Our Research
Take a look at our extensive body of work in food and nutrition science research. At FOODiQ Global, we've been on a relentless quest for knowledge and innovation, and we're excited to share our academic articles with you. Dive into our ground-breaking research that has shaped the future of food and nutrition. We invite you to explore the insights and discoveries we've compiled as we continue our mission to feed the world's curiosity and nourish its understanding of food and nutrition.
2024
Beckett, Emma, et al. "Health effects of drinking 100% juice: an umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses” Nutrition Reviews (2024).
This paper brings together the balance of evidence for the health effects of 100% juice, finding there are numerous potential benefits and limited likely harms.
Starck, Carlene, et al. " Mushrooms: a food-based solution to vitamin D deficiency to include in dietary guidelines" Frontiers in Nutrition (2024).
This paper shows how mushrooms exposed to UV-light represent an important tool in the strategic toolkit for addressing vitamin D deficiency in Australia and globally.
Starck, Carlene, et al. "Priority nutrients to address malnutrition and diet-related diseases in Australia and New Zealand” Frontiers in Nutrition (2024).
Here we developed a novel quantitative scoring matrix to identify the highest priority nutrient gaps to address across Australia and New Zealand.
2023
Jones, Patrice, et al. "Real world evidence on the characteristics of regular and intermittent users of a very‐low calorie diet program and associations with measures of program success, health, and quality of life" Obesity Science & Practice (2023).
This paper demonstrates that characteristics associated with success, health and quality of life for users of a very long calorie diet program.
Pathare, Nihar N., et al. "Nourishing the brain on deep space missions: nutritional psychiatry in promoting resilience" Frontiers in Neural Circuits17 (2023): 1170395.
This paper considers the biggest challenges associated with our current spaceflight food system, highlighting the importance of supporting optimal brain health on missions into deep space, and discussing evidence about food components that impact brain health.
Blumfield, Michelle, et al. "Relationship between discretionary food intake and sex, body image, health, and geographical remoteness among Indigenous Australian adolescents" Nutrition & Dietetics80.1 (2023): 73-84.
This work shows that discretionary energy intake was excessive among Indigenous Australian adolescents and had relationships with self-perceived health, weight satisfaction, and geographical remoteness, which was moderated by sex.
2022
Carr, Prudence, et al. "Efficacy and safety of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with 12+ months of adjuvant multidisciplinary support” MC Primary Care23.1 (2022): 1-12.
Here we demonstrate that the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and the incisionless endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty were safe and effective weight loss treatments for obese adults alongside multidisciplinary support.
Fayet‐Moore, Flavia, et al. "Patterns of discretionary food intake among Australian children and their association with socio‐demographic, lifestyle, and adiposity measures”Nutrition & Dietetics79.5 (2022): 623-635.
Here we show that nearly all Australian children and adolescents consumed discretionary food daily, with no specific demographic or anthropometric characteristics, other than age, predicting intake.
Teasdale, Scott B., et al. "How should we judge edible oils and fats? An umbrella review of the health effects of nutrient and bioactive components found in edible oils and fats." Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition62.19 (2022): 5167-5182.
The data presented show supports high mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acid compositions, total biophenol content, phytosterols, and possibly high α-tocopherol content as having beneficial effects on high-burden health outcomes.
Blumfield, Michelle, et al. "Should we ‘Eat a Rainbow’? An Umbrella Review of the Health Effects of Colourful Bioactive Pigments in Fruits and Vegetables." Molecules27.13 (2022): 4061.
This work provides a scientific basis for the “eat the rainbow” adage, showing unique health benefits linked to colour pigments.
Starck, Carlene, et al. "Methodology for the Review and Update of Nutrient Criteria Underpinning Front-of-Pack Labeling: Application to the Glycemic Index Symbol." Frontiers in Nutrition 9(2022): 867349.
We present our Nutrient Criteria Methodology that can be applied to the development and update of global nutrient criteria underpinning front-of-pack food labeling programs.
2021
Starck, Carlene S., et al. "Nutrient dense, low-cost foods can improve the affordability and quality of the new zealand diet—a substitution modeling study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health18.15 (2021): 7950.
Through modelling we show that of the most nutrient dense, low-cost foods were 56% unprocessed (vegetables, fruit, porridge, pasta, rice, nuts/seeds), 31% ultra-processed (vegetable dishes, fortified bread, breakfast cereals unfortified <15 g sugars/100 g and fortified 15–30 g sugars/100 g), 6% processed (fruit juice), and 6% culinary processed (oils).
Blumfield, Michelle, et al. "Balanced carbohydrate ratios are associated with improved diet quality in Australia: a nationally representative cross-sectional study." PLoS One16.7 (2021): e0253582.
Ratios were defined as (i) simple ratio, 10:1 (10g carbohydrate:≥1g dietary fiber); (ii) modified ratio, 10:1:2 (10g carbohydrate:≥1g dietary fiber:≤2g free sugars); and (iii) dual ratio, 10:1 & 1:2 (10g carbohydrate:≥1g dietary fiber & ≤2g free sugars per 1g dietary fiber). All carbohydrate ratios were associated with higher diet quality, with a free sugars constraint in the dual ratio providing the greatest improvements.
Blumfield, Michelle, et al. "Diet and economic modelling to improve the quality and affordability of the Australian diet for low and medium socioeconomic households." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health18.11 (2021): 5771.
The data show that the top quartile of nutrient dense, low-cost foods included 54% unprocessed (vegetables and reduced fat dairy), 33% ultra-processed (fortified wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals <20 g sugars/100 g), and 13% processed (fruit juice and canned legumes).
Roesler, Anna, et al. "Choosing and following a very low calorie diet program in Australia: A quasi‐mixed methods study to understand experiences, barriers, and facilitators in a self‐initiated environment." Nutrition & Dietetics78.2 (2021): 202-217.
Participants' experiences were influenced by previous weight loss attempts, seeing the VLCD program as credible, and internal motivators. Early health-related outcomes were a reinforcing stimulus. Throughout these experiences the participants identified various individual, program structure, and environment-related factors that facilitated their VLCD program use or created barriers.
Fayet‐Moore, Flavia, et al. "Contribution of dietary snacking behaviours to discretionary energy intake and anthropometric measures in Australian adults: A comparison using an objective vs subjective definition for snacking." Nutrition & Dietetics78.2 (2021): 154-164.
Interestingly, objective snacking energy contributed more to core food groups than discretionary, was not associated with anthropometric measures, and contributed less to total discretionary energy than the evening meal. When snacking was defined subjectively, more than half of snacking energy was discretionary, suggesting that adults are more likely to perceive discretionary foods as snacks.
2020
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "An analysis of the mineral composition of pink salt available in Australia." Foods9.10 (2020): 1490.
Pink salt was found to have no nutritional benefits, and potential harms. Pink salt consumption should not exceed the nutrient reference values for Australia and New Zealand guidelines of <5 g of salt per day, and should not be promoted as more healthful.
Marshall, Skye, et al. "The effect of replacing refined grains with whole grains on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials with GRADE clinical recommendation." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics120.11 (2020): 1859-1883.
The data show that for adults with or without CVD risk factors, consuming whole grains as opposed to refined grains can improve total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, and C-reactive protein. There is insufficient evidence to recommend the whole grains as opposed to refined grains for the prevention and treatment of CVD.
Blumfield, Michelle, et al. "Examining the health effects and bioactive components in Agaricus bisporus mushrooms: A scoping review." The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry84 (2020): 108453.
Here we show the beneficial effects of A. bisporus on metabolic syndrome, immune function, gastrointestinal health and cancer, with the strongest evidence for the improvement in vitamin D status in humans, were found. Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposed mushrooms may increase and maintain serum 25(OH)D levels to a similar degree as vitamin D supplements. A. bisporus contain beta-glucans, ergosterol, ergothioneine, vitamin D and an antioxidant compound usually reported as flavonoids; with varying concentrations depending on the type of mushroom, cooking method and duration, and UVB exposure.
Tan, Denise, et al. "An assessment of three carbohydrate metrics of nutritional quality for packaged foods and beverages in Australia and Southeast Asia." Nutrients12.9 (2020): 2771.
The carbohydrate metric is a straightforward indicator of product nutritional quality and is relevant to Asian and Australian packaged foods and beverages. In all investigated countries, it allowed identification of carbohydrate-based products rich in whole grains, dietary fibre and other health-promoting nutrients, but lower in energy density, free sugars and other nutrients of public health concern. In solid foods, all three metrics were good indicators of healthier carbohydrate-based packaged foods, whilst in beverages, due to the nature of the product category, the simple ratio was the best metric for selecting products of a higher nutritional density and alignment with national nutrient profiling models.
Blumfield, Michelle, et al. "Carbohydrate quality metrics and their association with population nutrient intakes and diet quality in Australia." Current Developments in Nutrition4 (2020): 4140510.
We show that carbohydrate quality metrics identified diets with higher nutrient intakes and HEIFA-2013 scores, with the addition of a free sugars constraint resulting in further improvements in diet quality. Utility of these metrics, based on carbohydrates, fibre, and free sugars, may offer a simple, standardised approach to improve total diet quality, which has potential for high public health impact.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Vegetable intake in Australian children and adolescents: the importance of consumption frequency, eating occasion and its association with dietary and sociodemographic factors." Public Health Nutrition23.3 (2020): 474-487.
We show that increasing the frequency of vegetable consumption may assist with increasing daily vegetable servings. A focus on consuming vegetables at lunch may assist with increasing both total servings and variety.
2019
Abboud, Myriam, et al. "Effects of vitamin D status and supplements on anthropometric and biochemical indices in a clinical setting: A retrospective study." Nutrients 11.12 (2019): 3032.
In a weight loss setting in a dietetic clinic, adequate vitamin D status at baseline, or achieved at three months through supplementation, was associated with significantly greater improvement of anthropometric measures. The study has implications for the management of vitamin D status in obese or overweight patients undergoing weight loss programs.
Eldridge, Alison, et al. "Milk and Dairy Foods Improve Nutrient Intakes Among Children in Australia, Russia and the US (P18-097-19)." Current Developments in Nutrition 3 (2019): 3130821.
We show that a focus on discretionary foods consumed in large portions at lunch and dinner may help improve interventions aimed at reducing discretionary food intake and addressing negative adiposity-related measures found in high consumers.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Australian children and adolescents who were drinkers of plain and flavoured milk had the highest intakes of milk, total dairy, and calcium." Nutrition Research 66 (2019): 68-81
The data presented show that plain and flavoured milk drinkers and nondrinkers of milk had the lowest prevalence of sugar-sweetened beverages intake (P < .001). Plain milk drinkers followed by flavoured milk drinkers had the most favourable milk, dairy, and nutrient intakes.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Determinants of vitamin D status of healthy office workers in Sydney, Australia." The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 189 (2019): 127-134.
Sunscreen use was significantly associated with higher vitamin D status as those who used sunscreen were also more likely to spend time outdoors. We conclude that sun exposure is beneficial for vitamin D status even with sunscreen use.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Breakfast choice is associated with nutrient, food group and discretionary intakes in Australian adults at both breakfast and the rest of the day." Nutrients 11.1 (2019): 175.
Breakfast cereal consumers had the lowest mean BMI and waist circumference and had healthier diets at both breakfast and throughout Breakfast cereal consumers had the lowest mean BMI and waist circumference and had healthier diets at both breakfast and throughout the rest of the day. They were the most likely to meet the daily recommended serves for grain foods, fruit, dairy, and vegetables, had the highest whole grain food intake, and the lowest discretionary intake. Additionally, breakfast cereal consumers had the most favourable daily nutrient intakes, including the lowest added sugars intakes. rest of the day. They were the most likely to meet the daily recommended serves for grain foods, fruit, dairy, and vegetables, had the highest whole grain food intake, and the lowest discretionary intake. Additionally, breakfast cereal consumers had the most favourable daily nutrient intakes, including the lowest added sugars intakes.
2018
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Dietary fibre intake in Australia. Paper I: associations with demographic, socio-economic, and anthropometric factors." Nutrients 10.5 (2018): 599.
We found that 42.3% (95% CI 40.5–44.1%) of children and 28.2% (95% CI 27.3–29.1%) of adults met the Adequate Intake (AI), and less than 20% of adults met the Suggested Dietary Target (SDT) to reduce the risk of chronic disease. Older children (aged 14–18 years), girls, young adults (19–30 years), males, and those of lower socio-economic status were less likely to meet the AI (p < 0.001). Those with a higher energy intake were more likely to meet the AI. Anthropometric measures were not associated with fibre intake or the likelihood of meeting the AI.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Dietary fibre intake in Australia. Paper II: Comparative examination of food sources of fibre among high and low fibre consumers." Nutrients 10.9 (2018): 1223.
This study aimed to profile the relationship between dietary choices and fibre intake of Australians. Using Day 1 data from the 2011–2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. The top three sub-major food group sources of fibre were regular breads, cereal mixed dishes, and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals in high fibre consumers and regular breads, cereal mixed dishes, and potatoes in low fibre consumers.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Healthcare expenditure and productivity cost savings from reductions in cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes associated with increased intake of cereal fibre among Australian adults: a cost of illness analysis." Nutrients 10.1 (2018): 34.
Modelling was undertaken for three levels of increased dietary fibre intake using cereal fibre: a 10% increase in total dietary fibre; an increase to the Adequate Intake; and an increase to the Suggested Dietary Target. Total healthcare expenditure and productivity cost savings associated with reduced CVD and T2D were calculated by gender, socioeconomic status, baseline dietary fibre intake, and population uptake. Total combined annual healthcare expenditure and productivity cost savings of AUD$17.8 million–$1.6 billion for CVD and AUD$18.2 million–$1.7 billion for T2D were calculated. Total savings were generally larger among adults of lower socioeconomic status and those with lower dietary fibre intakes.
2017
Fayet-Moore, Flávia, et al. "Weekday snacking prevalence, frequency, and energy contribution have increased while foods consumed during snacking have shifted among Australian children and adolescents: 1995, 2007 and 2011–12 National Nutrition Surveys." Nutrition journal 16.1 (2017): 1-14.
We show that snacking is a prominent dietary pattern that has increased over time in frequency and energy contribution. Foods and beverages consumed during snacking occasions include a mix of core foods and discretionary foods, and while the contribution of discretionary foods has decreased, there is still an opportunity to encourage consumption of more nutrient dense foods during snacking.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Breakfast and breakfast cereal choice and its impact on nutrient and sugar intakes and anthropometric measures among a nationally representative sample of Australian children and adolescents." Nutrients 9.10 (2017): 1045.
The only difference in nutrient intakes between minimally pre-sweetened cereal consumers and pre-sweetened cereal consumers was higher folate among PS consumers. No associations between anthropometric measures and breakfast or breakfast cereal choice were found.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Identifying eating occasion-based opportunities to improve the overall diets of Australian adolescents." Nutrients 9.6 (2017): 608.
Breakfast had the lowest prevalence of consumers (81%), and contributed the least to total daily energy (14.6%) and almost a quarter of daily calcium and iron. Discretionary foods contributed 32.4% of the energy at lunch, and the sodium content at lunch was 415 mg/1000 kJ. Key opportunities identified for adolescents were to increase breakfast consumption, given the high nutrient densities of breakfasts consumed; improve overall lunch quality, particularly the sodium content; promote the intake of milk, fruit and a variety of vegetables at both lunch and dinner; maintain healthful choices at in-between meal eating occasions while focusing on decreasing the intake of discretionary foods.
The data presented here show that compared to core grain avoiders (0 serves), high consumers (6+ serves/day) were: more likely male and socially advantaged, had a healthier dietary pattern, less likely dieting, overweight or obese, and were at lower risk of metabolic complications. Core grain serves was significantly associated with higher fibre, but marginally clinically significant for lower adiposity.
2016
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, et al. "Impact of breakfast skipping and breakfast choice on the nutrient intake and body mass index of Australian children." Nutrients 8.8 (2016): 487.
The data presented show that breakfast consumers had significantly higher intakes of calcium and folate, and significantly lower intakes of total fat than breakfast skippers. Cereal consumers were more likely to meet targets and consume significantly higher fibre, calcium, iron, had significantly higher intakes of folate, total sugars and carbohydrate, and significantly lower intakes of total fat and sodium than non-cereal consumers. The prevalence of overweight was lower among breakfast consumers compared to skippers, and among cereal consumers compared to-cereal consumers, while no significant differences were observed for mean body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score, waist circumference and physical activity level across the categories. Breakfast and particularly breakfast cereal consumption contributes important nutrients to children’s diets.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia. "Effect of flavoured milk vs plain milk on total milk intake and nutrient provision in children." Nutrition Reviews 74.1 (2016): 1-17.
Consumers of flavoured milk have a higher total milk intake. Micronutrient intake among consumers of flavoured milk is similar to that among consumers of plain milk, while intakes of energy and sugars vary, owing to differences in reporting across studies. There is no association between flavoured milk intake and weight status among normal-weight children, and some contradictory effects of flavoured milk intake have been observed in subgroups of overweight children. Flavoured milk is a palatable beverage choice that helps children to meet calcium targets.
2015
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, Katrine Baghurst, and Barbara J. Meyer. "Four models including fish, seafood, red meat, and enriched foods to achieve Australian dietary recommendations for n-3 lcpufa for all life-stages." Nutrients 7.10 (2015): 8602-8614.
Diets were modelled using the NUTTAB2010 database and n-3 LCPUFA were calculated and compared to the Suggested Dietary Targets (SDT). The cost of meeting these recommendations was calculated per 100 mg n-3 LCPUFA. The SDT were achieved for all life-stages with all four models. The weekly food intake in number of serves to meet the n-3 LCPUFA SDT for all life-stages for each dietary model were: (i) 2 “excellent” fish; (ii) 1 “excellent” and 1 “good” fish, and depending on life-stage, 3–4 lean red meat, 0–2 eggs and 3–26 enriched foods; (iii) 4 lean red meat, and 20–59 enriched foods; (iv) 37–66 enriched foods. Recommended intakes of n-3 LCPUFA were easily met by the consumption of fish, which was the cheapest source of n-3 LCPUFA. Other strategies may be required to achieve the recommendations including modifying the current food supply through feeding practices, novel plant sources, and more enriched foods.
Fayet-Moore, Flavia, and Suzanne Pearson. "Interpreting the Australian dietary guideline to “limit” into practical and personalised advice." Nutrients 7.3 (2015): 2026-2043.
A toolkit to help interpret and portion size and translate Australian Dietary Guideline 3 was created.
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