Boden Collaboration for Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders

Did you know there are many causes of obesity?

A research study for rare genetic obesity is enrolling now.

If you and/or your child struggle with your weight, you may want to find out more about a research study we’re conducting in adults and children over two years of age. If you and/or your child are eligible and choose to take part, you will be asked to provide a cheek swab or blood sample for genetic testing. This may help you understand the cause of obesity in you or your child. There is no charge for the study-related tests or visits.

If you have always struggled with your weight and feel like you are hungry all the time, you may be interested in this study. Your privacy is important to us and your information will be coded and protected.

This study has received ethics approval from the RPAH Ethics Review Committee (Protocol No. X19-0021).

Eligibility

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• Feel hungry often or all the time
• Have a BMI of 40 or more

Your child may be eligible to participate in this study if they:

• Feel hungry often or all the time
• Are in the 99^th percentile of BMI for their age

How to participate

If you are interested in participating in this study please register on our Clinical Trials Registry, www.charlesperkinsresearch.com or email to clinicaltrials.boden@sydney.edu.au

The University of Sydney is in the process of developing a simple method to assess central blood pressure in children. Help us develop better ways to detect cardiovascular disease early.

Learn more and register here.

Type 2 diabetes can result in an array of cardiovascular and metabolic complications and is often seen in people who are overweight or obese. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves regular short exercise bouts, has been shown to produce similar benefits to more time-consuming exercise which is currently recommended in public health guidelines. For instance, recent scientific studies have suggested that HIIT can improve fitness, cardiovascular health, and reduce visceral fat with or without weight loss. 

This research aims to examine the effect of a novel approach to HIIT training (only four minutes of vigorous exercise per exercise session) compared with traditional aerobic exercise guidelines on metabolic and cardiovascular risk outcomes. Participants randomised into an exercise group will receive full supervision by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist. 

The intervention runs for 12 weeks and requires attendance at the Charles Perkins Centre for 3 days each week. The key eligibility criteria are:

• aged between 18-65
• body mass index greater than 30
• not currently undertaking regular exercise.

For information or to register your interest, contact:

• Kim Way: kway2744@uni.sydney.edu.au, 0407 252 422 

Although you might be healthy, carrying extra weight at the start of a pregnancy can be associated with complications in pregnancy such as hypertension, diabetes, miscarriage and caesarean delivery.

Learn more and register.

Obesity and Clinical Trials

• Professor Ian Caterson, Foundation Director and Obesity Program Leader, The Boden Collaboration; Boden Professor of Human Nutrition, School of Life and Environmental Sciences; Academic Clinical Director, Charles Perkins Centre Royal Prince Alfred Clinic; Deputy Clinical Stream Director Aged Care & Rehabilitation/Ambulatory and Chronic Care, Endocrinology, Andrology, General Medicine and General Practice, Sydney Local Health District
• Dr Nick Fuller, Industry Program Leader
• Associate Professor Tania Markovic, Clinical Associate Professor, Boden Collaboration; Director, Metabolism and Obesity Services (SLHD)
• Dr Kyra Sim, Manager, Childhood Obesity Prevention and Management, Dietitian (SLHD)
• Dr Arianne Sweeting, NHMRC Early Career Fellow

Diabetes

• Professor Stephen Colagiuri, Professor of Metabolic Health and Program Leader Diabetes, The Boden Collaboration; 
  Director, Solutions Domain, Charles Perkins Centre; Co-Director, WHO Collaborating Centre on Physical Activity, Nutrition & Obesity
• Associate Professor Samantha Hocking, Diabetes NSW and ACT

Public Health Nutrition

• Professor Timothy Gill, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, Research Programs Director and Public Health Nutrition Program Leader

Eating and Dieting Disorders

• Dr Sarah Maguire, Director of Eating and Dieting Disorders; Senior Lecturer; NSW Health Statewide Co-ordinator of Eating Disorders
• Professor Janice Russell, Professor of Psychiatry (Affiliate)
• Professor Stephen Touyz, Professor of Clinical Psychology 

Translational Research

• Professor Michael Skilton, Professor of Nutrition and Cardiometabolic Health; Maurice Blackmore Principal Research Fellow in Integrative Medicine; Translational Research Program Leader
• Dr Xingzhong (Jason) Jin, NHMRC Early Career Fellow
• Dr Jovana Mijatovic, Research Associate and Project Manager S03 Trial
• Dr Radhika Seimon, Research Fellow

Health Economics

• Dr Michelle Cunich, Senior Research Fellow, Health Economics Program Leader
• Dr Ang Li, Health Economist

Clinical Nutrition

• Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, (Faculty of Science) Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Program Leader

Exercise

• Professor Maria Fiatarone Singh, (School of Health Sciences) Exercise Program Leader

• Kristine Maddock, Executive Assistant
• Tegan Picone, Clinical Trials Research Assistant
• Melanie Symons, Administration Manager