus-telephone group only). Self-reported physical activity data were collected at baseline, 12 and 16 weeks. Measures of self-reported global physical activity, moderate-vigorous intensity activity and walking all showed increases between baseline and 12 weeks for both intervention groups. These increases were generally maintained by 16 weeks, although participants in the print-plus-telephone group maintained slightly higher levels of global reported activity and walking (by approximately 30 mins/wk) than those in the print group. These interventions show potential for promoting initial increases in physical activity among mid-life and older Australian adults, and should be evaluated across more extended time periods.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Socio-demographic inequalities in the diets of mid-aged Australian women.

OBJECTIVES: This study reports on the distributions of food and nutrient intakes by socio-demographic factors for a large population sample of mid-aged Australian women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. DESIGN: This cross-sectional population-based study used the Cancer Council of Victoria food frequency questionnaires to derive estimates of food and nutrient intakes. SETTING: Nationwide community-based survey. SUBJECTS: A total of 10561 women aged 50-55 y, at the time of the survey in 2001. RESULTS: Analysis showed favourable patterns of food intake, with frequent consumption of many foods that are promoted as components of a healthy diet (eg, fresh fruit, leafy green and other vegetables, bread, cereals, milk and meat). Intakes of both foods and nutrients varied significantly across socio-demographic groups, with unmarried women, and women in 'labouring' occupations (eg, cleaner, factory worker, kitchenhand) having poorer nutrient intake. CONCLUSIONS: Although many mid-aged women in this sample had generally healthful diets, women in certain socio-demographic groups (particularly unmarried women and those in labouring occupations) had nutrient intakes of concern. As well as helping to address the dearth of current data on dietary intakes in the Australian population, the results highlight the need for continued targeted public health strategies aimed at improving diet of women from the various socio-economic backgrounds.

Australia↗

PubMed2004

Children's perceptions of their home and neighborhood environments, and their association with objectively measured physical activity: a qualitative and quantitative study.

Environmental factors may have an important influence on children's physical activity, yet children's perspectives of their home and neighborhood environments have not been widely assessed. The aim of this study was to investigate children's perceptions of their environments, and to examine associations between these perceptions and objectively measured physical activity. The sample consisted of 147, 10-year-old Australian children, who drew maps of their home and neighborhood environments. A subsample of children photographed places and things in these environments that were important to them. The maps were analyzed for themes, and for the frequency with which particular objects and locations appeared. Physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometers. Six themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the maps and photographs: the family home; opportunities for physical activity and sedentary pursuits; food items and locations; green space and outside areas; the school and opportunities for social interaction. Of the 11 variables established from these themes, one home and two neighborhood factors were associated with children's physical activity. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of children's perceptions of their environment, and highlight the potential importance of the home and neighborhood environments for promoting physical activity behavior.

Child↗

PubMed2004

Evidence-based strategies to promote physical activity among children, adolescents and young adults: review and update.

This paper updates evidence reviewed in the first edition of Getting Australia Active on effective physical activity (PA) intervention strategies among children, adolescents and young adults. Intervention studies published between 1999 and September 2003 were identified using electronic databases and hand searching. A total of 28 discrete studies were identified (31 papers). Six of nine studies reported significant effects on child or youth PA in school settings. Those that incorporated whole-of-school approaches including curriculum, policy and environmental strategies appeared to be more effective than those that incorporated curriculum-only approaches. Five of 10 studies with children and two of five studies with adolescents reported increased PA or decreased sedentary behaviour in other settings. Interventions that included contact with families generally appeared to be most effective. One study with adolescents provided some evidence of the potential effectiveness of interventions based in primary care. Two of four papers reported modest short-term results among young adults, including increased PA stage of change or a higher likelihood of being adequately physically active, but none showed any evidence of sustained increases in PA. There is an urgent need for additional studies examining interventions aimed at young adults. Across the three life stages, future studies should include objective PA measures, longer-term follow-up, larger sample sizes, a specific focus on PA (rather than weight) and culturally-specific strategies that build evidence in Australian populations. Future studies should target high risk groups and a broad range of settings and strategies focusing on reducing sedentary behaviours as well as increasing PA.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

The influence of various methods of cold storage of skin on the permeation of melatonin and nimesulide.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different methods of skin preservation on the percutaneous permeation of two drugs with varied physicochemical properties (melatonin and nimesulide). Hairless rat skin was freshly excised and immediately stored at three different storage conditions: (a). 4 degrees C in minimal essential medium eagle (MEM), (b). frozen at -22 degrees C and (c) frozen at -22 degrees C in 10% glycerol (as a cryoprotective agent). The permeation of melatonin and nimesulide from saturated solutions was studied using the skin stored at various cold storage conditions for 6 months. At 4 degrees C, the flux of melatonin was similar to fresh skin for up to 7 days (P>0.05) and increased 2.4-fold at 14 days (P<0.001). The flux of melatonin was similar to fresh skin for 14 days with skin at -22 degrees C (P>0.05) and then steadily increased from 30 days onwards and at 180 days, the flux was 5-fold greater than fresh skin (P<0.001). Freezing of skin at -22 degrees C with 10% glycerol showed similar flux values for melatonin up to 60 days and at 180 days the flux increased 2.2-fold as compared to fresh skin (P<0.001). In the case of nimesulide, the skin stored for 2 days at 4 degrees C showed similar flux as compared to fresh skin (P>0.05) and increased steadily from 4 days onwards and at 14 days the flux was 3.5-fold higher than fresh skin (P<0.001). The skin frozen at -22 degrees C with or without 10% glycerol showed no difference in flux up to 4 days which however increased from 7 days onwards. At 180 days, the skin at -22 degrees C showed 2.5-fold increase in the flux (P<0.001) whereas the skin frozen with 10% glycerol showed 2-fold increase in the flux (P<0.001) as compared to fresh skin. The results of the present study demonstrate that the permeability of the drugs across the stored skin was dependent on the storage condition, the length of storage and the physicochemical properties of the drug under study. Overall, the freezing of skin at -22 degrees C with 10% glycerol was found to be very helpful for the long-term storage of skin for percutaneous permeation studies.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Too hot to trot? Exploring potential links between climate change, physical activity and health.

Based on an analysis of existing literature, this paper explores the links between climate change, physical activity and health. It highlights the importance of physical activity for health, explores current understandings of factors influencing participation in sport and physical activity, and develops some hypotheses about the ways in which climate change may impact on the factors influencing physical activity and thereby on the level of participation in physical activity. The paper argues that climate change has the potential to be a barrier to participation in physical activity, particularly in areas where temperatures are already relatively high, and that a reduction in physical activity across the population is likely to have detrimental health impacts. The need for research to clarify the nature and extent of the threat posed to physical activity participation is highlighted, as is the need to take into account the direct and indirect costs of any changes or reductions in physical activity in any assessment of the costs of climate change and/or its mitigation.

Australia↗

PubMed2003

Active surveillance for respiratory virus infections in adults who have undergone bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Community-acquired respiratory virus (RV) infections are an important cause of disease in immunocompromised adults with cancer. To investigate the viral etiology, incidence, clinical presentation, and outcome of RV infections in an outpatient cohort of adult bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients, we monitored 62 outpatient volunteers from January 1 to April 30, 2001. A nasopharyngeal aspirate was collected from subjects when they reported new respiratory symptoms and tested for RV (influenza A, influenza B, human parainfluenza 1-3, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus) by culture and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Of 62 subjects enrolled, 27% had received allogeneic SCT and 45% were within 1 year of their transplant. In all, 35 participants (56%) reported 37 episodes of respiratory symptoms. Of the 37 specimens tested, five (14%) were positive for RV by culture and 20 (54%) were positive by RT-PCR. Only six patients with RV infections developed lower respiratory tract illnesses; these patients had received either autologous or allogeneic transplants and developed illnesses between 41 and 2666 days post transplant. Although RV infections were common in SCT outpatients during the RV season, most participants had upper respiratory tract infections, which resolved without the need for hospitalization.

Adenoviridae↗

PubMed2003

Income differences in food consumption in the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationships between an index of per capita income and the intake of a variety of individual foods as well as groups of food for men and women in different age groups. DESIGN: Cross-sectional national survey of free-living men and women. SUBJECTS: A sample of 5053 males and 5701 females aged 18 y and over who completed the Australian National Nutrition Survey 1995. METHODS: Information about the frequency of consumption of 88 food items was obtained. On the basis of scores on the Food Frequency Questionnaire, regular and irregular consumers of single foods were identified. The relationships between regularity of consumption of individual foods and per capita income were analysed via contingency tables. Food variety scores were derived by assigning individual foods to conventional food group taxonomies, and then summing up the dichotomised intake scores for individual foods within each food group. Two-way ANOVA (income x age group) were performed on the food variety scores for males and females, respectively. RESULTS: Per capita income was extensively related to the reported consumption of individual foods and to total and food group variety indices. Generally, both men and women in low income households had less varied diets than those in higher-income households. However, several traditional foods were consumed less often by young high-income respondents, especially young women. CONCLUSIONS: Major income differentials in food variety occur in Australia but they are moderated by age and gender. Younger high-income women, in particular, appear to have rejected a number of traditional foods, possibly on the basis of health beliefs. The findings also suggest that data aggregation has marked effects on income and food consumption relationships.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Social factors and obesity: an investigation of the role of health behaviours.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated a behavioural model of the relation between social factors and obesity, in which differences in body mass index (BMI) across sociodemographic groups were hypothesized to be attributable to social group differences in health behaviours affecting energy expenditure (physical activity, diet and alcohol consumption and weight control). METHODS: A total of 8667 adults who participated in the 1995 Australian National Health and Nutrition Surveys provided data on a range of health factors including objectively measured height and weight, health behaviours, and social factors including family status, employment status, housing situation and migration status. RESULTS: Social factors remained significant predictors of BMI after controlling for all health behaviours. Neither social factors alone, nor health behaviours alone, adequately explained the variance in BMI. Gender-specific interactions were found between social factors and individual health behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that social factors moderate the relation between BMI and weight-related behaviours, and that the mechanisms underlying sociodemographic group differences in obesity may vary among men and women. Additional factors are likely to act in conjunction with current health behaviours to explain variation in obesity prevalence across sociodemographic groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Dietary patterns of Australian adults and their association with socioeconomic status: results from the 1995 National Nutrition Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe dietary patterns among men and women in the Australian population, and to explore how these varied according to socioeconomic status (SES). DESIGN: A cross-sectional self-report population survey, the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS), was used. SETTING: Private dwelling sample, covering urban and rural areas across Australia. SUBJECTS: Data provided by 6680 adults aged 18-64 who participated in the NNS were used in the analyses. METHODS: Factor analyses were used to analyse data from a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) completed by participants. Associations between SES and dietary pattens were assessed using ANOVA. RESULTS: Separate factor analyses of the FFQ data for men and women revealed 15 factors, accounting for approximately 50% of the variance in both men's and women's dietary patterns. Several gender and SES differences in food patterns were observed. Lower SES males more frequently consumed 'tropical fruits', 'protein foods', and 'offal and canned fish', while high SES males more often ate 'breakfast cereals' and 'wholemeal bread'. Lower SES females more often ate 'traditional vegetables', 'meat dishes' and 'pasta, rice and other mixed foods', while high SES females more frequently ate 'ethnic vegetables' and 'breakfast cereal/muesli'. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to a better understanding of the dietary patterns that underscore gender-specific SES differences in nutrient intakes. Analyses of the type employed in this study will facilitate the development of interventions aimed at modifying overall eating patterns, rather than specific components of the diet.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Which aspects of socioeconomic status are related to obesity among men and women?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between body weight and fat distribution, and four empirically derived domains of socioeconomic status: employment, housing, migration status and family unit. DESIGN: A population-based study was used. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 8667 randomly-selected adults (4167 men; 4500 women) who participated in the 1995 Australian National Health and Nutrition Surveys provided data on a range of health factors including objective height, weight and body fat distribution, and a range of sociodemographic indicators. RESULTS: Results demonstrated associations for women, after controlling for age, between the employment domain, and body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio. Low status employed women were 1.4 times as likely to be overweight as high status employed women. There were less consistent relationships observed among these factors for men. Relationships between family unit and indicators of body weight and body fat distribution were observed for both men and women, with those who were married, particularly men (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.4-2.0), at higher risk of overweight. The migration and housing socioeconomic status domains were not consistently associated with body mass index or waist-to-hip ratio. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that different components of socioeconomic status may be important in predicting obesity, and thus should be examined separately. Future research would benefit from investigating the underlying mechanisms governing the relationships between socioeconomic status domains further, particularly those related to employment and family unit and obesity.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2002

Who does not gain weight? Prevalence and predictors of weight maintenance in young women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and predictors of weight maintenance over time in a large sample of young Australian women. DESIGN: This population study examined baseline and 4 y follow-up data from the cohort of young women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. SUBJECTS: A total of 8726 young women aged 18-23 y at baseline. MEASURES: Height, weight and body mass index (BMI); physical activity; time spent sitting; selected eating behaviours (eg dieting, disordered eating, takeaway food consumption); cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption; parity; and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Only 44% of the women reported their BMI at follow-up to be within 5% of their baseline BMI (maintainers); 41% had gained weight and 15% had lost weight. Weight maintainers were more likely to be in managerial or professional occupations; to have never married; to be currently studying; and not to be mothers. Controlling for sociodemographic factors, weight maintainers were more likely to be in a healthy weight range at baseline, and to report that they spent less time sitting, and consumed less takeaway food, than women who gained weight. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than half the young women in this community sample maintained their weight over this 4 y period in their early twenties. Findings of widespread weight gain, particularly among those already overweight, suggest that early adulthood, which is a time of significant life changes for many women, may be an important time for implementing strategies to promote maintenance of healthy weight. Strategies which encourage decreased sitting time and less takeaway food consumption may be effective for encouraging weight maintenance at this life stage.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

The YRD motif is a major determinant of substrate and inhibitor specificity in T-cell protein-tyrosine phosphatase.

We have studied T-cell protein-tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) as a model phosphatase in an attempt to unravel amino acid residues that may influence the design of specific inhibitors. Residues 48--50, termed the YRD motif, a region that is found in protein-tyrosine phosphatases, but absent in dual-specificity phosphatases was targeted. YRD derivatives of TCPTP were characterized by steady-state kinetics and by inhibition studies with BzN-EJJ-amide, a potent inhibitor of TCPTP. Substitution of Asp(50) to alanine or Arg(49) to lysine, methionine, or alanine significantly affected substrate hydrolysis and led to a substantial decrease in affinity for BzN-EJJ-amide. The influence of residue 49 on substrate/inhibitor selectivity was further investigated by comparing subsite amino acid preferences of TCPTP and its R49K derivative by affinity selection coupled with mass spectrometry. The greatest effect on selectivity was observed on the residue that precedes the phosphorylated tyrosine. Unlike wild-type TCPTP, the R49K derivative preferred tyrosine to aspartic or glutamic acid. BzN-EJJ-amide which retains the preferred specificity requirements of TCPTP and PTP1B was equipotent on both enzymes but greater than 30-fold selective over other phosphatases. These results suggest that Arg(49) and Asp(50) may be targeted for the design of potent and selective inhibitors of TCPTP and PTP1B.

Amino Acid Substitution↗