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Research
Thriving families: The feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a multi-component physical literacy program for children with neurodevelopmental, emotional, or behavioural problemsChildren with neurodevelopmental, emotional, or behavioural challenges participate in lower levels of physical activity (PA) and subsequently have poorer physical and mental health outcomes. We sought to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a multi-component physical literacy program for children with neurodevelopmental, emotional, or behavioural challenges.
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Neighbourhood walkability and body mass index in children: Evidence from the Millennium Cohort Study in WalesOverweight and obesity in children continues to increase. Yet, the role of active transport, namely walking, in mitigating these trends remains unclear. This study examined the cross-sectional association between walkability and children's Body Mass Index (BMI) and how this varies by socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics.

News & Events
NHMRC funding boost to child health researchThe Kids researchers will use nearly $8.5 million awarded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to tackle health issues including respiratory disease, brain cancer, vaccination and Aboriginal health.

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New research partnership to ensure no child gets left behindResearchers will track the progress of 12,000 children from birth to age five to identify what services are valuable to families to support the health and wellb
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Eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans and gender diverse folks: lived experience and stakeholder perspectivesTrans individuals face elevated health risks and socio-environmental challenges, influencing their engagement in health-protective behaviors (e.g. exercise and nutrition). Despite these challenges, there is a significant gap in understanding the specific eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans adults, including barriers to healthy behaviors and healthcare experiences. This study aims to address this gap by exploring these experiences, informing targeted interventions and healthcare practices to improve health outcomes.
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Barriers and enablers to promoting grandchildren’s physical activity and reducing screen time: a qualitative study with Australian grandparentsWith an increasing number of grandparents providing care to their grandchildren, calls have been made for these caregivers to be considered important stakeholders in encouraging children's engagement in health-promoting behaviors, such as physical activity.
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More People, More Active, More Often for Heart Health - Taking Action on Physical ActivityPhysical inactivity is a leading contributor to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Almost 500 million new cases of preventable noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) will occur globally between 2020 and 2030 due to physical inactivity, costing just over US$300 billion, or around US$ 27 billion annually (WHO 2022). Active adults can achieve a reduction of up to 35% in risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

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The Kids researchers awarded Raine Medical Research Foundation fundingCongratulations to three The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers, who have been awarded funding from the Raine Medical Research Foundation.
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Dietary patterns during pregnancy and maternal and birth outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes: the Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) studyDietary patterns characterised by high intakes of vegetables may lower the risk of pre-eclampsia and premature birth in the general population. The effect of dietary patterns in women with type 1 diabetes, who have an increased risk of complications in pregnancy, is not known.
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Iron Deficiency in Young Australian Children: A Hidden Health Crisis Demanding Urgent ActionDesiree Silva MBBS, FRACP, MPH, PhD Co-Head, ORIGINS Co-Head, The ORIGINS Project Professor Desiree Silva is Co-Director of ORIGINS and a Professor
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Pediatric Endotracheal Tube Cuff Management at Altitude: Implications for Aeromedical Retrieval and Other Austere EnvironmentsChildren are sometimes transported via fixed or rotary wing aircraft for medical care. If they are intubated with a cuffed endotracheal tube (ETT), changes in environmental pressure during transport can alter cuff pressure. Cuff management in this setting varies widely by region and by organization. In this historical review, we sought to delineate the evolution of ETT cuff management in children undergoing aeromedical retrieval in order to progress the field toward an optimum strategy in the future.

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Australia Day Honours for researchers and esteemed ElderFour outstanding members of The Kids Research Institute Australia family – three researchers and an Aboriginal Elder co-researcher – have been named in the Australia Day Honours List for their outstanding service to research and the community.
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Exploring Hope in Australian Justice Involved Youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DisorderHope is well recognised as a positive protective factor for mental health, improved coping responses to adverse childhood events and better educational outcomes. Hope is composed of synergistic constituents – agency and pathway. A retrospective chart review was conducted of 53 justice-involved youths (10−17 years old) who underwent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnostic assessments with Patches in Western Australia between 2019 and 2020.
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The Benefits to Bone Health in Children and Pre-School Children with Additional Exercise Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisDetermine if exercise interventions, beyond what is already provided to children and preschool children, improve bone health and reduce fracture incidence.
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Respiratory Health Effects of In Vivo Sub-Chronic Diesel and Biodiesel Exhaust ExposureBiodiesel, which can be made from a variety of natural oils, is currently promoted as a sustainable, healthier replacement for commercial mineral diesel despite little experimental data supporting this. The aim of our research was to investigate the health impacts of exposure to exhaust generated by the combustion of diesel and two different biodiesels.
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Reliability of Fitness Assessments in Children With Emotional and Behavioral DifficultiesExamine the reliability of field-based fitness assessments in school-aged children with emotional or behavioral difficulties (EBD). Understanding the impact of fitness on physical activity participation for children with EBD is limited by our ability to reliably measure it.

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Pre-term kids get green light to exerciseParents of children born prematurely have expressed concerns about their child’s lung health when they exercise, with symptoms such as breathlessness.

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The Kids researcher takes out top prize at 2020 WA Tall Poppy Science AwardsThe Kids Research Institute Australia and University of Western Australia physical activity researcher Hayley Christian has been named Young Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year at the 2020 WA Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.
Research
A very low carbohydrate diet for minimising blood glucose excursions during ultra-endurance open-water swimming in type 1 diabetes: a case reportCarbohydrate-restricted diets are used by people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to help manage their condition. However, the impact of this strategy on blood glucose responses to exercise is unknown. This study describes the nutritional strategies of an athlete with T1D, who follows a very low carbohydrate diet to manage her condition during an ultra-endurance open-water swimming event.