Dr Joy Dai-Keller
My epidemiological research interest includes determining the roles of diet and other lifestyle factors in obesity, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and other aging health problems. My recent work looks at causal pathways to assess intermediators to inform prevention strategies in disease outcomes. As diet, physical activity and sleep contribute to shaping obesity, I am also interested in identifying factors that influence eating and other lifestyle behaviors, particularly the bidirectional relationships with human microbiome in chronic diseases.
I have on-going collaboration with epidemiologists at Boston University and Harvard University. I hope to expand collaboration in Australia and in the broader Asia-Pacific Region.
As a member of the Bias in Research node at the CPC, I use systematic review methods to identify hidden or understudied factors that affect the dissemination of results and conclusions in nutrition literature. One area is to evaluate the consistency in recommended intakes of specific dietary components. By mapping the links between funders and research processes, I hope to understand how the relationships among stakeholders impact disclosing conflicts of interest in nutrition studies.
Cochrane Nutrition 2018-present
American College of Arthritis 2016-present
Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center 2015-present
American Society of Nutrition 2013-present
American Society of Bone and Mineral Research 2013- present
International Osteoporosis Foundation 2012-present
Ruth L. Kirschstein Post-Doctoral National Research Service Award National Institute of Health (T32 fellowship) (2015-2018)
Travel Award sponsored by Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center (BNORC) (2018)
Travel award sponsored by the Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs at Boston University (2017)
Travel award sponsored by the North America Chinese Society for Nutrition and America Society for Nutrition (2017)
Second place Laboratory Clinical Research Award in the Evans Department of Medicine Research Days Poster Session 2016 Boston University School of Medicine (Boston, MA, 2016)
Finalist (top 10% highly rated abstracts) - American Society of Nutrition in the ‘Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science Poster Competition’Experimental Biology 2015 (Boston, MA, 2015)
Young Investigator Award (top 5% highly rated abstracts) by the 4th International Osteoporosis Foundation - Asia-Pacific Regional Conference 2014 (Taiwan, 2014)
Finalist for the ASBMR Phoebe Leboy Professional Development Award - American Society of Bone and Mineral Research annual meeting 2013 (Baltimore, MD, 2013)
Best Poster Award (top 2% highly rated abstracts) by International Life Sciences Institute Southeast Asia Region 2013 (Singapore, 2013)
Young Investigator Award (top 5% highly rated abstracts) by the 3rd International Osteoporosis Foundation - Asia-Pacific Regional Conference 2012 (Malaysia, 2012)
Publications
Book Chapters
- Dai-Keller, Z., Felson, D. (2019). Prebiotic Fibers and Their Potential Effects on Knee Osteoarthritis and Related Pain. In Ronald Ross Watson, Victor R. Preedy (Eds.), Bioactive Food as Dietary Interventions for Arthritis and Related Inflammatory Disease (2nd Edition), (pp. 223-232). London: Elsevier. [More Information]
- Dai-Keller, Z., Wang, R., Ang, L., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2013). Intake of B Vitamins and Carotenoids in Relation to Risk of Hip Fracture in Elderly Chinese. In Peter Burckhardt,Connie M. Weaver,Bess Dawson-Hughes (Eds.), Nutritional Influences on Bone Health, (pp. 171-187). London: Springer. [More Information]
Journals
- Prasad, N., Penm, J., Watson, D., Tran, B., Dai-Keller, Z., Tan, E. (2025). Association between self-reported pain experiences in hospital and ratings of care, readmission and emergency department visits: a population-based study from New South Wales, Australia. Anaesthesia, 80(3), 269-277. [More Information]
- Tan, E., Tran, B., Watson, D., Dai-Keller, Z. (2025). The association between patient self-reported experiences with medication discharge counselling and hospital readmissions: A cross-sectional analysis of a population-based survey. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 21(1), 41-46. [More Information]
- Dai-Keller, Z., Lee, S., Sharma, S., Ullah, S., Tan, E., Brodaty, H., Schutte, A., Sachdev, P. (2024). A systematic review of diet and medication use among centenarians and near-centenarians worldwide. GeroScience. [More Information]
2025
- Prasad, N., Penm, J., Watson, D., Tran, B., Dai-Keller, Z., Tan, E. (2025). Association between self-reported pain experiences in hospital and ratings of care, readmission and emergency department visits: a population-based study from New South Wales, Australia. Anaesthesia, 80(3), 269-277. [More Information]
- Tan, E., Tran, B., Watson, D., Dai-Keller, Z. (2025). The association between patient self-reported experiences with medication discharge counselling and hospital readmissions: A cross-sectional analysis of a population-based survey. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 21(1), 41-46. [More Information]
2024
- Dai-Keller, Z., Lee, S., Sharma, S., Ullah, S., Tan, E., Brodaty, H., Schutte, A., Sachdev, P. (2024). A systematic review of diet and medication use among centenarians and near-centenarians worldwide. GeroScience. [More Information]
- Kanukula, R., McKenzie, J., Bero, L., Dai-Keller, Z., McDonald, S., Kroeger, C., Korevaar, E., Forbes, A., Page, M. (2024). Investigation of bias due to selective inclusion of study effect estimates in meta-analyses of nutrition research. Research Synthesis Methods. [More Information]
- Prasad, N., Lau, E., Wojt, I., Penm, J., Dai-Keller, Z., Tan, E. (2024). Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Drug-Related Readmissions in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Drugs & Aging, 41(1), 1-11. [More Information]
2023
- Thomas, J., Imai, C., Sezgin, G., Hardie, R., Weeding, S., Pearce, C., McLeod, A., McGuire, P., Datta, S., Li, J., et al (2023). A framework for conducting policy-relevant primary care research: a COVID-19 case study in Australia. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 29(1), 1-7. [More Information]
- Sezgin, G., Dai, Z., McLeod, A., Pearce, C., Georgiou, A. (2023). Difference in general practice telehealth utilisation associated with birth country during COVID-19 from two Australian states. Ethics, Medicine and Public Health, 27. [More Information]
- Dai, Z., Raban, M., Sezgin, G., McGuire, P., Datta, S., Wabe, N., Pearce, C., Woodman, R., Georgiou, A. (2023). Opioid prescribing among aged care residents during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis using general practice health records in Australia. BMC Geriatrics, 23(1). [More Information]
2022
- Zertuche, J., Rabasa, G., Lichtenstein, A., Matthan, N., Nevitt, M., Torner, J., Lewis, C., Dai, Z., Misra, D., Felson, D. (2022). Alkylresorcinol, a biomarker for whole grain intake, and its association with osteoarthritis: the MOST study. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 30(10), 1337-1343. [More Information]
- Dai-Keller, Z., Hirani, V., Sahni, S., Felson, D., Naganathan, V., Blyth, F., Le Couteur, D., Handelsman, D., Seibel, M., Waite, L., Cumming, R., et al (2022). Association of dietary fiber and risk of hip fracture in men from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study and the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project. Nutrition and Health, 28(2), 229-238. [More Information]
- Baram, L., Dai-Keller, Z., McDonald, S., Bero, L. (2022). Disclosure of funding sources and conflicts of interest in evidence underpinning vitamin D and calcium recommendations in bone health guidelines. Public Health Nutrition, 25(8), 2288-2295. [More Information]
2021
- Dai-Keller, Z., McKenzie, J., McDonald, S., Baram, L., Page, M., Allman-Farinelli, M., Raubenheimer, D., Bero, L. (2021). Assessment of the methods used to develop vitamin d and calcium recommendations—a systematic review of bone health guidelines. Nutrients, 13(7), 2423. [More Information]
- Trieu, K., Bhat, S., Dai-Keller, Z., Leander, K., Gigante, B., Qian, F., Korat, A., Sun, Q., Pan, X., Laguzzi, F., et al (2021). Biomarkers of dairy fat intake, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study, systematic review, and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 18(9), e1003763. [More Information]
- Georgiou, A., Li, J., Pearce, C., McLeod, A., Wabe, N., Hardie, R., Franco, G., Imai, C., Sezgin, G., Thomas, J., et al (2021). COVID-19: protocol for observational studies utilizing near real-time electronic Australian general practice data to promote effective care and best-practice policy—a design thinking approach. Health Research Policy and Systems, 19(1). [More Information]
2020
- Dai-Keller, Z., Kroeger, C., Lawrence, M., Scrinis, G., Bero, L. (2020). Comparison of methodological quality between the 2007 and 2019 Canadian dietary guidelines. Public Health Nutrition, 23(16), 2879-2885. [More Information]
- Page, M., Bero, L., Kroeger, C., Dai-Keller, Z., McDonald, S., Forbes, A., McKenzie, J. (2020). Investigation of Risk Of Bias due to Unreported and SelecTively included results in meta-analyses of nutrition research: The ROBUST study protocol. F1000Research, 8, 1760. [More Information]
- Dai, Z., Neogi, T., Brown, C., Nevitt, M., Lewis, C., Torner, J., Felson, D. (2020). Sleep quality is related to worsening knee pain in those with widespread pain: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study. Journal of Rheumatology, 47(7), 1019-1025. [More Information]
2019
- Page, M., Bero, L., Kroeger, C., Dai-Keller, Z., McDonald, S., Forbes, A., McKenzie, J. (2019). Investigation of Risk Of Bias due to Unreported and SelecTively included results in meta-analyses of nutrition research: the ROBUST study protocol. F1000Research, 8, 1-21. [More Information]
- Dai-Keller, Z., Kroeger, C., McDonald, S., Page, M., McKenzie, J., Allman-Farinelli, M., Raubenheimer, D., Bero, L. (2019). Methodological quality of public health guideline recommendations on vitamin D and calcium : a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open, 9(11), 1-8. [More Information]
- Dai-Keller, Z., Felson, D. (2019). Prebiotic Fibers and Their Potential Effects on Knee Osteoarthritis and Related Pain. In Ronald Ross Watson, Victor R. Preedy (Eds.), Bioactive Food as Dietary Interventions for Arthritis and Related Inflammatory Disease (2nd Edition), (pp. 223-232). London: Elsevier. [More Information]
2018
- Dai, Z., Zhang, Y., Lu, N., Felson, D., Kiel, D., Sahni, S. (2018). Association Between Dietary Fiber Intake and Bone Loss in the Framingham Offspring Study. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 33(2), 241-249. [More Information]
- Dai-Keller, Z., Jafarzadeh, S., Niu, J., Felson, D., Jacques, P., Li, S., Zhang, Y. (2018). Body Mass Index Mediates the Association between Dietary Fiber and Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis in the Osteoarthritis Initiative and the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study. The Journal of Nutrition, 148(12), 1961-1967. [More Information]
- Dai, Z., Jin, A., Soh, A., Ang, L., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2018). Coffee and tea drinking in relation to risk of hip fracture in the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Bone, 112, 51-57. [More Information]
2017
- Dai, Z., Lu, N., Niu, J., Felson, D., Zhang, Y. (2017). Dietary Fiber Intake in Relation to Knee Pain Trajectory. Arthritis Care and Research, 69(9), 1331-1339. [More Information]
- Dai, Z., Niu, J., Zhang, Y., Jacques, P., Felson, D. (2017). Dietary intake of fibre and risk of knee osteoarthritis in two US prospective cohorts. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 76(8), 1411-1419. [More Information]
- Dai, Z., Felson, D., Zhang, Y. (2017). Reply. Arthritis Care and Research, 69(12), 1932-1933. [More Information]
2016
- Dai, Z., Wang, R., Ang, L., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2016). Bone turnover biomarkers and risk of osteoporotic hip fracture in an Asian population. Bone, 83, 171-177. [More Information]
2015
- Dai, Z., Ang, L., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2015). Association between change in body weight after midlife and risk of hip fracture-the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Osteoporosis International, 26(7), 1939-1947. [More Information]
- Dai, Z., Koh, W. (2015). B-vitamins and bone health-a review of the current evidence. Nutrients, 7(5), 3322-3346. [More Information]
2014
- Dai, Z., Butler, L., van Dam, R., Ang, L., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2014). Adherence to a vegetable-fruit-soy dietary pattern or the alternative healthy eating index is associated with lower hip fracture risk among Singapore Chinese. The Journal of Nutrition, 144(4), 511-518. [More Information]
- Dai, Z., Wang, R., Ang, L., Low, Y., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2014). Protective effects of dietary carotenoids on risk of hip fracture in men: The Singapore Chinese health study. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 29(2), 408-417. [More Information]
2013
- Dai, Z., Wang, R., Ang, L., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2013). Dietary B vitamin intake and risk of hip fracture: The Singapore Chinese Health Study. Osteoporosis International, 24(7), 2049-2059. [More Information]
- Dai-Keller, Z., Wang, R., Ang, L., Yuan, J., Koh, W. (2013). Intake of B Vitamins and Carotenoids in Relation to Risk of Hip Fracture in Elderly Chinese. In Peter Burckhardt,Connie M. Weaver,Bess Dawson-Hughes (Eds.), Nutritional Influences on Bone Health, (pp. 171-187). London: Springer. [More Information]
2011
- Nair, V., Dai, Z., Khan, M., Ciolino, H. (2011). Pomegranate extract induces cell cycle arrest and alters cellular phenotype of human pancreatic cancer cells. Anticancer Research, 31(9), 2699-2704.
- Ciolino, H., Dai, Z., Nair, V. (2011). Retinol inhibits aromatase activity and expression in vitro. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 22(6), 522-526. [More Information]
2010
- Dai-Keller, Z., Nair, V., Khan, M., Ciolino, H. (2010). Pomegranate extract inhibits the proliferation and viability of MMTV-Wnt-1 mouse mammary cancer stem cells in vitro. Oncology Reports, 24, 1087-1091. [More Information]
In the media
High-Fiber Diet Tied to Less Knee Arthritis (May 24, 2017)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/well/eat/high-fiber-diet-tied-to-less-knee-arthritis.html
Want to avoid knee arthritis? Eat more fiber (May 23, 2017)
http://www.newsweek.com/arthritis-diet-fiber-knee-pain-prevent-614434
Older adults might be able to stave off arthritis knee pain with fiber (May 27, 2017)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-arthritis-fiber-idUSKBN18M1VQ
Plant-based diet lowers risk of hip fracture (May 6, 2014)
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/plant-based-diet-lowers-risk-hip-fracture-study
Studyfindsweightlossof10% ormoreinseniorssignificantly raiseshipfracturerisk (November15, 2014)