Nutritional Physiology Research Centre Current Projects
Projects currently
recruiting volunteers:
Information on current studies:
We are currently recruiting volunteers for the following research projects:
Omega-3s and Child ADHD Study
Do you have a 7-12 year old child with ADHD and learning difficulties? Is this child currently not taking stimulant medications or omega-3s?
If so you and your child are invited to take part in a new Omega-3 and ADHD
trial: ‘Omega-3 supplements for helping to reduce hyperactivity,
impulsivity, learning and attention problems’.
This study will involve 4 x 2-hourly visits to the university over 12 months
for cognitive assessments, parent questionnaires and blood samples. Children
will take 4 small capsules of fish oil, or at some stage placebo oil, each
day for 12 months.
Participants will be reimbursed for travelling and associated expenses.
For further information contact Natalie Sinn on (08) 8302 1757 or Catherine
Milte on (08) 8302 1452
or email Natalie.Sinn@unisa.edu.au
or Catherine.Milte@unisa.edu.au
Pork Health Study
Do you eat pork occasionally? Would you like to eat pork more often?
Then you may be interested in our Pork Health Study.
Regular consumption of lean pork as part of a high protein diet may improve
heart health and reduce body fat.
We are seeking overweight but healthy volunteers aged 18 – 65 years to help
us evaluate these health benefits.
If you are eligible to participate you will be randomly allocated to
continue your usual diet or to eat a variety of pork products regularly for
6 months and to undergo health assessments initially and after 3 and 6
months.
Pork products will be provided and all participants will receive an
honorarium.
For further information contact Kate Boyd on (08) 8302 1822 or Karen Murphy
on (08) 8302 1033
or email Kate.Boyd@unisa.edu.au
or Karen.Murphy@unisa.edu.au
Physical Function Study
What factors affect physical function and activity participation in children?
There is a big push at the moment for children to be as physically active as
possible. However, many factors can impact on a child’s ability to move well
and participate in life. This study is the first of its kind and will look
at the physical function and activity of children, identifying the key
factors that predict functioning. By doing so, we can work out how best to
help kids to be physically active and participate fully in everyday life.
We are looking for children aged 10-13 years to take part. Parents and their
children would need to attend the University of South Australia on Frome
Road in the city for up to 2 assessments (lasting approx. 21/2 hours), one
week apart. Children and parents will also be asked to fill in some
questionnaires. Children will monitor their activity for one week and
complete 2 telephone interviews.
Parents/caregivers will receive financial reimbursement ($125).
For more information, please read the
INFORMATION SHEET (57KB doc).
If you and your child are interested in taking part, please fill in the
RECRUITMENT
QUESTIONNAIRE (40KB doc) and return it to Alison Coates via email
Alison.Coates@unisa.edu.au
or Margarita Tsiros via email
Margarita.Tsiros@unisa.edu.au or fax (08) 8302 2178.
For further information contact Margarita Tsiros on (08) 8302 2348 or (08) 8302
2097 or Alison Coates on (08) 8302 2313 or email
Margarita.Tsiros@unisa.edu.au
or
Alison.Coates@unisa.edu.au
Information on Current Projects:
Omega-3s and Child ADHD
Effects of Omega-3 fatty acids for helping to reduce ADHD symptoms & learning difficulties in children
Project Co-ordinators Catherine Milte and Natalie Sinn
Purpose of
Study
The purpose of this study is to further investigate the relative benefits of
long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on symptoms of ADHD and learning difficulties in
7-12 year old children in a 12 month randomised controlled trial that will
be run in both Adelaide and Brisbane from July/August 2007-2008.
We also want to do analyses on
children’s blood, including fatty acids, before and after they take the fish
oils. This may help us to gain further understanding about biological
profiles of these children and also work out which children may get the most
benefit from taking omega-3s.
Pork Health Study
Health benefits of fresh pork
Project Co-ordinator Karen Murphy
Purpose of
Study
Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world and is a substantial
source of dietary protein, vitamins and minerals and may help maintain or
improve cardiovascular (CV) and metabolic health when consumed as part of a
healthy balanced diet. Indeed in Australia pork consumption is not as high
as in other parts of the world, and this may be partly due to a
misconception that pork is a “fatty meat” which may be detrimental to
health. Despite its frequency of consumption, there is little evidence
demonstrating potential health benefits associated with eating pork.
Studies have shown that high protein diets containing lean cuts of meat can
improve a number of CV disease risk factors, including glucose and insulin
control, increased satisfaction after a meal, reduced blood cholesterol,
risk of type II diabetes, reduced blood pressure and weight loss and
improved weight control. Some of these cardiometabolic risk factors cluster
in a condition known as Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X, which results in
an almost three-fold increase in the risk of CV disease morbidity and
mortality. The incidence of Metabolic Syndrome in Australia was recently
estimated at 25-30% of adults, resulting in a large financial burden to the
Australian health care system. Changes in lifestyle habits such as physical
activity as well as dietary modification such as reducing saturated fat and
increasing omega-3 polyunsaturated fat can counteract risk factors. Recent
attention has been given to the role that diets rich in lean animal protein
might play in reducing CV and metabolic disease.
A variety of dietary approaches including high protein diets to achieve
weight loss are consistent with improvements in CV risk in the short term.
Interestingly, most research in this area has focused on the benefits of red
meat: pork has not been studied specifically in terms of its potential to
improve CV health and body composition as part of a high protein diet. Given
the nutritional similarities, there is little reason why regular consumption
of lean cuts of pork, cannot deliver health benefits similar to lean red
meat.
Acute Effects of Resveratrol on Circulatory Function
Project Co-ordinators Narelle Berry and Rachel Wong
Purpose of
Study
Resveratol is an ingredient found in red grapes. It is an active
nutrient which may improve blood vessel function. The aim of this study is
to determine if consuming resveratrol one hour beforehand can increase the
amount of blood vessel dilation at rest and during exercise.
We are looking for men and postmenopausal women who are overweight with
mildly elevated blood pressure to study effects of resveratrol, an
ingredient of red wine, on heart health. If you suspect your blood pressure
may be too high and you do not take blood pressure medication, we invite you
to come in for an obligation-free check. If eligible, you will take a
resveratrol supplement and have your blood pressure and arterial function
measured at rest and during exercise on four occasions at the University of South Australia on Frome
Road in the city. For each visit you will need to refrain from eating or
drinking (except water) for four hours before your scheduled appointment.
Participants will receive financial reimbursement ($80).
For more information, please read the
INFORMATION SHEET (57KB doc).
For further information contact Narelle Berry on (08) 8302 1817 or Rachel Wong on (08) 8302 1939 or email Narelle.Berry@unisa.edu.au or wonxy003@students.unisa.edu.au
Cardiometabolic Health Benefits of Dairy Consumption
Project Co-ordinator Karen Murphy
Purpose of
Study
This study is a collaborative project between the Government of South
Australia and the Government of Manitoba, Canada of the benefits of low fat
dairy foods.
We are looking for overweight men and women who currently eat less than 2
services of dairy a day and would be willing to eat up to four services of
low fat diary per day for 12 months. You must be a non-smoker without
diabetes or cardiovascular disease. 50 volunteers will be recruited in South
Australia and 50 volunteers will be recruited in Manitoba, Canada.
Repeated measures will be taken of each volunteer's cardiometabolic health
status including weight and body fat, blood cholesterol, blood glucose,
elasticity of the arteries, blood pressure and bone mineral density.
We will supply dairy foods free of charge for 12 months to participants
radomized to the high dairy diet.
Participants radomized to the low dairy diet (regular diet) will receive an
honorarium of $200 and a dairy hamper upon completion of the study.
For more information, please read the
INFORMATION SHEET (57KB doc).
For further information contact Karen Murphy on (08) 8302 1033 or email Karen.Murphy@unisa.edu.au