Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

No results yet

Search

Research

Influence of maternal and infant technology use and other family factors on infant development

Steve Desiree Zubrick Silva FASSA, FAAMHS, MSc AM PhD MBBS, FRACP, MPH, PhD Honorary Emeritus Research Fellow Co-Director, ORIGINS 08 6319 1409

Research

Exploring Sugary Drink Consumption and Perceptions among Primary-School-Aged Children and Parents in Australia

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) account for a significant proportion of sugar in the diet of children and are directly associated with obesity in this group. While there have been many studies on adolescent SSB consumption, few studies have examined the predictors of SSB consumption in primary-school-aged children. The aim of this study was to understand the degree to which a child's consumption across a range of beverages is influenced by their own attitudes and by their parents' attitudes and parents' consumption behaviours.

Research

Metagenomic Characterisation of the Gut Microbiome and Effect of Complementary Feeding on Bifidobacterium spp. in Australian Infants

Complementary feeding induces dramatic ecological shifts in the infant gut microbiota toward more diverse compositions and functional metabolic capacities, with potential implications for immune and metabolic health. The aim of this study was to examine whether the age at which solid foods are introduced differentially affects the microbiota in predominantly breastfed infants compared with predominantly formula-fed infants. 

Research

Altered dietary behaviour during pregnancy impacts systemic metabolic phenotypes

Evidence suggests consumption of a Mediterranean diet (MD) can positively impact both maternal and offspring health, potentially mediated by a beneficial effect on inflammatory pathways. We aimed to apply metabolic profiling of serum and urine samples to assess differences between women who were stratified into high and low alignment to a MD throughout pregnancy and investigate the relationship of the diet to inflammatory markers.  

The ORIGINS Project: A platform for research discovery

The ORIGINS Project is a decade-long longitudinal study of more than 18,000 individuals including mothers, partners and children, as part of a collaboration between The Kids Research Institute Australia and Joondalup Health Campus.

Research

Wellbeing of breastfeeding women in australia and new zealand during the covid‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study

During the COVID-19 pandemic, breastfeeding women have experienced restricted access to support, placing them at increased risk of mental health concerns and limited breastfeeding assistance. This study investigated the effect of the pandemic on feeding choices and maternal wellbeing amongst breastfeeding mothers living in Australian and New Zealand. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey that examined feeding methods, maternal mental wellbeing, worries, challenges, and positive experiences during the pandemic.

Research

Maternal and family factors and child eating pathology: Risk and protective relationships

This study aimed to identify maternal and family factors that may predict increases or decreases in child eating disorder symptoms over time, accounting for...

News & Events

ORIGINS Project shines light on Early Childhood Development

A collaboration between The Kids Research Institute Australia and Joondalup Health Campus is poised to be a game-changer for early childhood development.

News & Events

ORIGINS celebrates significant funding from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation in 2025

A substantial funding boost from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation will help to further extend one of Australia’s biggest longitudinal child health research studies centred around families from the Joondalup and Wanneroo communities.

ORIGINS

ORIGINS is the largest study of its kind in Australia, following 10,000 children, from their time in the womb, over a decade to improve child and adult health.